Comparison

Gravity by Vaonis vs Bench Reference

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

Head to head
About

Gravity by Vaonis

Transform your smartphone into a smart telescope to explore the cosmos. Capture stunning images of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters with advanced image stacking. Observe the Sun and Moon with dedicated modes and educational content.

Highlights
  • Smartphone as smart telescope
  • 25x optical zoom
  • Live image stacking
  • Sun and Moon observation
  • Deep sky object photography
  • Landscape and wildlife photography
  • Educational cosmic content
Read full description

Gravity by Vaonis is the dedicated application for the Hestia instrument, transforming your smartphone into a smart telescope! Intuitive and user-friendly, this mobile application enables you to explore the Cosmos with ease. Track the activities of the Sun and the Moon, and immortalize your journey through the Universe by photographing galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters at your fingertips. CAMERA MODE Boost the power of your smartphone to achieve a 25x optical zoom on your mobile's camera, allowing you to observe the wonders of the Universe up close. IMAGE PROCESSING Make the invisible visible with Hestia's live image stacking technology. Choose your target and let the magic happen. Gravity by Vaonis enhances your observation experience using exclusive image processing algorithms. It intelligently combines and aligns multiple short-exposure images captured by your smartphone to create a single high-quality photograph. SPACE CENTER Monitor the real-time activity of the Moon and the Sun. LANDSCAPE MODE With Gravity by Vaonis, your surroundings become a new playground. Observe and photograph distant landscapes or even wild animals in their natural habitat. SOLAR AND LUNAR MODE Easily and safely observe the closest star to Earth during the day using Hestia's solar filter. Track the sun's activity and witness the evolution of solar spots and faculae. Track the sun's activity by examining the variations on its visible surface. Once night falls, admire the details of the lunar craters and track the different phases of the Moon. DEEP SKY MODE Observe the brightest objects in the deep sky. The Gravity by Vaonis application will guide you step by step to help you take your own photos of galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters. EDUCATIONAL CONTENT Gravity by Vaonis offers a comprehensive educational journey, providing you with the opportunity to explore the mysteries of the Universe.

About

Bench Reference

This professional jeweler's reference guide provides comprehensive information on gemstones, metals, and bench techniques. It includes calculators for pricing, measurements, and 3D printing, along with a personal library and learning tools. Essential for jewelers needing quick access to data and procedures without an internet connection.

Highlights
  • Gemstone and material reference
  • Bench technique guides
  • Metal properties and working notes
  • Repair procedures
  • Measurement and data conversions
  • Professional calculators
  • Personal library system
Features
Read full description

