# SkyView® Lite vs Starry Map

The clearest difference is update cadence: Starry Map at every 2 weeks against SkyView® Lite's every 2 months. SkyView® Lite's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 246) and chart position (#153 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Starry Map sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for SkyView® Lite against 4.5 for Starry Map. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkyView® Lite has 19K ratings behind it against 246, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 65% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 62% of Starry Map's.

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, Starry Map every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkyView® Lite | Starry Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) | [4.5 (246 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starry-map/id1176591850/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 246 |
| Positive reviews | **64.6% of reviews** | 62.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#153** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 103 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) | [にゃんこソフトウェア](https://appshunter.io/developer/1843663669) |

## What reviewers say

### SkyView® Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865)

**Currently charting:** #153 Top Free · Education (US App Store)

Identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more by simply pointing your device at the sky. This augmented reality app makes stargazing accessible to everyone, day or night. Explore celestial paths and even travel through time to view the sky on different dates.

**Highlights:** Identify stars, constellations, and satellites, Augmented Reality (AR) stargazing, Set reminders for celestial events, View sky paths for Sun and Moon, Time travel to view past/future skies, Capture and share sky images

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stargazing Music Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Brightest Satellites & Sightings | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Accurate star and planet tracking
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🔭 Helpful for learning about the night sky
- 💫 Engaging and educational for all ages
- 🌌 Realistic AR display of celestial objects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Compass/location issues causing inaccurate positioning
- 🔍 Limited free features, many paid upgrades
- 🤔 Confusing for some users to understand how it works
- 🔋 High battery consumption

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on some devices
- Outdated information on certain celestial objects
- Compatibility issues with older iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Add more celestial objects like satellites, comets, and nebulae
- Improve compass calibration and location accuracy
- Provide more detailed information and facts about stars/planets
- Integrate with virtual reality for immersive stargazing experience
- Add reminders for upcoming astronomical events


### Starry Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starry-map/id1176591850)

Identify stars, constellations, and satellites by pointing your phone at the night sky. Augmented reality overlays display celestial names in real-time. Receive notifications for upcoming satellite passes and meteor showers.

**Highlights:** AR celestial identification, Constellation and star catalog, Satellite tracking and alerts, Meteor shower notifications, Offline functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Features | $0.99 | per month |
| Unlock Features | $0.99 | per month |
| Unlock Features | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock Features | $3.99 | per year |
| Unlock Features (Lifetime) | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

SkyView® Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Starry Map free?

Starry Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SkyView® Lite or Starry Map?

SkyView® Lite and Starry Map are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 19K and 246 ratings respectively.

### Do SkyView® Lite or Starry Map have ads?

Both SkyView® Lite and Starry Map show ads.

### Which is updated more often, SkyView® Lite or Starry Map?

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Starry Map every 2 weeks. Most recently, SkyView® Lite was updated on September 24, 2026 and Starry Map on September 19, 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.*