# Sky Planner vs Next Eclipse

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sky Planner | Next Eclipse |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-planner-darkscout/id6760223860/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4** | — |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 66.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 24 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sebastian Mraz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1883345914) | [Daniel Miara](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871192988) |

## What reviewers say

### Sky Planner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-planner-darkscout/id6760223860)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly PRO | $2.49 | per month |
| Yearly PRO | $14.99 | per year |


### Next Eclipse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/next-eclipse-solar-guide/id6784718501)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium 2026 Lifetime | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*