# STAR/CHILD vs Custody Companion

The clearest difference is rating: Custody Companion at 5.0 against STAR/CHILD's 4.4. Custody Companion also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). STAR/CHILD's advantage is ratings volume (420 vs 1). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. STAR/CHILD sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Custody Companion sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Custody Companion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: STAR/CHILD has 420 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

STAR/CHILD ships an update monthly, Custody Companion every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | STAR/CHILD | Custody Companion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (420 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchild/id6475495211/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/custody-companion/id6738657175/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **420** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 35.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 95 MB | 75 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.2 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [STAR/CHILD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724255138) | [Visit Proof](https://appshunter.io/developer/1770791007) |

## What reviewers say

### STAR/CHILD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starchild/id6475495211)

This app provides personalized astrological insights for parents, offering detailed relationship breakdowns and birth chart analyses for your entire family. It delivers daily horoscopes, audio readings, and weekly previews to help you understand your children's needs and enhance your parenting style.

**Highlights:** Family relationship breakdowns, Full birth charts and analysis, Daily horoscopes for parents and kids, Daily and weekly audio astrology readings, Whole Sky horoscope tracking, Downloadable parenting guides

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $10.00 | per month |
| Yearly | $99.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 📚 Comprehensive and detailed astrological content
- 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family-focused insights for parenting
- 🎨 Beautiful and intuitive user interface design
- 📖 In-depth guides and daily/weekly readings
- 💡 Thoughtful, balanced, and non-fear-mongering interpretations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
- 🔄 Inconsistent content update timing
- 🔐 Persistent login and account issues
- ⏰ Daily readings not available early morning
- 📅 Date recognition problems and display errors

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch or when opening
- Login screen loops infinitely
- Users logged out repeatedly throughout the day
- Account data wiped requiring re-input of information
- New app update reverts to old interface

**Requested features**

- Multiple house system options (Placidus, Porphyry, Equal House)
- Synastry and composite chart analysis
- Relational analysis comparing parent-child charts
- Ability to add grandchildren and extended family
- Automatic daily reading uploads at consistent times


### Custody Companion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/custody-companion/id6738657175)

This app helps separated parents communicate more effectively by drafting child-focused messages. It analyzes communication history and offers tools to reduce conflict, ensuring conversations remain secure and productive.

**Highlights:** AI-powered message drafting, Communication history analysis, Conflict reduction tools, Secure message logging, Customizable communication preferences, End-to-end encryption

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Weekly | $6.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $99.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is STAR/CHILD free?

STAR/CHILD is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Custody Companion free?

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

### Which has better reviews, STAR/CHILD or Custody Companion?

Custody Companion is rated higher. STAR/CHILD averages 4.4 out of 5 from 420 ratings, while Custody Companion averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do STAR/CHILD or Custody Companion have ads?

STAR/CHILD shows ads; Custody Companion does not.

### Which is updated more often, STAR/CHILD or Custody Companion?

STAR/CHILD ships an update monthly, and Custody Companion every 3 days. Most recently, STAR/CHILD was updated on November 8, 2026 and Custody Companion on October 30, 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.*