# Star Tracker Lite vs SkySafari 7 Plus

The clearest difference is price: Star Tracker Lite at Free against SkySafari 7 Plus's $9.99. Star Tracker Lite also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 46%) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 14.1). SkySafari 7 Plus's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#182 vs unranked). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Star Tracker Lite is free to download; SkySafari 7 Plus costs $9.99 up front. Star Tracker Lite sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and SkySafari 7 Plus sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Star Tracker Lite against 4.7 for SkySafari 7 Plus. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.1K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 73% of Star Tracker Lite's written reviews are positive against 46% of SkySafari 7 Plus's.

Star Tracker Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, SkySafari 7 Plus monthly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Star Tracker Lite | SkySafari 7 Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-lite-live-sky-map/id780172278/reviews) | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-plus/id1567654881/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.1K** | 1.7K |
| Positive reviews | **73.0% of reviews** | 45.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#182** |
| Size | 38 MB | 1.1 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 14.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [身吉 潘](https://appshunter.io/developer/341563645) | [Simulation Curriculum Corp.](https://appshunter.io/developer/791341744) |

## What reviewers say

### Star Tracker Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-tracker-lite-live-sky-map/id780172278)

Explore the universe by pointing your device at the sky. Identify stars, constellations, and deep sky objects in real-time. Features offline data, a 3D compass in AR mode, and detailed graphics for an immersive stargazing experience.

**Highlights:** Offline celestial data, Identify stars, constellations, planets, Augmented reality compass, Automatic location setting, High-quality graphics

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $0.99 | one-time |
| Full version | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate star and planet tracking
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🌌 Helpful for learning about the night sky
- 🤩 Visually appealing and engaging
- 🔍 Useful for identifying celestial objects

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional location/compass issues
- 🤔 Inaccurate positioning of celestial objects
- 🙄 Cluttered or confusing interface
- 💰 Paid version not worth the cost
- 🔍 Limited functionality in free version

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes
- Incorrect location/orientation detection
- Paid features not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to track comets and asteroids
- More detailed information on celestial objects
- Customizable display options
- Improved search and navigation
- Integration with other astronomy apps/tools


### SkySafari 7 Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skysafari-7-plus/id1567654881)

**Currently charting:** #182 Top Paid · Reference (US App Store)

Explore the cosmos with a powerful space simulator and telescope control. Discover astronomical events, track celestial objects, and plan your stargazing sessions with real-time data and historical simulations.

**Highlights:** Full-featured space simulator, Telescope control (ASCOM Alpaca, INDI), Events Finder for astronomical occurrences, Real-time user observation tracking (OneSky), Guided stargazing sessions (SkyCast), Observation planning and recording tools, Home and Lock Screen widgets

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkySafari Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SkySafari Premium | $34.99 | per year |
| Apollo Lunar Missions | Free | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app, preferred over Stellarium
- 👍 Intuitive and clean interface
- 👍 Useful 'Tonight' tab
- 👍 Accurate and precise for telescope use
- 👍 Impressive data and functionality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🙄 Constant upgrade spam and notifications
- 🐛 'Tonight' feature crashes on iPad
- 💰 Paid features hidden behind paywall
- 🐛 Crashes when using 'Tonight' feature
- 🐛 Syncing and connectivity issues

**Reported bugs**

- 'Tonight' feature crashes
- App crashes on launch or when using certain features
- Connectivity issues with telescopes
- Syncing problems between devices

**Requested features**

- Add more telescope brands and models
- Improve notification settings to only show relevant events
- Allow hiding of menu bar for cleaner viewing
- Improve font sizes and readability
- Add ability to import observation records from previous versions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Star Tracker Lite free?

Star Tracker Lite is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SkySafari 7 Plus free?

SkySafari 7 Plus costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Star Tracker Lite or SkySafari 7 Plus?

SkySafari 7 Plus is rated higher. Star Tracker Lite averages 4.6 out of 5 from 2.1K ratings, while SkySafari 7 Plus averages 4.7 from 1.7K ratings.

### Do Star Tracker Lite or SkySafari 7 Plus have ads?

Star Tracker Lite shows ads; SkySafari 7 Plus does not.

### Which is updated more often, Star Tracker Lite or SkySafari 7 Plus?

Star Tracker Lite ships an update every 3 weeks, and SkySafari 7 Plus monthly. Most recently, Star Tracker Lite was updated on November 11, 2026 and SkySafari 7 Plus on November 11, 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.*