# PicoStar vs StarTrace

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StarTrace at none against PicoStar's 1. StarTrace also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 7 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

PicoStar ships an update every 7 months, StarTrace every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PicoStar | StarTrace |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Size | 16 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ryan Rudes](https://appshunter.io/developer/1698870132) | [明珍 曾](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883509555) |

## 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 |


### StarTrace

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startrace-ar-night-sky-guide/id6803569922)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PicoStar free?

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

### Is StarTrace free?

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

### Do PicoStar or StarTrace have ads?

Neither PicoStar nor StarTrace shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PicoStar or StarTrace?

PicoStar ships an update every 7 months, and StarTrace every 4 weeks. Most recently, PicoStar was updated on October 25, 2026 and StarTrace on October 24, 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.*