Comparison

Star Walk 2 Pro vs Stars and Planets

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

Head to head
About

Star Walk 2 Pro

Explore the night sky with this augmented reality stargazing app. Point your device to identify thousands of stars, planets, constellations, and celestial events in real-time. Discover astronomical news and plan your observations with a comprehensive sky map.

Highlights
  • Real-time sky map
  • Augmented reality mode
  • 3D constellation models
  • Time machine feature
  • Deep sky object identification
  • Night mode for comfortable viewing
  • Visible Tonight section for events
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Star Walk 2 is an exquisite stargazing app enabling you to explore the night sky through the screen of your device. Make an effortless journey through thousands of stars, comets, constellations, and other celestial bodies. All you have to do is point your device to the sky! ⁕ BEST OF 2014: The next generation of the best-selling Star Walk, winner of Apple Design Award, used by over 10 million people ⁕ The app taps your device’s sensors and the GPS to determine the exact position of stars, planets, constellations, comets, ISS, satellites, meteor showers, etc., in the night sky. “She’s a beauty.”- The Next Web “Star Walk 2 is a terrific introduction to astronomy for young and old. It’s also handy for serious stargazers for observing planning.” - TUAW “Star Walk 2 is visually stunning.” - PCmag “This is a very beautiful and unusual application that turns your phone into a real planetarium.” - Free apps for me “For those who enjoy the original app, Star Walk 2 is worth the upgrade — the interface is gorgeous. Anyone with even a passing interest in astronomy should grab Star Walk 2.” - iLounge “It is worth every penny.” - PadGadget Star Walk 2 in travel & tourism industry: ‘Rapa Nui Stargazing’ based on Easter Island uses Star Walk 2 for sky observations during its astronomical tours. ‘Nakai Resorts Group’ in the Maldives uses Star Walk 2 during astronomy meetings for its guests. Main features: ◆ Map of the sky in real time ◆ Stunning 3D models of constellations and other sky objects ◆ “Time machine” ◆ Deep sky objects ◆ Info about celestial bodies and sky events ◆ The sky at different wavelengths ◆ Augmented reality mode ◆ Night mode ◆ "What's new" section with the latest astronomical news ◆ "Visible Tonight" section ► Star Walk 2 shows the real-time map of the sky on your screen in whatever direction you are pointing the device. As you hold your phone up and point it towards the sky, the star map follows your motions using the built-in gyroscope to match the map on your screen to the stars seen from your location. ► What's up in the sky tonight? Open the "Visible Tonight" section of Star Walk 2 and quickly find out all upcoming astronomical events and celestial objects visible for your location. ► Be aware of the latest news from the world of space and astronomy. The app's "What's new" section will tell you about the most outstanding celestial events in time. ► Touching a clock-face icon at the upper-right corner of the screen allows you to select any date and time and watch the sky of different periods. ► Get a deeper understanding of the constellation`s scale and place in the night sky. Enjoy observing wonderful 3D models of constellations, turn them upside down, read their stories. ► Find and study deep sky objects such as meteor showers, planetary nebulae, star clusters, etc. ► The night-mode will make your stargazing at night time more comfortable. Star Walk 2 is the sequel to the original Star Walk, which is one of the most popular apps for stargazing. New in Star Walk 2: -Incredible 3D models of celestial bodies -All-new stunning design -New interface in vibrant colours for retina displays -Atmospheric visual and sound effects, stirring soundtrack -Exclusive handcrafted artwork for constellations The app contains In-App Purchases. If you enjoy exploring the stars, then our app is a must-have for your arsenal. Start your best stargazing experience right now!

About

Stars and Planets

Explore the cosmos in a 3D universe simulator powered by NASA and ESA data. Journey to millions of stars, land on exoplanets, and delve into the mysteries of black holes and pulsars. Discover breathtaking landscapes and gain knowledge from cutting-edge space research.

Highlights
  • 3D universe simulation
  • Spacecraft flight simulation
  • Exoplanet exploration
  • Gas giant atmosphere exploration
  • Black hole and pulsar exploration
  • Extensive astronomical database
  • Multi-language support
Features
Read full description

Experience the captivating wonders of the cosmos with Stars and Planets, an interactive 3D planetarium powered by precise data obtained from NASA and ESA space missions. Delve into a profound expedition through the infinite expanse of space, where an abundance of knowledge is readily available, directly sourced from the forefront of groundbreaking space research. Traverse the vast expanse of the galaxy, soaring through the stardust as you journey to millions of stars. Land on alien planets and exomoons, where breathtaking landscapes and untold wonders await your arrival. Embrace the thrill of plunging into the turbulent atmospheres of gas giants to reach their elusive cores. Push the boundaries of exploration as you venture closer to black holes, pulsars and magnetars, where the laws of physics are stretched to their limits. With Stars and Planets, the entire universe becomes your playground, providing an unmatched platform for discovery and enlightenment. Features ▶ Immersive spacecraft simulation allowing users to fly to different planets and moons and explore the depths of gas giants ▶ Land on exoplanets and take command of a character, exploring the unique surfaces of these distant worlds ▶ Daily updated information on exoplanets from multiple sources, eliminating the need for manual application updates ▶ Extensive online database encompassing approximately 7.85 million stars, over 7400 exoplanets, 205 circumstellar disks, 32868 black holes, 3344 pulsars and over 150 moons in our Solar System ▶ Comprehensive search system for efficient data retrieval of stellar and substellar objects ▶ Global accessibility with support for over 100 languages Data imported from various sources including: SIMBAD, The Extrasolar Planets Encyclopedia, NASA Exoplanet Archive, Planet Habitability Laboratory Join my discord server so you can see what new features are planned in the future or if you simply want to talk about space related stuff: https://discord.gg/dyeu3BR If you have a PC/Mac you can also access Stars and Planets from your browser here: https://galaxymap.net/webgl/index.html

