# Distant Surveillance vs Astral Capture

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Astral Capture at none against Distant Surveillance's 1. Astral Capture also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). Distant Surveillance's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Distant Surveillance sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.99 per month. Astral Capture asks for nothing beyond the download.

Distant Surveillance ships an update every 2 months, Astral Capture every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Distant Surveillance | Astral Capture |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-capture/id6740183042/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **2** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 32 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sebastien BUET](https://appshunter.io/developer/321941181) | [Mannon Wallace](https://appshunter.io/developer/1695318150) |

## What reviewers say

### Distant Surveillance

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/distant-surveillance/id6557080549)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $1.99 | per month |


### Astral Capture

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-capture/id6740183042)

This app allows you to set live wallpapers and widgets featuring recent images from Earth observation satellites and Mars rovers. Images update automatically, offering fresh views of our planet and beyond.

**Highlights:** Live wallpapers from satellites, Home screen widgets, Automatic image updates, Images from Mars rovers, Multiple satellite options, Desk display option

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Distant Surveillance free?

Distant Surveillance is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Astral Capture free?

Astral Capture is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Distant Surveillance or Astral Capture have ads?

Neither Distant Surveillance nor Astral Capture shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Distant Surveillance or Astral Capture?

Distant Surveillance ships an update every 2 months, and Astral Capture every 4 weeks. Most recently, Distant Surveillance was updated on October 4, 2026 and Astral Capture on October 12, 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.*