Comparison

Flyby vs Launchcast

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

Head to head
About

Flyby

Track satellites and rocket launches with real-time AR overlays and precise visibility predictions. Get notified only for the best viewing opportunities based on your location and environmental factors. Experience live flight simulations with haptic feedback and integrated audio.

Highlights
  • Real-time launch simulations
  • AR satellite and launch spotting
  • Precise visibility predictions
  • 30,000+ object tracking
  • Live telemetry and audio
  • Customizable alerts
  • Lock Screen and Dynamic Island integration
Read full description

See the ISS, other satellites and rocket launches from where you live. Flyby tells you when something worth seeing is about to pass over, and shows it on a live 3D globe. Free to download. Flyby Pro, with a free trial, adds exactly where to look, the full path in Sky View, clear-sky forecasts and Live Activities for passes. Free Tonight's passes. See which satellites cross your sky and when each one appears, worked out on your phone for your exact location. Pass alerts. Get a heads-up before a good pass, with the satellite's name and the time. Rocket launches. Follow upcoming launches from around the world, and see which ones you can actually see from home. A live 3D globe. Thousands of satellites, tracked as they move. Tap one to learn what it is. Sky View. Hold up your phone, or use the rendered sky indoors. The Moon, planets, bright stars and constellations are labelled where they really are. Show me tonight. A short tour of what's up tonight, one object at a time. Did you catch it? After a pass, Flyby asks if you saw it. Say yes and it goes in your Logbook with the time and place. Logbook. Every sighting in one place, with records to collect as you go and Echo, a small orange companion who's glad you looked up. Widgets. Your next pass and next launch on your Home Screen. With Flyby Pro Exactly where to look. Which way to face, how high to look and when it fades, for every pass and every visible launch. The full path in Sky View. See the line it will take across your sky, and scrub through time to preview it. Go-outside alerts. Fewer, better alerts, only for passes worth stepping out for, with where to look right in the alert. Clear-sky forecasts. Hour-by-hour cloud cover for each pass and visible launch. Live Activities. Follow a pass on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island while it happens. Getting started A short story shows what Flyby does, then asks for your location so every prediction is for your own sky. You choose which alerts you want. Sign in with Apple keeps your Logbook safe across devices and reinstalls. Subscription Flyby Pro is available monthly ($9.99) or yearly ($39.99), in US dollars. Prices may vary by country. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm the purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it in your App Store account settings. Any unused part of a free trial ends when you subscribe. Terms of Use: https://getflyby.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://getflyby.app/privacy EULA: https://getflyby.app/eula

About

Launchcast

Features
Read full description

Launchcast helps you follow the next space launch. Browse upcoming missions, see their launch windows in your local time, and learn about the rocket, payload and launch site. Save the missions that interest you and choose reminders for the windows you want to follow. Open an available mission stream or explore the reported result after launch. Schedules, stream availability and mission information can change. A countdown reaching zero does not confirm liftoff. You can browse as a guest. Account features explain when sign-in is needed. Optional notifications and location settings are yours to choose. Launchcast offers in-app purchases. The purchase screen shows available localized prices and any trial for which you are eligible. Subscriptions renew until cancelled; manage them through your Apple account. Restore eligible purchases from Settings. Questions or feedback: support@fera-tech.com Privacy: https://www.launchcast.app/privacy Terms: https://www.launchcast.app/terms

Screenshots

Flyby4 screens
Launchcast3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Launchcast at every 2 days against Flyby's every 10 days. Launchcast also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.1). 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. Flyby sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Launchcast sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Flyby ships an update every 10 days, Launchcast every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Flyby versus Launchcast: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFlybyLaunchcast
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (16 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings16 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.117.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB98 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperRedshift Software, LLCFERATECH, MCHJ

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Flyby

Subscriptions2
  • Flyby Pro - Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Flyby Pro - Annual7 Days trial$39.991 Year
4 purchases

Launchcast

Subscriptions2
  • Launchcast Pro — Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Launchcast Pro — Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time2
  • Event Pass — 48h Pro$2.99
  • Launchcast Pro — Lifetime$69.99

Questions

Is Flyby free?
Flyby is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Launchcast free?
Launchcast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Flyby or Launchcast have ads?
Neither Flyby nor Launchcast shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Flyby or Launchcast?
Flyby ships an update every 10 days, and Launchcast every 2 days. Most recently, Flyby was updated on October 28, 2026 and Launchcast on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons