Comparison

xSky vs Koehler Tutor

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

Head to head
About

xSky

Explore the cosmos with a virtual telescope. Point your device at the sky to identify celestial bodies. Zoom in for detailed views and use a search function to locate specific objects.

Highlights
  • Virtual telescope functionality
  • Identify Sun, Moon, Planets, Stars, Galaxies
  • Zoom up to a million times
  • Screen lock to stop motion
  • Object search arrow
  • Soft music and sound effects
Features
Read full description

xSky is a simple to use virtual telescope app. Just look at the sky through your device. Lock the screen and zoom in to explore in more detail. Features: • Sun, Moon, Planets, Galilean Moons, Stars, Constellations and Galaxies. • Pinch the screen to zoom up to a million times. • Use lock button to stop motions. • Search arrow will help to locate any object in the sky. • Soft music and sound effects.

About

Koehler Tutor

Learn the principles of Koehler illumination for microscopes. This app simulates microscope controls and image output, providing a virtual learning environment. It's a helpful tool for anyone needing to set up proper microscope illumination for optimal viewing.

Highlights
  • Virtual microscope simulation
  • Simulates control effects on image
  • Demonstrates correct control usage
  • Useful reminder for illumination setup
  • Applicable to all microscope brands
Features
Read full description

Learn how to set Koehler illumination on any microscope. Teach yourself, or teach others. The app simulates your microscope's controls and the images generated at the eyepieces, acting as a virtual microscope. The locations of the controls on your microscope stand are shown, and the correct way to use them is explained. Their effect on the image at the eyepieces is demonstrated. Remembering all of the steps required to set Koehler illumination can be tricky, and this app will serve as a useful reminder whenever you wish to check that the configuration of your instrument is correct. Setting Koehler illumination generates an evenly illuminated field of view, reduces stray light, and allows you to set the balance between resolution and contrast. It doesn't matter if your microscope was made by Zeiss, Leica, Olympus, Nikon, or any other manufacturer, the same principles apply.

Screenshots

xSky4 screens
Koehler Tutor4 screens

Verdict

The call

xSky and Koehler Tutor both sit at 4.3 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of xSky's written reviews are positive against 43% of Koehler Tutor's. xSky also leads on ratings volume (80 vs 8). Koehler Tutor's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for xSky against 4.4 for Koehler Tutor. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: xSky has 80 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 79% of xSky's written reviews are positive against 43% of Koehler Tutor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

xSky ships an update every 3 months, Koehler Tutor monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
xSky versus Koehler Tutor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterxSkyKoehler Tutor
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (80 ratings)4.4 (8 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.4% of reviews — better42.9% of reviews
Number of ratings80 — better8
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size60 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOleg SurAndrew Barlow

Customer experience

xSky

All ratings75 ratings
Positive74.7%
Neutral13.3%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews155 reviews
Positive79.4%
Neutral5.2%
Negative15.5%

Koehler Tutor

All ratings8 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral14.3%
Negative42.9%

Bugs and requests

xSky

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App keeps crashing
  • Location services not working/picking a country
  • App closes immediately upon opening
  • App is glitchy and moves by itself
  • Search button not working in horizontal position
Show 4 more
  • App not working on iPhone 12
  • App out of sync with reality
  • Sun located incorrectly at noon
  • Mercury in retrograde causing app to not open

Requested features

9 requests
  • Camera feature for high-quality photos
  • Ability to turn down exposure for photos
  • Facts read aloud about celestial objects
  • Traditional constellation names (e.g., Virgo, Taurus)
  • Show International Space Station or other satellites
Show 4 more
  • Option to turn off constellation lines
  • Improve search button size and usability
  • Fix search button in horizontal mode
  • More mythological graphics and information about stars

Koehler Tutor

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

xSky

No in-app purchases

None

Koehler Tutor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is xSky free?
xSky is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Koehler Tutor free?
Koehler Tutor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, xSky or Koehler Tutor?
Koehler Tutor is rated higher. xSky averages 4.3 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Koehler Tutor averages 4.4 from 8 ratings.
Do xSky or Koehler Tutor have ads?
Neither xSky nor Koehler Tutor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, xSky or Koehler Tutor?
xSky ships an update every 3 months, and Koehler Tutor monthly. Most recently, xSky was updated on October 20, 2026 and Koehler Tutor on October 23, 2026.

Other comparisons