Comparison

AstroDeck vs ApexSKY

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

Head to head
About

AstroDeck

Features
Read 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

About

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.

Highlights
  • Tonight's Sky dashboard
  • Observing forecast timeline
  • Aurora Outlook with Kp forecast
  • Live space weather data
  • ISS pass tracking
  • Meteor shower outlook
  • Planet positions
Features
Read 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

AstroDeck4 screens
ApexSKY3 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AstroDeck ships an update weekly, ApexSKY every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
AstroDeck versus ApexSKY: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAstroDeckApexSKY
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB119 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperFLAVIO COMINAdeftify, LLC

In-app purchases

3 purchases

AstroDeck

Subscriptions2
  • AstroDeck PRO (Monthly)$3.991 Month
  • AstroDeck PRO (Yearly)$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • AstroDeck PRO (Lifetime)$69.99
1 purchases

ApexSKY

Subscriptions1
  • ApexSKY Member$3.991 Month

Questions

Is AstroDeck free?
AstroDeck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ApexSKY free?
ApexSKY is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AstroDeck or ApexSKY have ads?
Neither AstroDeck nor ApexSKY shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AstroDeck or ApexSKY?
AstroDeck ships an update weekly, and ApexSKY every 3 weeks. Most recently, AstroDeck was updated on November 11, 2026 and ApexSKY on October 31, 2026.

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