# SkyView® Lite vs Skyview

The clearest difference is ads: Skyview at none against SkyView® Lite's shown. Skyview also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). SkyView® Lite's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 323) and chart position (#52 vs unranked). 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 Skyview sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 4.6 for Skyview. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkyView® Lite has 19K ratings behind it against 323, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of Skyview's.

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, Skyview every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkyView® Lite | Skyview |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) | **[4.6 (323 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-explore-universe/id6467397965/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 323 |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#52** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 30 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) | [Ankur Dhameliya](https://appshunter.io/developer/1560934425) |

## What reviewers say

### SkyView® Lite

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

**Currently charting:** #52 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


### Skyview

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-explore-universe/id6467397965)

Explore the cosmos with this planetarium app. Identify planets, stars, and constellations by pointing your device at the sky. Discover celestial object locations, visualize Earth's day/night zones, and learn detailed information about celestial bodies. Includes an interactive space quiz for premium users.

**Highlights:** Identify planets, stars, and constellations, Real-time stargazing, Interactive star map, Celestial object tracking, Detailed celestial body information, Space quiz

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Plan | $14.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

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

### Is Skyview free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SkyView® Lite or Skyview?

Skyview is rated higher. SkyView® Lite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Skyview averages 4.6 from 323 ratings.

### Do SkyView® Lite or Skyview have ads?

SkyView® Lite shows ads; Skyview does not.

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

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Skyview every 2 weeks. Most recently, SkyView® Lite was updated on October 19, 2026 and Skyview on October 16, 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.*