PicoStar vs AstroPup View
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PicoStar
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Calibrate any telescope using true-to-scale planetary images.
AstroPup View
Easily manage and view astronomical image files like FITS and XISF. Offers GPU-accelerated rendering, automatic stretching, and QuickLook integration for a seamless user experience. Create icons and display smart metadata directly from your files.
- FITS and XISF format support
- GPU-accelerated rendering
- Automatic advanced stretching
- QuickLook integration
- Icon creation
- Smart metadata display
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Astrophotography images traditionally use an obscure raw image format called FITS, and a newer format called XISF. AstroPup View is designed to manage these files as easily as JPEGs: through Finder integration and viewer support. * XISF and FITS format support * GPU-accelerated rendering * Automatic advanced stretching * QuickLook integration * Icon creation * Smart metadata display
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AstroPup View at none against PicoStar's 1. AstroPup View also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 7 months). PicoStar's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads 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. PicoStar sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AstroPup View asks for nothing beyond the download.
PicoStar ships an update every 7 months, AstroPup View every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PicoStar | AstroPup View |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 1 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ryan Rudes | Aaron Freimark |
In-app purchases
PicoStar
- Planetary Expansion Pack$9.99
AstroPup View
No in-app purchases
