# Galactic Compass vs HELBoard

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Galactic Compass at none against HELBoard's 3. Galactic Compass also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). HELBoard's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HELBoard sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Galactic Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Galactic Compass ships an update every 3 weeks, HELBoard every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Galactic Compass | HELBoard |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-compass/id6451314440/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **68** | — |
| Positive reviews | 91.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 40 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Acts Not Facts Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1697499671) | [Yoji Hirabayashi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1875364025) |

## What reviewers say

### Galactic Compass

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/galactic-compass/id6451314440)

This app provides a floating arrow to guide you towards the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*. It calculates the direction based on your location, time of day, and Earth's orbital position, making it easy to find your way.

**Highlights:** Points to Sagittarius A*, Dynamic direction calculation, Location-based guidance, Time-of-day adjustment, Earth orbit consideration

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and profound
- 🔒 No user data collection
- 💡 Unique and thought-provoking concept
- ✨ Provides perspective and joy
- 🌌 Inspires wonder about the universe

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 iPad shows wrong direction in landscape
- ❓ Arrows point in opposite directions on iPhone and iPad simultaneously
- 😐 Arrow can be a little boring
- 😵‍💫 Can lead to losing friends if shown too often

**Reported bugs**

- Shows wrong direction on iPad in landscape
- Arrows pointing in opposite directions on iPhone and iPad simultaneously

**Requested features**

- Camera feed as background
- Premium version with no new features
- Dark mode for night viewing
- Option to change arrow color
- Update for non-flat phone orientation


### HELBoard

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helboard/id6810588815)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Espresso | $1.99 | one-time |
| Flat White | $3.99 | one-time |
| Iced Pumpkin Spice Mocha | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Galactic Compass free?

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

### Is HELBoard free?

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

### Do Galactic Compass or HELBoard have ads?

Neither Galactic Compass nor HELBoard shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Galactic Compass or HELBoard?

Galactic Compass ships an update every 3 weeks, and HELBoard every 4 days. Most recently, Galactic Compass was updated on October 14, 2026 and HELBoard on October 9, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*