# SailingWatch vs Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SailingWatch at 17.6 against Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)'s 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SailingWatch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SailingWatch | Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Size | 12 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Francesco Vezzani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503647332) | [Chikai Lai](https://appshunter.io/developer/1787777343) |

## What reviewers say

### SailingWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sailingwatch/id6465700002)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual | $69.99 | per year |


### Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-astrolabe-countdown/id6739977285)

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Astrolabe Pro Access (Annual) | $7.99 | per year |
| Annual Ultra Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| ULTRA Tier One-Time Purchase | $44.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SailingWatch free?

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

### Is Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) free?

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do SailingWatch or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) have ads?

Neither SailingWatch nor Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SailingWatch or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)?

SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. Most recently, SailingWatch was updated on October 24, 2026 and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) on October 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.*