# PicoStar vs Astro Conditions

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astro Conditions at none against PicoStar's 1. Astro Conditions also leads on update cadence (weekly 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.

Both are free to download. PicoStar sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Astro Conditions asks for nothing beyond the download.

PicoStar ships an update every 7 months, Astro Conditions weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PicoStar | Astro Conditions |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-conditions/id6759236025/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 16 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Rudes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1698870132) | [Gaston Dombiak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1412557624) |

## What reviewers say

### PicoStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picostar/id6444901007)

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Planetary Expansion Pack | $9.99 | one-time |


### Astro Conditions

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-conditions/id6759236025)

This app provides astronomy enthusiasts with real-time viewing conditions, astronomical data, and smart recommendations for telescope and visual observing. It offers hourly cloud cover forecasts, visibility conditions, and a night quality score to plan the perfect night under the stars.

**Highlights:** Hourly cloud cover forecasts, Real-time visibility conditions, Night Quality assessment score, Sunrise, sunset, and twilight times, Moon phase and illumination, ISS pass predictions, BestSpot viewing location recommendations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PicoStar free?

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

### Is Astro Conditions free?

Astro Conditions is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do PicoStar or Astro Conditions have ads?

Neither PicoStar nor Astro Conditions shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PicoStar or Astro Conditions?

PicoStar ships an update every 7 months, and Astro Conditions weekly. Most recently, PicoStar was updated on October 25, 2026 and Astro Conditions on October 6, 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.*