# Luminos vs Orbiting Sky

The clearest difference is price: Orbiting Sky at Free against Luminos's $19.99. Orbiting Sky also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 weeks). Luminos's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On rating, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Orbiting Sky is free to download; Luminos costs $19.99 up front. Orbiting Sky sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Luminos asks for nothing beyond the download.

Orbiting Sky holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Luminos has 1.1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, Orbiting Sky every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Luminos | Orbiting Sky |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminos/id404664336/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbiting-sky/id6798188213/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 90.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 930 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wobbleworks LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/404664339) | [PrairieSoft LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861856568) |

## What reviewers say

### Luminos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luminos/id404664336)

This astronomy companion app, after 12 years of updates, is being retired. A more advanced version, Luminos Pro, is available with new features and ongoing support. This version remains accessible for existing users.

**Highlights:** Astronomy software, 12 years of updates, Retired version, Advanced version available (Luminos Pro), Continued support for existing customers

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Excellent astronomy app
- 🔭 Comprehensive features and information
- 🌌 Beautiful and intuitive interface
- 🔍 Helpful for both beginners and advanced users
- 🌍 Accurate tracking of celestial objects and satellites

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or freezes
- 🔧 Difficulty configuring for use with telescopes
- 🔒 Concerns about subscription model changes
- 🔍 Steep learning curve for some features
- 🔍 Lack of instructions or user guide

**Reported bugs**

- Motion tracking and compass not working properly
- Saved telescope settings erased after updates
- Slow response times and location detection issues
- Inconsistent behavior when tapping on objects

**Requested features**

- Add historical constellations
- Integrate national borders when searching
- Include exoplanets information
- Improve motion tracking and orientation
- Add observation forecast based on weather conditions


### Orbiting Sky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orbiting-sky/id6798188213)

Visualize celestial movements and shadows on an interactive map. Explore daylight, moonlight, twilight, and eclipses by moving through time and location. Understand solar and lunar positions, shadow lengths, and lunar phases.

**Highlights:** Interactive sky map, Daylight and twilight visualization, Sun and Moon elevation/azimuth, Shadow projection and length, Lunar phase and illumination, Eclipse browser and visualization, Time travel control

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Orbiting Sky Pro Lifetime | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Luminos free?

Luminos costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Orbiting Sky free?

Orbiting Sky is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Luminos or Orbiting Sky?

Orbiting Sky is rated higher. Luminos averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Orbiting Sky averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Luminos or Orbiting Sky have ads?

Orbiting Sky shows ads; Luminos does not.

### Which is updated more often, Luminos or Orbiting Sky?

Luminos ships an update every 2 weeks, and Orbiting Sky every 5 days. Most recently, Luminos was updated on November 6, 2026 and Orbiting Sky on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*