AstroDeck vs ApexSKY
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AstroDeck
Read full descriptionHide full description
AstroDeck is your real-time window to the aurora, space weather, and the night sky — beautifully designed for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Know when the sky comes alive. Track the Kp index and a live aurora oval powered by NOAA's OVATION model, find the best places to watch tonight, and stay ahead of changing conditions. AURORA & SPACE WEATHER • Live Kp index and aurora forecast • Aurora oval map driven by real OVATION data • Solar wind, solar flares (GOES X-ray), sunspot activity and solar irradiance • Live solar imagery (visible, magnetogram, corona, chromosphere) • Best aurora viewing spots near you SKY & ASTRONOMY • Moon phase with rise and set times • Sunrise, sunset and day length • Astronomical events and reminders • Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) • Planets SATELLITES • Track the ISS and thousands of satellites in real time on a live world map • Filter by constellation: Starlink, OneWeb, GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, BeiDou, weather, science, amateur radio, geostationary and more • Overhead ISS pass times for your location YOUR DASHBOARD, YOUR WAY • 20+ widgets you can add, resize and reorder • Local weather and UV index • A clean, customizable home for everything above APPLE WATCH • A full companion app with 10+ screens on your wrist • Follow the aurora, solar flares, the Sun, the Moon, planets, constellations (sky map) and ISS passes — right from your wrist • Complications and Home Screen widgets keep Kp, the Moon and more at a glance LANGUAGES Available in English, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish and German — with more languages on the way. AstroDeck is free to use. AstroDeck PRO unlocks advanced features — aurora alerts, the Aurora Data Center, advanced widgets and watch complications, and more — via a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Data from NOAA, NASA and CelesTrak. Aurora and space-weather forecasts are predictions and actual visibility may vary. — — Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://getastrodeck.com/privacy Our Terms: https://getastrodeck.com/terms
ApexSKY
Track celestial events like aurora, meteor showers, and ISS passes. Get detailed sky forecasts, space weather data, and personalized observing plans. Features include a dashboard with weather snapshots and moon phases, plus optional alerts for significant astronomical activity.
- Tonight's Sky dashboard
- Observing forecast timeline
- Aurora Outlook with Kp forecast
- Live space weather data
- ISS pass tracking
- Meteor shower outlook
- Planet positions
Read full descriptionHide full description
ApexSKY shows your local sky at a glance — built for aurora chasers, meteor watchers, and tonight's observing plan. TONIGHT'S DASHBOARD • Home: Tonight's Sky score, weather snapshot, moon phase, and space weather at a glance • Observing forecast timeline — clouds, seeing, moon, and score through the night • Aurora Outlook with a 24-hour Kp forecast for your location LIVE SPACE WEATHER • NOAA SWPC data: Kp, Bz, solar wind, geomagnetic outlook • Animated aurora probability map and solar imagery carousel • Optional push alerts when activity spikes (Kp / storm thresholds) ISS, METEORS & PLANETS • Upcoming ISS passes with brightness, direction, and ground track map • Meteor shower outlook, sporadic rates, and active shower windows for your sky • Planet positions and visibility for tonight LOCATION & ALERTS • GPS or manual observing site; saved dark-sky sites when signed in • Notifications for aurora, geomagnetic storms, ISS passes, and more • Works without an account for core sky features ACCOUNT & MEMBERSHIP • Free ApexASTRO account: sync preferences, saved sites, observing log, achievements, and Messier browse in Best Targets • ApexSKY Member ($3.99/month): subscribe in the app to unlock the full deep-sky planner — NGC, Caldwell, IC, Tonight's Top 3, planning windows, and PRO Sky conditions • Sign in at account.apexastro.app; membership syncs to your ApexASTRO account on iPhone and web where supported ACHIEVEMENTS • Log observations, earn XP and badges; Trophy Room tracks your progress Core sky features are free. Membership is optional and unlocks the advanced observing planner. Data from NOAA SWPC, Open-Meteo, 7Timer, and public astronomy sources. Forecasts and aurora outlooks are estimates — always use local judgment for travel and observing. Questions or feedback: https://support.apexastro.app Privacy Policy: https://apexastro.app/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://apexastro.app/terms.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: AstroDeck at weekly against ApexSKY's every 3 weeks. ApexSKY's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). 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
Both are free to download. AstroDeck sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and ApexSKY sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
AstroDeck ships an update weekly, ApexSKY every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AstroDeck | ApexSKY |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 4 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 21 MB | 119 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | FLAVIO COMIN | Adeftify, LLC |
In-app purchases
AstroDeck
- AstroDeck PRO (Monthly)$3.991 Month
- AstroDeck PRO (Yearly)$19.991 Year
- AstroDeck PRO (Lifetime)$69.99
ApexSKY
- ApexSKY Member$3.991 Month









