Comparison

Solar Orrery vs Sky Map

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

Head to head
About

Solar Orrery

Explore a real-time, interactive model of our solar system and the night sky. Journey through planets, moons, stars, and constellations with cinematic visuals and intuitive controls. Track celestial objects and experience the vastness of space.

Highlights
  • Interactive solar system model
  • Real-time orbital data
  • 41,000+ stars and constellations
  • Time controls for simulation
  • Touch-first camera controls
  • Colorblind-accessible themes
  • Live celestial object feeds
Features
Read full description

Orrery is an interactive, real-time model of the solar system and the nearby sky, built for curiosity and wonder. Start with a cinematic opening from deep space to Earth, then move freely through planets, moons, constellations, and live orbital data. Features: - Cinematic opening tour from deep space to Earth - Interactive planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, comets, and spacecraft - 41,000+ stars and 88 constellation line patterns - Time controls from real time to accelerated simulation - Touch-first camera: orbit, zoom, and focus, then drill into a planet's moons - An ambient tour that drifts through the system on its own - Colorblind-accessible themes - Live feeds for near-Earth objects, solar wind, and satellite positions Built for learners, stargazers, educators, and anyone who wants to feel the scale and motion of the solar system. Questions or feedback: luke@lukesteuber.com

About

Sky Map

Identify stars, planets, and constellations by pointing your device at the sky. Offers offline functionality, multiple visual styles, and real-time ISS and meteor shower tracking. Includes Apple Watch and widget support.

Highlights
  • Live star and planet identification
  • Offline functionality
  • ISS and meteor shower tracking
  • Multiple visual sky styles
  • Apple Watch integration
  • 13 customizable widgets
  • 100% red night mode
Features
Read full description

Point your phone at the sky — and know. Sky Map identifies every star, planet, constellation and deep-sky object you point at, instantly and fully offline. 115,000+ real stars and all 88 constellations render at buttery frame rates, aligned to your exact horizon. FIRST ON THE APP STORE • ISS Pass Live Activity — a countdown and pass arc right on your Lock Screen and Dynamic Island. Never miss a flyover again. • Meteor-shower peak nights and darkness countdowns as Live Activities too. THE SKY, YOUR WAY — 8 STYLES Realistic, Chart, Atlas (engraved gold), Red Night, Astro-photo, Aurora, Ink & Paper, Minimal Mono. Your chosen look follows you across the app, all 13 widgets and Apple Watch. BUILT FOR REAL NIGHTS • True 100% red night mode — protects your dark adaptation on every screen • Stargazing Index: one 0–10 score from clouds, Moon and light pollution • Drag-to-align compass correction + magnetic-interference detection • Stars twinkle. Planets don't. (That's real physics — and how you tell them apart.) ON YOUR WRIST Wrist-guided ISS spotting with a live bearing ring, a whole-sky dial, a solar-system orrery you can scrub through time, and Smart Stack complications that surface exactly at dusk. 13 WIDGETS Live sky chart, 360° horizon panorama, Moon phase calendar, solar system now, constellation of the day, aurora Kp index, the Sun live from NASA SDO, event countdowns with a one-tap reminder bell, and a red Nightstand mode for StandBy. HONEST BY DESIGN • Works 100% offline — airplane mode, backcountry, anywhere • No account. Your location never leaves your device. • The free tier stays free, forever. Premium adds depth: the 115,000-star deep catalog, 450+ NGC/IC objects, satellites, comets, event reminders, observation lists with FREE iCloud sync, and every style. The sky is out tonight. Go look up. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. • Terms of use: https://deeplyai.app/terms.html • Privacy policy: https://deeplyai.app/privacy.html Support & Contact Need help? • Rate us! Got feedback? info@deeplyai.app

Screenshots

Solar Orrery4 screens
Sky Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Solar Orrery at 5.0 against Sky Map's 4.0. Solar Orrery also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ads (none vs shown). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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. Sky Map sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Solar Orrery asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Solar Orrery holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Solar Orrery versus Sky Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSolar OrrerySky Map
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLanguageCraftDEEPLY AI

Customer experience

Solar Orrery

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Sky Map

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Solar Orrery

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Sky Map

Subscriptions3
  • Sky Map Premium Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Sky Map Premium Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Sky Map Premium Yearly$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Sky Map Premium Lifetime$79.99

Questions

Is Solar Orrery free?
Solar Orrery is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sky Map free?
Sky Map is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Solar Orrery or Sky Map?
Solar Orrery is rated higher. Solar Orrery averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Sky Map averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Solar Orrery or Sky Map have ads?
Sky Map shows ads; Solar Orrery does not.
Which is updated more often, Solar Orrery or Sky Map?
Solar Orrery ships an update every 3 weeks, and Sky Map every 3 weeks. Most recently, Solar Orrery was updated on October 31, 2026 and Sky Map on October 31, 2026.

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