Screenshots

Star Walk 2 Pro4 screens
Stars and Planets4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Stars and Planets at Free against Star Walk 2 Pro's $2.99. Stars and Planets also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 72%) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). Star Walk 2 Pro's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (67K vs 1.2K). On rating, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Stars and Planets is free to download; Star Walk 2 Pro costs $2.99 up front. Star Walk 2 Pro sells 8 one-off in-app purchases and Stars and Planets sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Star Walk 2 Pro against 4.7 for Stars and Planets. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Star Walk 2 Pro has 67K ratings behind it against 1.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 72% of Star Walk 2 Pro's written reviews are positive against 89% of Stars and Planets's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Star Walk 2 Pro ships an update every 2 months, Stars and Planets every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Star Walk 2 Pro versus Stars and Planets: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStar Walk 2 ProStars and Planets
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (67K ratings)4.7 (1.2K ratings)
Positive reviews72.3% of reviews88.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings67K — better1.2K
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#107 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size357 MB757 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVito Technology Inc.Andrei Nistorescu

Customer experience

Star Walk 2 Pro

All ratings67,054 ratings
Positive93.7%
Neutral2.7%
Negative3.6%
Written reviews567 reviews
Positive72.3%
Neutral6.3%
Negative21.3%

Stars and Planets

All ratings1,233 ratings
Positive93.8%
Neutral3.6%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews372 reviews
Positive88.7%
Neutral7.8%
Negative3.5%

User reviews

Star Walk 2 Pro

From 67K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate sky mapping
  • 🌟 Visually stunning graphics
  • 🔍 Detailed information on celestial objects
  • 🧑‍🎓 Educational and informative
  • 🔔 Helpful notifications about sky events

Room to improve

  • 🔔 Too many notifications
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required for full features
  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
  • 🧭 Difficulty calibrating and aligning the app with the sky
  • 🌍 Limited support for Southern Hemisphere users

Stars and Planets

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Amazing graphics and details
  • 👍 Realistic space exploration experience
  • 💡 Ability to walk on planets
  • 🔍 Detailed information about celestial objects

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
  • 🌍 Lack of diversity in planet textures and landscapes
  • 🔍 Limited search and navigation functionality
  • 🌌 Absence of other galaxies and nebulae

Bugs and requests

Star Walk 2 Pro

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashing on launch for some users
  • Incorrect celestial object positioning in certain locations
  • Notifications not working as expected

Requested features

5 requests
  • Customizable notification settings
  • More detailed information on moons and satellites
  • Option to disable animated constellation overlays
  • Improved time/date controls for planning future sky viewing
  • Support for equatorial mounts and telescopes

Stars and Planets

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Planets sometimes have incorrect or glitched textures
  • Occasional freezing or crashing when navigating
  • Difficulty landing on or interacting with smaller celestial objects

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more diverse planet types and landscapes
  • Implement a more robust search and filtering system
  • Include other galaxies, nebulae, and deep space objects
  • Allow for custom solar system/galaxy creation
  • Introduce multiplayer and collaborative exploration

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Star Walk 2 Pro

One-time8
  • Constellations of AvengersFree
  • Satellite Finder in Sky Above$0.99
  • Constellations 3D on Sky Map$0.99
Show 5 more
  • Deep Space Objects Explorer$0.99
  • Explore Solar System Objects$0.99
  • Planets of the Solar System$0.99
  • Space Explorer: Kids Cartoons$0.99
  • Star Tracker AR: Full Version$2.99
11 purchases

Stars and Planets

One-time11
  • Buy ship - Dragon Frigate SALE$0.99
  • Alien Destroyer SALE$0.99
  • Alien fighter SALE$0.99
Show 8 more
  • Buy ship - Alien Destroyer$1.99
  • Buy ship - Alien fighter$1.99
  • Buy ship - Dragon Frigate$1.99
  • Remove ads - SALE$1.99
  • Remove ads$3.99
  • Essentials bundle2 variants$4.99
  • Ultimate bundle SALE$4.99
  • Ultimate bundle$8.99

Questions

Is Star Walk 2 Pro free?
Star Walk 2 Pro costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Stars and Planets free?
Stars and Planets is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Star Walk 2 Pro or Stars and Planets?
Star Walk 2 Pro and Stars and Planets are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 67K and 1.2K ratings respectively.
Do Star Walk 2 Pro or Stars and Planets have ads?
Stars and Planets shows ads; Star Walk 2 Pro does not.
Which is updated more often, Star Walk 2 Pro or Stars and Planets?
Star Walk 2 Pro ships an update every 2 months, and Stars and Planets every 2 weeks. Most recently, Star Walk 2 Pro was updated on September 24, 2026 and Stars and Planets on September 22, 2026.

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