# SkyView® Lite vs Cosmic

The clearest difference is ads: Cosmic at none against SkyView® Lite's shown. Cosmic also leads on review sentiment (87% vs 65%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). SkyView® Lite's advantage is ratings volume (19K vs 624) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 6 months). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkyView® Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Cosmic sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Cosmic holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SkyView® Lite has 19K ratings behind it against 624, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of SkyView® Lite's written reviews are positive against 87% of Cosmic's.

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, Cosmic every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkyView® Lite | Cosmic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (19K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865/reviews) | **[4.8 (624 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-watch/id971231853/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **19K** | 624 |
| Positive reviews | 64.6% of reviews | **87.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 6 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#67** | — |
| Size | 122 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Terminal Eleven LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/378238417) | [Celestial Dynamics AG](https://appshunter.io/developer/997250789) |

## What reviewers say

### SkyView® Lite

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

**Currently charting:** #67 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


### Cosmic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmic-watch/id971231853)

Explore the cosmos with this app that offers interactive tools for celestial navigation and astronomical observation. Visualize the sky, Earth, and solar system from multiple perspectives, and discover constellations, planets, and events in augmented reality. It's a blend of ancient wisdom and modern technology for a deeper connection to the universe.

**Highlights:** Multiple celestial perspectives (sky, Earth, solar system), Augmented reality sky exploration, Interactive astronomical and world clocks, Visualized natal charts (Western, Vedic, Sidereal), Day/night cycles on Earth globe, Celestial navigation guides, Notifications for astronomical events

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| Yearly Plan | $4.99 | per year |
| Yearly | $24.99 | per year |
| Tools Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Cosmic Pro | $69.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Visually stunning and mesmerizing
- 🔍 Excellent for learning about the solar system and celestial sphere
- 🕰️ Useful for tracking planetary movements and positions
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive interface
- 🧠 Highly educational and informative

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔧 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 📍 Inaccurate location detection
- 🔍 Overwhelming amount of information for beginners
- ⚙️ Difficulty in customizing and managing settings
- 🔍 Lack of clear tutorials and user guides

**Reported bugs**

- Date and time not accurately reflected in the solar system view
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between different modes and settings
- Difficulty in maintaining user preferences across sessions

**Requested features**

- Add an alarm feature to wake up to different celestial views
- Implement support for Apple Watch and other wearables
- Provide more options to customize the display and information layers
- Include a night mode or dimmer setting for better visibility in low light
- Integrate with other astronomy apps and tools for a more comprehensive experience


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkyView® Lite free?

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

### Is Cosmic free?

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

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

Cosmic is rated higher. SkyView® Lite averages 4.5 out of 5 from 19K ratings, while Cosmic averages 4.8 from 624 ratings.

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

SkyView® Lite shows ads; Cosmic does not.

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

SkyView® Lite ships an update every 2 months, and Cosmic every 6 months. Most recently, SkyView® Lite was updated on September 29, 2026 and Cosmic on September 26, 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.*