# Picastro vs SkyWise

The clearest difference is ads: Picastro at none against SkyWise's shown. Picastro also leads on ratings volume (51 vs 2) and monetization model (free vs ad-supported). SkyWise's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

SkyWise holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Picastro has 51 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Picastro ships an update every 3 weeks, SkyWise weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Picastro | SkyWise |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picastro/id6446713728/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skywise/id6462698752/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **51** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 91.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 69 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | **15.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Picastro Global Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678862031) | [Francesco Cogliandro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629065798) |

## What reviewers say

### Picastro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picastro/id6446713728)

A dedicated social platform for sharing high-resolution astrophotography and space images. Connect with a passionate, ad-free community of stargazers and photographers, from beginners to experts. Showcase your gear, find local meetups, and earn progress badges.

**Highlights:** High-resolution image sharing, Ad-free and bot-free community, StarCard for gear showcase, StarCamps for local meetups, Progress badges for growth, Beginner and expert friendly

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ High-resolution images without compression
- 🤝 Supportive and like-minded community
- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
- 🚫 No irrelevant content or algorithms
- 🌟 Great for inspiration and learning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription fee not upfront
- 🐛 App crashes/shuts down
- ⚠️ Difficulty making a nickname
- ❌ 'No internet connection' error

**Reported bugs**

- App shuts down after opening screen
- App times out with 'no internet connection' error
- Unable to make a nickname

**Requested features**

- More upfront pricing information before installation
- Allowing users to make nicknames


### SkyWise

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skywise/id6462698752)

A social network for astrophotography enthusiasts to share images, connect with others, and explore celestial content. Learn new techniques and discover astronomical objects.

**Highlights:** Share astrophotography images, Connect with stargazers, Explore celestial content, Learn astrophotography techniques, Custom astronomical object catalog

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Picastro free?

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

### Is SkyWise free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Picastro or SkyWise?

SkyWise is rated higher. Picastro averages 4.7 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while SkyWise averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Picastro or SkyWise have ads?

SkyWise shows ads; Picastro does not.

### Which is updated more often, Picastro or SkyWise?

Picastro ships an update every 3 weeks, and SkyWise weekly. Most recently, Picastro was updated on October 11, 2026 and SkyWise on September 28, 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.*