Comparison

FixedFocus vs AstroOcular

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

Head to head
About

FixedFocus

Features
Read full description

FixedFocus is a minimalist camera for birding, wildlife, and digiscoping. When you shoot through a spotting scope, clip-on telephoto, or dense foliage, iPhone autofocus often hunts β€” jumping from bird to branch to grass at the worst moment. FixedFocus puts focus back under your control. WHY FIXEDFOCUS β€’ One-tap Focus Lock β€” freeze focus distance so AF stops hunting β€’ Fine Manual Focus β€” 0–100% slider to nail the subject β€’ Stay on the lens you chose β€” switch Ultra Wide / Wide / Tele on purpose β€’ Pinch zoom up to 10Γ— when you need a closer look β€’ Dark, distraction-free UI for the field β€’ No account. No ads. No tracking. Photos stay on your device. BUILT FOR β€’ Digiscoping through spotting scopes & phone adapters β€’ Birding when AF confuses leaves and feathers β€’ Wildlife & backyard feeders through glass or branches β€’ Anyone tired of the system camera switching lenses mid-shot HOW TO USE 1. Point at your subject 2. Tap Lock 3. Drag the focus slider until the bird is sharp 4. Capture Works with any adapter brand β€” Phone Skope, MagView-style mounts, clip-on telephotos, or just the native tele lens. No proprietary hardware required. PRIVACY We don’t collect personal data. Camera and Photos access are only used to capture and save images locally. TERMS OF USE (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ PRIVACY POLICY: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1TEQAf5L31JKI47D9RQCgVx3MSf2VkQCZOAE1FvIRkSA/edit?usp=sharing QUESTIONS OR FIELD FEEDBACK? We read every note from birders and digiscopers. Tell us what you need in the field β€” peaking, video, Bluetooth shutter, and more are on the roadmap.

About

AstroOcular

Features
Read full description

AstroOcular is a focused camera app for recording the Moon, planets, and observations through a telescope eyepiece. The app opens straight into the camera, avoids automatic lens switching by using physical rear cameras when available, and provides a visual guide to help center the iPhone on the eyepiece. Key features: - Photo and video capture through a telescope eyepiece - Physical rear lens selection - Automatic alignment guide and manual reticle fallback - Timer to reduce shake - Pro controls for zoom, focus, exposure, ISO, white balance, resolution, and FPS - Saves locally to the Photos library - No ads, analytics, purchases, or backend Video audio is off by default and microphone permission is requested only if you enable audio.

Screenshots

FixedFocus3 screens
AstroOcular4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AstroOcular at none against FixedFocus's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. FixedFocus sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AstroOcular asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FixedFocus ships an update every 2 months, AstroOcular every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
FixedFocus versus AstroOcular: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFixedFocusAstroOcular
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details β€” not scored
Size1 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLu Cheng WeiAron Scolaro

In-app purchases

1 purchases

FixedFocus

One-time1
  • FixedFocus Pro$3.99
None

AstroOcular

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FixedFocus free?
FixedFocus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AstroOcular free?
AstroOcular is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FixedFocus or AstroOcular have ads?
Neither FixedFocus nor AstroOcular shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FixedFocus or AstroOcular?
FixedFocus ships an update every 2 months, and AstroOcular every 5 weeks. Most recently, FixedFocus was updated on September 17, 2026 and AstroOcular on September 13, 2026.

Other comparisons