Sky Guide vs Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sky Guide
Identify stars, constellations, planets, and satellites in real-time by holding your device overhead. Explore celestial bodies with AR overlays, track satellites like the ISS, and travel through time to view past and future astronomical events. Perfect for both novice and experienced stargazers.
- Automatic celestial object identification
- Augmented reality sky overlay
- Satellite tracking and notifications
- Time travel for past/future viewing
- Personalized astronomical event calendar
- Offline functionality
Read full descriptionHide full description
Bring the beauty of the stars down to Earth. Hold Sky Guide® overhead to automatically identify any star, constellation, planet or satellite! Easy to use and powerful, it’s epic stargazing for any experience level. Is it a star or the planet Mars? Knowing what’s up in your night sky is easier than ever. Sky Guide’s AR mode superimposes figures onto your real sky so visualizing the heavens becomes effortless. Have you ever wished you could recognize constellations but didn’t want to fumble around with paper star charts? Now you can. A speck of light crosses the night sky, growing brighter. What could it be? You don’t have to wonder anymore. Track a bright satellite and receive perfectly-timed notifications whenever the International Space Station is about to fly over your location. With Sky Guide, you’ll be saying ‘Goodbye, aliens’ and ‘Hellooooo, astronauts!’ Voyage to the past or future with cinematic time controls. Know where the Moon will be later in the evening so you can capture that perfect photo or be an eyewitness to history’s greatest comets. Whether you’re searching for Sagittarius, Saturn, or the next big meteor shower, Sky Guide is jam-packed with information and rich graphics that will satisfy the most curious minds. Plus, stay current with location-filtered events like solar and lunar eclipses with Sky Guide’s personalized Calendar. Camping in the backcountry? Sky Guide can function with or without Wi-Fi, cellular service or GPS, so everything is at your fingertips no matter where you go. Join the millions who have discovered a more personal connection to the stars with Sky Guide. It might forever change the way you look up. Terms of Use: https://www.fifthstarlabs.com/terms-of-use
Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
Track satellites in real-time, including the ISS and Starlink. Get predictions for upcoming passes and set alerts. Explore satellite orbits and trajectories with various viewing modes.
- Real-time satellite tracking
- Satellite flyby timer
- Pass predictions
- Customizable location
- Fly-with-satellite view
- Satellite orbit over Earth
Read full descriptionHide full description
Observe the International Space Station in the sky above you and find out where human-made satellites are right now with SATELLITE TRACKER by STAR WALK! MAIN FEATURES - Real-time satellite tracking - The most outstanding satellites - Satellite flyby timer & pass predictions - Hand-picked passes & customizable location - Fly-with-satellite view - Satellite orbit over Earth Enjoy the easy and comfortable real-time satellite tracking with SATELLITE TRACKER! ► Select a satellite from the list and see its current location in the sky in real-time or track satellite live orbiting Earth. You can track the most famous and brightest satellites, SpaceX’s Stalinks, communications and weather forecasting satellites, and much more! ► At the top of the main screen, the flyby timer counts the amount of time left until the next flyby of the selected satellite over your location. Tap the down arrow to open the list of passes that will be visible from your location in the nearest future. ► Get precise predictions when satellites are visible in the sky above your location. The list of passes allows you to set any alert (one or more) for the satellite's pass that you’d like to witness. Switch between the app’s modes (Globe view, Satellite View, and Sky view) by tapping the round icons at the bottom of the screen. -> Choose Satellite View to enjoy the 3D image of a satellite flying over Earth with the real speed and location. -> Globe view allows you to see a satellite’s trajectory around the Earth's 3D model and on the Earth’s map. -> Find the satellites in the sky by following the arrow pointer with the Sky View mode. The app contains ads. The ISS is available by default. With SATELLITES LIVE subscription, you get an instant ad-free access to tracking satellites live orbiting over Earth and in the sky, the timer for the next appearance, and alerts about the nearest flybys. SATELLITES LIVE is a renewable subscription with a 1-week FREE trial that gives you access to content from within the app on an ongoing basis. Payment will be charged to your iTunes account. At the end of each subscription duration (1 month), the subscription will automatically renew until you choose to cancel it, and your account will be charged for renewal 24 hours before the end of the current period. Users can manage their subscriptions in their account settings on the App Store. Privacy policy: https://vitotechnology.com/privacy-policy.html Terms of use: https://vitotechnology.com/terms-of-use.html Never miss satellites passing by in the sky with SATELLITE TRACKER!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Sky Guide at none against Satellite Tracker by Star Walk's shown. Sky Guide also leads on review sentiment (86% vs 58%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Satellite Tracker by Star Walk's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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
Both are free to download. Sky Guide sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Satellite Tracker by Star Walk sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sky Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sky Guide has 379K ratings behind it against 70K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of Sky Guide's written reviews are positive against 58% of Satellite Tracker by Star Walk's.
Sky Guide ships an update every 2 weeks, Satellite Tracker by Star Walk every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.
| Parameter | Sky Guide | Satellite Tracker by Star Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (379K ratings) — better | 4.6 (70K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.0% of reviews — better | 57.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 379K — better | 70K |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #27 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 380 MB | 331 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Fifth Star Labs LLC | Vito Technology Inc. |
Customer experience
Sky Guide
Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
User reviews
Sky Guide
From 379K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌟 Stunning visuals and graphics
- 📚 Wealth of information on celestial objects
- 🧭 Accurate and responsive compass/AR features
- 🌌 Immersive stargazing experience
- 🔍 Ability to identify stars, planets, and satellites
Room to improve
- 🧭 Occasional compass/location calibration issues
- 💰 Subscription model limits access to some features
- 🌍 Lack of support for certain regions/locations
- 🕰️ Outdated information on some celestial objects
Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
From 70K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Easy to use
- 🔭 Excellent for tracking ISS
- 🌍 Impressive 3D graphics
- 👍 Helpful for stargazing with kids
- 🔍 Useful for identifying satellites
Room to improve
- 💰 Subscription model too restrictive
- 🔍 Limited satellite tracking options
- 🕰️ Inaccurate pass timing notifications
- 🔌 Requires internet connection
- 🔍 Difficult to find and track specific satellites
Bugs and requests
Sky Guide
Reported bugs
2 issues- App freezes when near polar regions
- Occasional crashes or performance issues
Requested features
5 requests- Add more detailed information on moons of planets
- Implement mosaic planning tools for astrophotography
- Provide earlier notifications for satellite/ISS passes
- Allow users to share their observations and photos
- Improve integration with telescope/camera equipment
Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
Reported bugs
3 issues- Unsubscribe button not working
- Compass issues causing incorrect orientation
- Occasional crashes and freezes
Requested features
5 requests- Add more satellite tracking options
- Improve pass timing accuracy
- Provide offline mode for remote use
- Allow tracking of HAM radio satellites
- Add more detailed satellite information
In-app purchases
Sky Guide
- PLUS$4.991 Month
- PRO$8.991 Month
- PLUS7 Days trial$39.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- PRO7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- All Constellations$1.99
- PRO Lifetime$249.99
Satellite Tracker by Star Walk
- Real Time Satellite Tracking7 Days trial$0.491 Month
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1m$0.991 Month
- Real Time Satellite Tracking7 Days trial$0.993 Months
Show 5 moreShow fewer
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1m$1.991 Month
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1m3 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1y$5.991 Year
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1y$7.991 Year
- Satellite Tracker Premium: 1y3 Days trial$7.991 Year
- Lifetime Premium Access Sale$4.99
- Lifetime Premium Access$9.99






