Comparison

First Light vs Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar

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

Head to head
About

First Light

Explore the universe's earliest light with real cosmic microwave background data. Pan across the oldest light in the universe, switch between satellites, and observe shifts in frequency bands. This educational app brings real science and cosmic history to your mobile device.

Highlights
  • Explore cosmic microwave background data
  • Immersive sky exploration via phone movement
  • Switch between COBE, WMAP, and Planck satellites
  • Adjust frequency bands to see universe shifts
  • Utilizes real scientific data
Features
Read full description

Look up. What you're seeing isn't the night sky. It's the afterglow of the Big Bang, captured by three of the most important space missions ever launched. First Light turns real cosmic microwave background data from COBE, WMAP, and Planck into an immersive sky you can explore by simply moving your phone. Pan across the oldest light in the universe. Switch between satellites. Dial through frequency bands and watch the universe shift. This is real data. Real science. And it fits in your pocket.

About

Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar

Features
Read full description

Satellite turns the night sky into a live, interactive map. Watch the International Space Station, Starlink trains, Hubble and thousands of satellites orbit Earth in real time on a beautiful 3D globe — then step outside and actually spot them. Powered by a first-party SGP4 orbital engine and live public data from CelesTrak, NOAA and The Space Devs, Satellite computes exactly what's visible from where you are, the moment it happens. A REAL-TIME 3D GLOBE • A photoreal Earth (NASA Blue Marble) with day/night, drifting clouds and city lights • Every tracked satellite orbiting live at its true position • Tap any satellite to see a 3D model, its orbit path and live telemetry • Multiple globe styles: Realistic, Night Lights, Vector, Minimal — with cloud, ring and orbit layers • Pinch to zoom, drag to spin around the planet NEVER MISS A PASS • Personalised visible-pass predictions for your exact location • Rise/peak/set times, direction, max elevation and brightness • Tiered reminders — a heads-up 30 minutes before, then "go outside" minutes before the pass • Add any pass or launch to your Calendar with one tap • Knows when a satellite is sunlit vs. in Earth's shadow PLAN TONIGHT — IS IT WORTH GOING OUTSIDE? • A Stargazing Score that blends darkness, the Moon and cloud cover into one number • Live darkness countdown — astronomical night start/end, sunset and sunrise • Moon phase, illumination and rise/set times, all computed on-device • Tonight's visible passes and an aurora heads-up when the Kp index spikes LIGHT POLLUTION & DARK-SKY MAP • See the Bortle class, sky brightness (SQM) and limiting magnitude for any spot • Built on a bundled VIIRS-derived world atlas — works fully offline • Pan the map to scout darker skies near you before you drive out SUN & MOON TRANSITS (astrophotographers, this one's for you) • Find when the ISS or any satellite crosses the face of the Sun or Moon from your location • Precise timing and angular separation, computed entirely on-device SKY EVENTS CALENDAR • Upcoming meteor-shower peaks, solar and lunar eclipses, and Full/New Moons • Countdowns so you can plan ahead RED NIGHT MODE • A full-app red filter that protects your dark adaptation at the eyepiece SKY VIEW (AR) • Point your phone at the sky and see satellites as 3D models, labelled, exactly where they are • Identify mode: aim the reticle at a light to find out what it is ROCKET LAUNCHES • Upcoming launches worldwide with live countdowns • Launch-pad maps and Live Activities on your Lock Screen • Track SpaceX, NASA, ULA, Arianespace, ISRO and more SPACE WEATHER & AURORA • Live planetary Kp index with a 3-day forecast and solar-wind speed • Aurora viewing chance calculated for your latitude • Beautiful charts powered by real NOAA SWPC data EXPLORE THE CATALOG • Search 300+ satellites: stations, Starlink, weather, navigation, science and the brightest objects • Notable Objects — jump straight to the ISS, Hubble, Tiangong and other icons in orbit • Find Starlink: see Starlink passes by your location or any coordinates • ISS Live: a NASA live stream plus who's currently aboard the ISS and Tiangong • Favorites and custom Collections, synced across your devices with iCloud BUILT THE RIGHT WAY • Works offline with cached data; refreshes when you're online • Widgets for your next pass and space weather • Apple Watch app and Siri Shortcuts • Your location never leaves your device Whether you're a casual stargazer hoping to catch the ISS, an astrophotographer planning a shoot, or a space enthusiast who never wants to miss a launch - Satellite is your window to everything above. 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

First Light4 screens
Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: First Light at none against Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar's 4. First Light also leads on ads (none vs shown). Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price and iOS requirement 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. Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. First Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
First Light versus Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst LightSatellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size75 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas SolaDEEPLY AI

In-app purchases

None

First Light

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar

Subscriptions3
  • Satellite Tracker Premium Weekly$1.997 Days
  • Satellite Tracker Premium Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Satellite Tracker Premium Yearly$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Satellite Tracker Lifetime$39.99

Questions

Is First Light free?
First Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar free?
Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Light or Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar have ads?
Satellite Tracker 3D Sky Radar shows ads; First Light does not.

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