Comparison

Sky Planner vs Next Eclipse

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

Head to head
About

Sky Planner

Plan your astrophotography sessions with real-time sky quality forecasts and astronomy signals. Compare observing spots and find the best windows for capturing the night sky.

Highlights
  • Sky quality tracking
  • Observing spot comparison
  • Best observing window identification
  • Milky Way visibility and direction
  • Offline forecast fallback
  • Home screen widget
Features
Read full description

DarkScout is completely free, with no paywalls, trials, or subscription required. Know whether tonight is worth heading outside. DarkScout brings weather and astronomy together for astrophotographers and night-sky observers. • Use the full Tonight screen, Planner, Map and Spots, including visible targets and monthly recommendations. • Save unlimited observing locations, compare spots and plan up to 14 nights ahead. • Explore the full object catalog, 72-hour cloud-cover maps, horizon profiles, multi-spot alerts, custom thresholds and Red Night Mode. • Browse and share original-quality astrophotos, save favorites, and join or host observing events with participant chat. • Use recurring sessions, templates, co-hosts, weather backup plans, custom reminder timing and scheduled announcements. • Control location privacy, report content and block accounts. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Next Eclipse

Prepare for the total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026. Get local visibility, countdowns, and weather estimates to plan your viewing experience. Optional premium features offer advanced planning tools and reminders.

Highlights
  • Countdown to solar eclipse
  • Local visibility overview
  • Eclipse type and obscuration estimate
  • Maximum eclipse time
  • Viewing chance estimate
  • Cloud cover and rain chance guidance
  • Basic solar viewing safety
Features
Read full description

The next eclipse starts here. ≋≋ A 2026 Top 100 Weather App≋≋ Charted in 36 countries • Reached #3 in France Next Eclipse turns every upcoming solar eclipse into an event you can actually plan for. See exactly what will happen from your location, follow a live countdown, check how much of the Sun will be covered and discover the local time of maximum eclipse. Want a better place to watch? Explore locations on the map, save possible viewing spots and compare them to find the location that gives you the experience you are looking for. As eclipse day gets closer, Next Eclipse can also help answer the question that matters most: Will I actually be able to see it? Premium weather features use current forecast data to estimate viewing conditions, including cloud cover, rain, visibility and other factors that may affect your view. And when one eclipse ends, Next Eclipse gets ready for the next one. ≋≋ FREE ≋≋ Everything you need to follow the next eclipse: • Live countdown to the next solar eclipse • Local eclipse visibility • Eclipse type for your location • Estimated solar obscuration • Local time of maximum eclipse • Automatic use of your current location • Essential solar viewing safety guidance • Basic eclipse reminder ≋≋ ECLIPSE PASS ≋≋ Planning to watch the eclipse properly? Unlock an Eclipse Pass for a specific event and get the complete planning experience: • Choose any viewing location on the map • Save multiple locations • Compare viewing locations • Detailed local eclipse timings • Eclipse start, maximum and end times • Sun altitude at your location • Viewing direction • Weather outlook before eclipse day • Viewing Chance estimate • Cloud cover and rain information • Visibility conditions • Full reminder options • Home Screen widgets • Local visibility widget • Unlimited planning for the unlocked eclipse Each Eclipse Pass is a one time purchase for the selected eclipse event. No subscription is required. ≋≋ WEATHER WATCH ≋≋ Weather becomes increasingly important as the eclipse approaches. For unlocked events, weather features become available as eclipse day gets closer, helping you monitor changing conditions and decide whether your selected location is still a good place to watch. Forecast confidence improves closer to the event. ≋≋ MADE FOR THE MOMENT ≋≋ Next Eclipse is designed to make complex eclipse information quick to understand. No astronomy knowledge is required. Open the app and immediately see: • how long is left • whether the eclipse is visible from where you are • how much of the Sun will be covered • when maximum eclipse occurs • where to look • whether the weather is likely to cooperate ≋≋ YOUR ECLIPSE PLANNER ≋≋ Planning a trip? Drop a location on the map and instantly check the eclipse from there. Save your hotel, home, viewpoint or travel destination and compare locations before deciding where to watch. A location with more obscuration is not always the best viewing spot. Weather, Sun altitude and local viewing conditions can matter too. Next Eclipse brings those details together in one place. ≋≋ BUILT FOR FUTURE ECLIPSES ≋≋ Next Eclipse does not end when the countdown reaches zero. After an eclipse has passed, the app prepares for the next solar eclipse, giving you a single place to follow upcoming events instead of installing another countdown app every year. ≋≋ IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION ≋≋ Never look directly at the Sun without appropriate solar viewing protection. Always use certified eclipse glasses or suitable solar viewing equipment. Regular sunglasses are not safe for direct solar viewing. Children should be supervised during solar observation. Eclipse circumstances, visibility calculations and weather information are provided for planning purposes. Conditions can change and should always be checked again closer to the event

Screenshots

Sky Planner4 screens
Next Eclipse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sky Planner at 100% against Next Eclipse's 67%. Next Eclipse's advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. Sky Planner sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Next Eclipse sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sky Planner ships an update every 2 weeks, Next Eclipse every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Sky Planner versus Next Eclipse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSky PlannerNext Eclipse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better66.7% of reviews
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS26.018.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSebastian MrazDaniel Miara

Customer experience

Sky Planner

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Next Eclipse

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Sky Planner

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly PRO$2.491 Month
  • Yearly PRO$14.991 Year
1 purchases

Next Eclipse

One-time1
  • Premium 2026 Lifetime$3.99

Questions

Is Sky Planner free?
Sky Planner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Next Eclipse free?
Next Eclipse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sky Planner or Next Eclipse have ads?
Neither Sky Planner nor Next Eclipse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sky Planner or Next Eclipse?
Sky Planner ships an update every 2 weeks, and Next Eclipse every 11 days. Most recently, Sky Planner was updated on October 14, 2026 and Next Eclipse on October 7, 2026.

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