# Picastro vs Irys

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Picastro at 92% against Irys's 51%. Picastro also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and rating (4.7 vs 4.3). Irys's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Irys sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Picastro asks for nothing beyond the download.

Picastro holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 51 and 38 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 92% of Picastro's written reviews are positive against 51% of Irys's.

Picastro ships an update every 3 weeks, Irys weekly. The most recent releases landed on August 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Picastro | Irys |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (51 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/picastro/id6446713728/reviews)** | [4.3 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irys/id6744528226/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **51** | 38 |
| Positive reviews | **91.8% of reviews** | 50.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 69 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Picastro Global Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1678862031) | [Silvertone Media Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1796124450) |

## 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


### Irys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/irys/id6744528226)

This app is a community for photography enthusiasts to share their work, connect with others, and get inspired. It offers features like large image uploads, no follower counts, and curated content, with opportunities to win prizes through competitions.

**Highlights:** Upload images up to 50MB, No visible follower counts, Curated photography highlights, Share any aspect ratio, Join and curate groups, Organize work by themes/portfolios, Spotlight competitions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Premium | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual Premium | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Great alternative to Instagram
- 👍 Positive community vibe
- 💡 Focused on photography
- 🤗 Throwback to old Instagram

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤢 Awful color scheme and UI
- 🤯 Buggy and freezes often
- 💰 Monetization issues

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes when trying to post
- Invite codes not working

**Requested features**

- Improve UI and UX design
- Fix bugs and stability issues
- Reconsider monetization strategy


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Picastro free?

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

### Is Irys free?

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

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

Picastro is rated higher. Picastro averages 4.7 out of 5 from 51 ratings, while Irys averages 4.3 from 38 ratings.

### Do Picastro or Irys have ads?

Neither Picastro nor Irys shows ads.

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

Picastro ships an update every 3 weeks, and Irys weekly. Most recently, Picastro was updated on August 28, 2026 and Irys on September 23, 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.*