# Deep Sky Scanner vs Planet Pointer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Deep Sky Scanner at none against Planet Pointer's 1. Deep Sky Scanner also leads on device support (3 vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planet Pointer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Deep Sky Scanner asks for nothing beyond the download.

Deep Sky Scanner ships an update every 3 days, Planet Pointer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Deep Sky Scanner | Planet Pointer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days | **Every 2 days** |
| Size | 2 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chris Eddy](https://appshunter.io/developer/6809615073) | [Haviv Tarazi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6815724966) |

## What reviewers say

### Deep Sky Scanner

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/deep-sky-scanner/id6809615071)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planet Pointer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-pointer/id6815724964)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Planet Pointer Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Deep Sky Scanner free?

Deep Sky Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planet Pointer free?

Planet Pointer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Deep Sky Scanner or Planet Pointer have ads?

Neither Deep Sky Scanner nor Planet Pointer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Deep Sky Scanner or Planet Pointer?

Deep Sky Scanner ships an update every 3 days, and Planet Pointer every 2 days. Most recently, Deep Sky Scanner was updated on October 7, 2026 and Planet Pointer on October 12, 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.*