# Astrolabe Clock vs Pocket PlanetARium

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astrolabe Clock at none against Pocket PlanetARium's 1. Astrolabe Clock also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Pocket PlanetARium sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Astrolabe Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Astrolabe Clock against 4.6 for Pocket PlanetARium. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 49 and 64 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Astrolabe Clock's written reviews are positive against 94% of Pocket PlanetARium's.

Astrolabe Clock ships an update every 4 weeks, Pocket PlanetARium monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astrolabe Clock | Pocket PlanetARium |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (49 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrolabe-clock/id421777015/reviews)** | [4.6 (64 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-planetarium-explore-ar/id1532774983/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 49 | **64** |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **93.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Smith](https://appshunter.io/developer/415384088) | [5Play Apps, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1342100905) |

## What reviewers say

### Astrolabe Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astrolabe-clock/id421777015)

This app offers a modern interpretation of an ancient astronomical instrument, providing a real-time view of the sky. It displays the time of day, day of the year, and the positions of celestial bodies like the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars. Users can also track sunrise/sunset times, moon phases, and celestial transits.

**Highlights:** Real-time sky view, Time of day and day of year display, Sun, Moon, planet, and star locations, Sunrise and sunset times, Moon phase tracking, Celestial transit times, Eclipse occurrence indicator

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Beautiful and clean interface
- 💡 Useful for learning astronomy
- 🧭 Accurate sun and compass data
- 🌟 Identifies stars and planets
- 🆓 Free and functional

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐌 Slow performance on newer iOS
- 🐛 Widget not working
- 👁️ Red fonts hard on eyes
- ⏳ Last updated years ago
- 📉 Poor performance on latest iOS

**Reported bugs**

- Widget is not working
- Date reset when entering settings
- Date and time settings revert back to December 31, 1969 at 18:00

**Requested features**

- Add alarms
- Ability for postings
- Set an alarm for upcoming sidereal time
- Full moon alerts
- Add the rise and set times for any object selected


### Pocket PlanetARium

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-planetarium-explore-ar/id1532774983)

Explore the cosmos in augmented reality, bringing the universe to life in your surroundings. Walk around and zoom in on planets, experiencing the solar system in 3D with interactive controls and fascinating facts.

**Highlights:** Immersive AR experience, Interactive controls, Fascinating space facts, 3D solar system exploration, Adjustable planet scale

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astrolabe Clock free?

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

### Is Pocket PlanetARium free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium?

Astrolabe Clock is rated higher. Astrolabe Clock averages 4.7 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Pocket PlanetARium averages 4.6 from 64 ratings.

### Do Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium have ads?

Pocket PlanetARium shows ads; Astrolabe Clock does not.

### Which is updated more often, Astrolabe Clock or Pocket PlanetARium?

Astrolabe Clock ships an update every 4 weeks, and Pocket PlanetARium monthly. Most recently, Astrolabe Clock was updated on October 21, 2026 and Pocket PlanetARium on October 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.*