# MessierMate vs Telescope Log

The clearest difference is rating: MessierMate at 5.0 against Telescope Log's 4.5. MessierMate also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

MessierMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

MessierMate ships an update monthly, Telescope Log every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MessierMate | Telescope Log |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messiermate-night-sky-tracker/id6782169332/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telescope-log-darksite/id6792251293/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 70 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [CosmicFlow Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882544353) | [Jawahar Natarajan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772381065) |

## What reviewers say

### MessierMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/messiermate-night-sky-tracker/id6782169332)

This free astronomy app helps deep-sky observers track celestial objects. It shows what's visible in your sky tonight, sorted by urgency, and allows you to plan future observing sessions and log your observations. It features a dark theme and red night mode for preserving night vision.

**Highlights:** Track 110 Messier objects, Real-time altitude and azimuth, Urgency-based object sorting, Monthly planning calendar, Session logging with notes and photos, Offline functionality, Red Night mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Telescope Log

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/telescope-log-darksite/id6792251293)

This app helps telescope owners plan their night of stargazing by suggesting targets based on their equipment and sky conditions. It also provides a detailed logbook for recording observations and tracks progress towards astronomy certificates.

**Highlights:** Gear-aware target suggestions, Session queue and planning, Detailed observing logbook, Red field mode for night vision, Tracking for astronomy certificates, Offline functionality, Data export and import

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MessierMate free?

MessierMate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Telescope Log free?

Telescope Log is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, MessierMate or Telescope Log?

MessierMate is rated higher. MessierMate averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Telescope Log averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do MessierMate or Telescope Log have ads?

Neither MessierMate nor Telescope Log shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MessierMate or Telescope Log?

MessierMate ships an update monthly, and Telescope Log every 3 weeks. Most recently, MessierMate was updated on October 31, 2026 and Telescope Log on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*