Bench Reference — The Professional Jeweler's Pocket Guide Everything a bench jeweler needs, right on your phone. Bench Reference puts 30+ reference sections, professional calculators, and a personal library system in your pocket — no internet required. GEMSTONES & MATERIALS Browse 100+ gemstones with Mohs hardness, specific gravity, refractive index, care instructions, setting tips, steam safety, and cleaning methods. Filter by hardness or steam safety to make quick decisions at the bench. Plus dedicated sections for pearls, birthstones, gemstone origins, and stone shapes. BENCH TECHNIQUES Step-by-step reference guides for stone setting (prong, bezel, pavé, channel, flush, tension), soldering, casting, polishing, engraving, wax carving, repairs, annealing, torch & gas, laser welding, rhodium plating, patina & oxidation, and chemical safety. Each section built from real bench experience. 23 METALS Melting points, annealing temps, hardness, specific gravity, and working notes for every metal you'll encounter — from 24K gold and platinum to palladium, steel, and titanium. REPAIRS HUB Sizing up, sizing down, shank replacement, prong rebuilding, chain repair, clasp replacement, soldering guides, porosity troubleshooting, and more. A complete repair reference when you're at the bench. MEASUREMENTS & DATA Ring sizes (US/UK/EU with conversions), wire gauge reference, MM-to-carat weight charts by stone shape, chain styles, necklace and bracelet lengths, finding sizes, and formulas for weight, pricing, and alloy calculations. IDENTIFICATION & TESTING Gemstone testing methods, acid testing procedures for gold, silver, and platinum, hallmark identification, metal allergy reference, and a Stone ID table with SG and RI values for quick identification. PROFESSIONAL TOOLS Ring Blank Calculator — stock length for any ring size Metal Weight Calculator — weight by dimensions and alloy Job Pricing Calculator — materials, labor, and markup Temperature Converter — Fahrenheit and Celsius Weight Converter — grams, dwt, troy oz, carats Bench Timer — burnout and casting countdowns 3D PRINT & CAD Castable resin profiles, resin comparison charts, shrinkage calculator, burnout schedules, support placement guide, troubleshooting, post-processing, printer settings, and stone-in-place casting. Plus MatrixGold CAD shortcuts and workflows. MY LIBRARY Your personal database. Store product specs, component details, alloy recipes, consumable inventory, and supplier contacts. Add photos, SKUs, links, and notes. Organized by category, searchable, and always with you. LEARN & PRACTICE Flashcards and quizzes covering gemstones, metals, setting techniques, and bench skills. Study at your own pace. Perfect for apprentices and seasoned jewelers brushing up. GLOSSARY 200+ jewelry industry terms defined clearly — from bail to burnisher, firescale to findings. NEW IN v8.1 Redesigned splash screen and home page Expanded and fact-checked reference data across metals, solders, gemstones, and casting Added Wire Gauge reference, Patina & Oxidation section, and new gemstones to Stone ID Fixed display issues and icons throughout the app General polish and performance improvements BUILT FOR THE BENCH No ads. No subscriptions. No internet required. Bench Reference is built by jewelers for jewelers — a single purchase that works offline, everywhere you need it.

Screenshots

Gravity by Vaonis4 screens
Bench Reference4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Bench Reference at 100% against Gravity by Vaonis's 48%. Bench Reference also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.7) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). Gravity by Vaonis's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and ratings volume (50 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases 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

Gravity by Vaonis is free to download; Bench Reference costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Bench Reference holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gravity by Vaonis has 50 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of Gravity by Vaonis's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bench Reference's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Gravity by Vaonis ships an update every 2 months, Bench Reference weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Gravity by Vaonis versus Bench Reference: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGravity by VaonisBench Reference
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating2.7 (50 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews47.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings50 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size331 MB3 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperVaonisAaron brown

Customer experience

Gravity by Vaonis

All ratings49 ratings
Positive36.7%
Neutral8.2%
Negative55.1%
Written reviews44 reviews
Positive47.7%
Neutral9.1%
Negative43.2%

Bench Reference

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Gravity by Vaonis

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • App doesn't locate anything
  • QR code not working
  • Black screen when trying to find objects
  • Latest update broke deep sky tracking on iOS
  • App is slow and doesn't track planets/stars
Show 6 more
  • Can't get camera aligned
  • App requires full photo library access
  • Deep sky guidance broken
  • App shows incorrect object location
  • App goes black when switching to moon on Android
  • App auto-crops pictures to low quality

Requested features

11 requests
  • Add possibility to use iPhone telephoto lens
  • Add possibility to trigger photo with Apple Watch
  • Add constellation guide
  • Allow remote shutter control
  • Add a 2-second timer for photos
Show 6 more
  • Add Timelapse and video functions
  • Improve photo quality and resolution
  • Add re-alignment shortcut
  • Add tracking software for planets
  • Add constellation option
  • Provide better instructions for locating objects

Bench Reference

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Gravity by Vaonis

No in-app purchases

None

Bench Reference

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Gravity by Vaonis free?
Gravity by Vaonis is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Bench Reference free?
Bench Reference costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Gravity by Vaonis or Bench Reference?
Bench Reference is rated higher. Gravity by Vaonis averages 2.7 out of 5 from 50 ratings, while Bench Reference averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do Gravity by Vaonis or Bench Reference have ads?
Neither Gravity by Vaonis nor Bench Reference shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Gravity by Vaonis or Bench Reference?
Gravity by Vaonis ships an update every 2 months, and Bench Reference weekly. Most recently, Gravity by Vaonis was updated on November 3, 2026 and Bench Reference on November 5, 2026.

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