# SDO Viewer vs Planet Pointer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SDO Viewer at none against Planet Pointer's 1. SDO Viewer also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). Planet Pointer's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Planet Pointer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SDO Viewer asks for nothing beyond the download.

SDO Viewer ships an update every 2 months, Planet Pointer every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SDO Viewer | Planet Pointer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[2.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdo-viewer/id913723111/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jérôme Diaz](https://appshunter.io/developer/334987620) | [Haviv Tarazi](https://appshunter.io/developer/6815724966) |

## What reviewers say

### SDO Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sdo-viewer/id913723111)

Access and view the latest images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory. Receive push notifications when new images become available, keeping you updated on solar activity.

**Highlights:** Download SDO images, Display latest solar images, Push notifications for new images, Courtesy of NASA/SDO science teams

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Planet Pointer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/planet-pointer-star-finder/id6815724964)

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Planet Pointer Pro | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SDO Viewer free?

SDO Viewer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Planet Pointer free?

Planet Pointer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do SDO Viewer or Planet Pointer have ads?

Neither SDO Viewer nor Planet Pointer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SDO Viewer or Planet Pointer?

SDO Viewer ships an update every 2 months, and Planet Pointer every 4 days. Most recently, SDO Viewer was updated on October 24, 2026 and Planet Pointer on October 24, 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.*