xSky vs Koehler Tutor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
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.
- Virtual microscope simulation
- Simulates control effects on image
- Demonstrates correct control usage
- Useful reminder for illumination setup
- Applicable to all microscope brands
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
xSky ships an update every 3 months, Koehler Tutor monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | xSky | Koehler Tutor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (80 ratings) | 4.4 (8 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 79.4% of reviews — better | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 80 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Oleg Sur | Andrew Barlow |
Customer experience
xSky
Koehler Tutor
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
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- 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
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- 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
xSky
No in-app purchases
Koehler Tutor
No in-app purchases









