Cosmo Desktop vs Nebulis
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cosmo Desktop
Access stunning NASA astronomy pictures on your iOS device. Easily browse, save, and set them as your wallpaper. Enjoy a user-friendly interface for exploring the cosmos.
- View NASA astronomy pictures
- User-friendly browsing interface
- Save pictures to photo album
- Set pictures as iOS wallpaper
- Free and ad-less experience
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Cosmo Desktop serves the latest NASA astronomy pictures http://apod.nasa.gov/ to your iOS device in a few clicks. You can let you slide and flip through all the pictures in a user-friendly manner. If you would like to use the pictures to be your iOS wallpaper, just export the pictures to your iOS Photo Album first. You can then select the pictures at your iOS settings. All astronomy pictures are courtesy of the NASA Astronomy Pictures of the Day under public domain, or their respective owners. The Cosmo Desktop will always be free and ad-less. Please direct your appreciations to the APOD team by Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html Cosmo Desktop is also available on the Mac App Store: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cosmo-desktop/id553916089?ls=1&mt=12
Nebulis
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Nebulis is the companion app for your Nebulis astrophotography server. Browse your entire deep-sky image library from your iPhone or iPad, plan your next observation session, and dive deep into the objects you've captured. Your Library, Your Way Browse hundreds of images organized by object, date, and type. Filter by galaxies, nebulae, or star clusters. Mark favorites, swipe through full-screen previews with pinch-to-zoom, and edit your captures right on your device. Plan Your Next Session The built-in planner shows you what's worth imaging tonight based on your location — with altitude charts, object details, and a curated "best tonight" list so you spend less time planning and more time imaging. Sky Forecast Check local sky conditions before you haul out the gear. Seeing and transparency forecasts help you decide if it's worth setting up. Explore Without a Server New to Nebulis? Browse a curated sample gallery of deep-sky objects to see what the app can do before connecting your own library. Privacy First Nebulis connects directly to your own server on your local network. Requires a Nebulis server (free) running on your local network or accessible via your home connection. Get Nebulis here -> https://nebulis.app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Cosmo Desktop at Free against Nebulis's $4.99. Nebulis's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Cosmo Desktop is free to download; Nebulis costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Cosmo Desktop ships an update every 6 months, Nebulis every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.
| Parameter | Cosmo Desktop | Nebulis |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Apple TV — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pulsely Consulting | Brentley Catoe |
In-app purchases
Cosmo Desktop
No in-app purchases
Nebulis
No in-app purchases
