Comparison

StarCat vs Hydra

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

StarCat

Stay updated on global rocket launches with real-time information and detailed mission specifics. Receive launch reminders and access a dedicated news section for spaceflight updates. Features Dynamic Island integration for live tracking.

Highlights
  • Live Activity tracking on Dynamic Island
  • Detailed mission information
  • Launch reminders and notifications
  • Spaceflight news section
  • Starship development updates
  • Reusable rocket landing info
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Track your favorite rockets with StarCat - your ultimate companion for staying in the loop on rocket launches worldwide. Whether you're a seasoned space enthusiast or just curious about the wonders of space exploration, StarCat brings you real-time information and comprehensive details about upcoming rocket launches. 1. Live Activity - Track every launch leveraging your Dynamic Island, best way to receive latest updates on tracked launch, regardless if it's a scrub or delay. 2. Mission Details - Dive deep into the specifics of each mission. Learn about the payload, launch vehicle, mission objectives, orbit information, location of the launch pad and landing information of reusable rockets, such as Falcon 9. 3. Launch Reminders - Never miss a launch again! Get notified before every launch with push notifications (customizable notifications coming in the future). 4. News Section - Get access to latest and featured articles about world of spaceflight with option to save articles you liked. 5. Starship Section - Latest news about Starship and Starbase with specially selected articles about development of our favorite spacecraft. Discover list of all prototypes developed at Starbase and list of all launches up to date - both orbital and sub-orbital - with respective information about their outcomes.

About

Hydra

Experience subreddits with a fast, fluid, and native iOS client. Enjoy seamless browsing, an immersive media viewer, and customizable themes. It's designed for both casual users and power Redditors.

Highlights
  • Lightning-fast loading
  • Multireddit support
  • Favorite subreddits
  • Native iOS design
  • Image and video viewer
  • Multiple account support
  • Quick access gestures
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Hydra is the best client for browsing your subreddits and the ultimate experience on iOS. It's fast, fluid, and designed to make browsing more seamless than ever before. If you're looking for a powerful yet beautifully simple client, Hydra is the way to go. "Hydra makes Reddit feel like a natural part of iOS. Everything just flows." - u/goosewatergoose "This app is what you get when the developer really understands what a great user experience should be. It’s everything the Reddit app isn't" - DAC, UK "Long time Apollo user. Found the app a month ago. Great work so far, just wanted to convey the props" - @gruthsc3 (Discord) Hydra is crafted with a native iOS design, making it feel right at home on your device. It loads fast, responds instantly, and makes browsing an incredibly intuitive experience. Packed with powerful features, it's built to be the ultimate companion for both casual browsing and hardcore Redditors alike. Features that make Hydra shine: - Lightning-fast loading for seamless scrolling and browsing - Multireddit support for organizing and following your favorite topics - Favorite subreddits to keep your go-to communities at your fingertips - A beautifully designed, native iOS experience that feels right at home - Gorgeous image and video viewer for an immersive media experience - Multiple account support so you can switch effortlessly - Quick access gestures to upvote, downvote, reply, and more with a swipe - Markdown support to get the most out of your posts and comments - System share menu integration to easily share content anywhere - Full inbox access for messages and notifications - Private messages support to stay connected with other users - Powerful search to find posts, subreddits, and users in an instant - Customizable themes to match your style - Compact mode for an optimized browsing experience - Highly customizable UI to tailor Hydra to your needs - Blur NSFW content and spoilers for a safe browsing experience - Low data mode to keep your usage efficient - Beautiful, intuitive UI/UX that makes using Hydra a delight Hydra is always evolving with new features and improvements based on feedback from the community. If there's something you'd love to see, drop by the /r/HydraApp subreddit and let me know! Hydra is an unofficial client, but it just might be the best one you've ever used. --- This is an unofficial client for the Reddit service (Reddit is a registered trademark of Reddit, Inc., and this app is not affiliated with or endorsed by Reddit). --- Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

StarCat4 screens
Hydra4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Hydra at Free against StarCat's $1.99. Hydra also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (736 vs 1). StarCat's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 5) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.4). On update cadence, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Hydra is free to download; StarCat costs $1.99 up front. Hydra sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. StarCat asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hydra holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hydra has 736 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarCat ships an update every 5 weeks, Hydra every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
StarCat versus Hydra: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarCatHydra
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating1.0 (1 ratings)4.8 (736 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—74.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1736 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#110 — better#119
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size52 MB75 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperHubert JozwiakDimitrie Milinovich

Customer experience

StarCat

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Hydra

All ratings736 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral1.2%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews149 reviews
Positive74.5%
Neutral6.0%
Negative19.5%

Bugs and requests

StarCat

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Hydra

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Expect some bumps

Requested features

2 requests
  • Customizing the gestures and hiding the username on the tab bar
  • Content blocking, comment images, startup feed, and others

In-app purchases

None

StarCat

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Hydra

Subscriptions1
  • Hydra Pro$2.991 Month
One-time4
  • Nice Tip$1.99
  • Generous Tip$4.99
  • Amazing Tip$9.99
Show 1 more
  • Incredible Tip$19.99

Questions

Is StarCat free?
StarCat costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hydra free?
Hydra is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarCat or Hydra?
Hydra is rated higher. StarCat averages 1.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Hydra averages 4.8 from 736 ratings.
Do StarCat or Hydra have ads?
Neither StarCat nor Hydra shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarCat or Hydra?
StarCat ships an update every 5 weeks, and Hydra every 3 weeks. Most recently, StarCat was updated on October 2, 2026 and Hydra on October 15, 2026.
Which is more popular, StarCat or Hydra?
StarCat currently peaks at #110 in the App Store charts, and Hydra at #119. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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