# SkyView® Lite vs Star Guide

SkyView® Lite and Star Guide both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 27% of Star Guide's. SkyView® Lite also leads on chart position (#64 vs unranked) and ratings volume (19K vs 4.3K). Star Guide's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Star Guide sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. 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 Star Guide. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 19K and 4.3K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 27% of Star Guide's.

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, Star Guide every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkyView® Lite | Star Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) | [4.5 (4.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-guide-night-sky-map/id1542535191/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 4.3K |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 26.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#64** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 220 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) | [Star register](https://appshunter.io/developer/1542535193) |

## What reviewers say

### SkyView® Lite

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

**Currently charting:** #64 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


### Star Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-guide-night-sky-map/id1542535191)

Transform your device into a real-time planetarium to explore the night sky. Identify stars and planets, and plan optimal viewing times. Experience celestial objects in 3D and preview future or past sky conditions from any location.

**Highlights:** Real-time star and planet identification, Augmented Reality sky overlay, 3D celestial object visualization, Best viewing time notifications, Sky time travel (past/future), Location-based sky preview

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $1.99 | per 7 days |
| Star-Registration Premium | $4.99 | per month |
| Annually | $29.99 | per year |
| One time | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

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

### Is Star Guide free?

Star Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SkyView® Lite or Star Guide?

SkyView® Lite and Star Guide are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 19K and 4.3K ratings respectively.

### Do SkyView® Lite or Star Guide have ads?

SkyView® Lite shows ads; Star Guide does not.

### Which is updated more often, SkyView® Lite or Star Guide?

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Star Guide every 8 days. Most recently, SkyView® Lite was updated on October 19, 2026 and Star Guide on October 17, 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.*