# ioda vs Cygnus Astro

The clearest difference is rating: Cygnus Astro at 4.3 against ioda's 3.0. Cygnus Astro also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 33%) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 5 months). ioda's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Cygnus Astro holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of ioda's written reviews are positive against 67% of Cygnus Astro's.

ioda ships an update every 5 months, Cygnus Astro every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ioda | Cygnus Astro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ioda/id412436864/reviews) | **[4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cygnus-astro/id6745795760/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 64 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Guy Barrand](https://appshunter.io/developer/412436867) | [Christopher Ventura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742045592) |

## What reviewers say

### ioda

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ioda/id412436864)

This scientific application allows users to read and visualize data from various file formats commonly used in astronomy and high-energy physics. It supports formats like FITS, ROOT, HDF5, JPG, and FOG, and can execute specific script files.

**Highlights:** Read FITS, ROOT, HDF5, JPG, and FOG files, Browse and visualize data, Execute .kumac files, Includes gopaw core, Supports various scientific data schemas

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cygnus Astro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cygnus-astro/id6745795760)

Control your astrophotography equipment remotely from your mobile device. This app provides a touch-friendly interface to connect, monitor, and manage your N.I.N.A. software and connected gear, simplifying your setup in the field.

**Highlights:** Remote equipment control, N.I.N.A. software integration, Mobile touch interface, Real-time exposure preview, Open-source and free

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ioda free?

ioda is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cygnus Astro free?

Cygnus Astro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ioda or Cygnus Astro?

Cygnus Astro is rated higher. ioda averages 3.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Cygnus Astro averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do ioda or Cygnus Astro have ads?

Neither ioda nor Cygnus Astro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ioda or Cygnus Astro?

ioda ships an update every 5 months, and Cygnus Astro every 5 days. Most recently, ioda was updated on September 27, 2026 and Cygnus Astro on October 20, 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.*