Comparison

Hydro vs StarLoc

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

Head to head
About

Hydro

Features
Read full description

Hydro - The ultimate app for accurate water information! With this innovative app, you always have an overview of all important data on water levels, water temperatures, precipitation and groundwater levels in the Austrian province of Upper Austria. - Current water levels: Follow the current water levels of the rivers, lakes and bodies of water in Upper Austria in real time. - Water temperatures: Find out the current water temperatures of the various bodies of water. - Rainfall: Stay informed about the amount of precipitation in Upper Austria. - Groundwater level: Get important information about the groundwater level. - Open data interface: All data is obtained via an open data interface - Datasource: Land Oberösterreich - data.ooe.gv.at

About

StarLoc

This app provides precise GPS coordinates, altitude, and time data in a night-friendly interface for astronomers. It offers essential information for telescope alignment and observation, with a focus on preserving night vision.

Highlights
  • Night-friendly dark theme
  • Accurate latitude and longitude (DMS)
  • Decimal coordinate support
  • Real-time GPS updates
  • Local, UTC, and offset time
  • Elevation in meters and feet
  • Horizontal and vertical accuracy
Features
Read full description

StarLoc is a clean, distraction-free GPS tool designed specifically for stargazing. Get accurate latitude, longitude, altitude, and time in formats ready for telescope alignment all in a night-friendly interface. Built for the Night Sky 
• Unlike standard GPS apps, StarLoc uses a dark theme with red and green text to help preserve your night vision during astronomy sessions. Accurate Location Data • Latitude & Longitude (DMS format) 
• Decimal coordinates for quick entry 
• Real-time GPS updates 
• High-accuracy positioning data 
 Time & Alignment Ready • Local time (12-hour & 24-hour) 
• UTC time and offset 
• Date display for precise telescope setup Altitude & Accuracy 
• Elevation in meters and feet 
• Horizontal and vertical accuracy readings Simple, focused and reliable. StarLoc provides the essential data you need to align your telescope and start observing. Perfect for backyard astronomers and dark-sky explorers alike.

Screenshots

Hydro2 screens
StarLoc3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Hydro at monthly against StarLoc's every 2 months. StarLoc's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hydro ships an update monthly, StarLoc every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Hydro versus StarLoc: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHydroStarLoc
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrickDaniel Schaich

In-app purchases

None

Hydro

No in-app purchases

None

StarLoc

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hydro free?
Hydro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is StarLoc free?
StarLoc is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hydro or StarLoc have ads?
Neither Hydro nor StarLoc shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hydro or StarLoc?
Hydro ships an update monthly, and StarLoc every 2 months. Most recently, Hydro was updated on October 8, 2026 and StarLoc on October 16, 2026.

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