# StarTracker HD vs Planetarium 3D

The clearest difference is update cadence: Planetarium 3D at every 6 weeks against StarTracker HD's every 5 months. Planetarium 3D also leads on price ($1.99 vs $3.99) and device support (3 vs 1). StarTracker HD's advantage is review sentiment (59% vs 50%) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 18.6). On ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

StarTracker HD costs $3.99 and Planetarium 3D $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

StarTracker HD ships an update every 5 months, Planetarium 3D every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StarTracker HD | Planetarium 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | **[4.0 (43 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startracker-hd-mobile-skymap/id449605942/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **43** | — |
| Positive reviews | **59.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 25 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 18.6 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [身吉 潘](https://appshunter.io/developer/341563645) | [Solueman Hussain](https://appshunter.io/developer/504255127) |

## What reviewers say

### StarTracker HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startracker-hd-mobile-skymap/id449605942)

Explore the night sky with this augmented reality planetarium. Identify stars, constellations, planets, and deep sky objects by simply pointing your device at the sky. All data is available offline.

**Highlights:** Augmented Reality Star Gazing, Identify 8000+ stars, planets, and constellations, Offline data access, Search and lock celestial objects, Time Machine feature, High-quality graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth, fluid graphics and responsive gyroscope tracking
- 👍 Intuitive and easy-to-use interface
- 🌟 Beautiful HD visuals and stunning design
- 📍 Accurate real-time sky positioning and planet/constellation identification
- 🎓 Excellent educational tool for learning astronomy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes on various devices
- 🐛 Compass/gyroscope malfunction issues
- 🐛 Screen display problems on larger tablets
- ❌ Limited functionality and educational depth
- ❌ Lack of object information and descriptions

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup or during use
- Compass direction incorrect (north pointing wrong direction)
- Gyroscope not responding or locked
- Share button causes crashes
- Forward/share button greying out and causing screen loss

**Requested features**

- Add search functionality for celestial objects
- Include ISS and satellite tracking
- Display object information (distance, magnitude, color, brightness)
- Add ecliptic line visibility option
- Show coordinate information (RA, Dec, Alt, Azimuth)


### Planetarium 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planetarium-3d-solar-system/id966700707)

Explore the solar system in an interactive 3D environment. Travel to planets, moons, dwarf planets, and asteroids, with detailed facts and stunning visuals. Launch cinematic tours and capture your favorite views.

**Highlights:** Interactive 3D solar system model, Instant travel to planets and moons, Explore dwarf planets and asteroids, Cinematic tours with various perspectives, Capture and share space views, Real science-inspired facts and data, Supports multiple Apple devices

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StarTracker HD free?

StarTracker HD costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planetarium 3D free?

Planetarium 3D costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do StarTracker HD or Planetarium 3D have ads?

Neither StarTracker HD nor Planetarium 3D shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StarTracker HD or Planetarium 3D?

StarTracker HD ships an update every 5 months, and Planetarium 3D every 6 weeks. Most recently, StarTracker HD was updated on October 22, 2026 and Planetarium 3D on October 12, 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.*