# SkyView® Lite vs xSky

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: xSky at none against SkyView® Lite's 2. xSky also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (80% vs 65%). SkyView® Lite's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 75) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. xSky asks for nothing beyond the download.

SkyView® Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkyView® Lite has 19K ratings behind it against 75, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 80% of xSky's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, xSky every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and July 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkyView® Lite | xSky |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews)** | [4.2 (75 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 75 |
| Positive reviews | 64.6% of reviews | **79.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#116** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 60 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) | [Oleg Sur](https://appshunter.io/developer/1454732575) |

## What reviewers say

### SkyView® Lite

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

**Currently charting:** #116 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


### xSky

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xsky/id850941042)

Explore the cosmos with a virtual telescope. Point your device at the sky to identify celestial bodies. Zoom in for detailed views and use a search function to locate specific objects.

**Highlights:** Virtual telescope functionality, Identify Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies, Zoom up to a million times, Screen lock to stop motion, Object search arrow, Soft music and sound effects

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

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

### Is xSky free?

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

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

SkyView® Lite is rated higher. SkyView® Lite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while xSky averages 4.2 from 75 ratings.

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

SkyView® Lite shows ads; xSky does not.

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

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, and xSky every 3 months. Most recently, SkyView® Lite was updated on September 24, 2026 and xSky on July 24, 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.*