Comparison

Star Walk 2 Pro vs Galactic Compass

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

Galactic Compass

Features
Read full description

Galactic Compass is a beautiful, sci-fi-inspired utility that calculates and visualizes your real-time astronomical direction and speed through space. Ever wondered how fast you are actually moving right now? Galactic Compass integrates your device's compass, gyroscope, and GPS to orient you toward major cosmic points and breaks down your motion across multiple reference frames. Key Features: • Earth's Rotation: See how fast you are moving east just by standing on the spinning Earth. • Solar Orbit: Track the direction of our solar system's journey around the Sun. • Galactic Center: Point toward the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way and visualize our galactic orbit. • Andromeda Galaxy: Locate our neighbor Andromeda and track our mutual approach speed. • Great Attractor: Orient yourself toward the mysterious gravity well pulling our entire galactic group through the universe. Features a stunning retro-future sci-fi vector HUD UI, real-time sensor integration, offline calculation, and a built-in sensor calibration screen. No ads, no accounts, and 100% private (your location data never leaves your device).

Screenshots

Star Walk 2 Pro4 screens
Galactic Compass3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Galactic Compass at Free against Star Walk 2 Pro's $2.99. Galactic Compass also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8). Star Walk 2 Pro's advantage is chart position (#117 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Galactic Compass is free to download; Star Walk 2 Pro costs $2.99 up front. Star Walk 2 Pro sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Galactic Compass asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Star Walk 2 Pro versus Galactic Compass: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStar Walk 2 ProGalactic Compass
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (67K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews72.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings67K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#117 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size357 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVito Technology Inc.Academia HRM

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

Galactic Compass

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

Galactic Compass

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Star Walk 2 Pro free?
Star Walk 2 Pro costs $2.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Galactic Compass free?
Galactic Compass is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Star Walk 2 Pro or Galactic Compass have ads?
Neither Star Walk 2 Pro nor Galactic Compass shows ads.

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