QUARCS vs Touch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
QUARCS
This open-source software kit enables remote astrophotography capture via Wi-Fi and computer. It offers comprehensive control over telescope mounts, cameras, autoguiding, and electric focusers, integrating with Stellarium for sky mapping.
- Remote capture via Wi-Fi
- Computer remote capture via LAN
- Mount control
- Camera control
- Autoguiding
- Electric focuser control
- Stellarium skymap integration
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Q.U.A.R.C.S (QHYCCD Universal Astrophotographic Remote Capture System) is an open-source software kit that supports the full function of mobile remote capture via WIFI and computer remote capture via LAN. It includes the mount control, camera control, autoguiding, electric focuser control, and Stellarium skymap function.
Touch
Control your astrophotography sessions remotely from your mobile device or Mac. Manage imaging, focus, guiding, and polar alignment. This open-source tool enhances your workflow without ads or in-app purchases.
- Remote imaging session launch
- Focus control
- Guiding performance monitoring
- Three Point Polar Alignment
- Connected device control
- Open source
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Touch-N-Stars brings the core features of the popular astrophotography software N.I.N.A. right to your phone, tablet, or Apple Silicon Mac. Start imaging sessions, adjust focus, monitor guiding, or perform a Three Point Polar Alignment – all from the palm of your hand. Key Features: - Launch imaging sessions and control focus remotely - Monitor guiding performance in real time - Perform Three Point Polar Alignment (requires N.I.N.A. v2.2.2.0+) - Control all connected devices such as the dome or flat panel - 100% open source. No ads. No in-app purchases. Requirements: - A running N.I.N.A. instance on your imaging PC - Advanced API Plugin enabled (Port 1888, API v2) - Touch'N'Stars Plugin Touch-N-Stars is a companion tool – not a full replacement for the desktop experience. Enhance your astrophotography workflow and stay flexible – wherever you are.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Touch at 75% against QUARCS's 0%. Touch also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.0) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 months). QUARCS's advantage is iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Touch holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Touch has 7 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of QUARCS's written reviews are positive against 75% of Touch's.
QUARCS ships an update every 6 months, Touch fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | QUARCS | Touch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (1 ratings) | 4.7 (7 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 30 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Light Speed Vision(Beijing) Co., Ltd | Johannes Maier |
Customer experience
QUARCS
Touch
In-app purchases
QUARCS
No in-app purchases
Touch
No in-app purchases
