# Astro Locator vs Smart Badge

The clearest difference is price: Smart Badge at Free against Astro Locator's $3.99. Smart Badge also leads on iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.0). Astro Locator's advantage is update cadence (every 3 months vs every 14 months). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Smart Badge is free to download; Astro Locator costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Astro Locator ships an update every 3 months, Smart Badge every 14 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Astro Locator | Smart Badge |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (68 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-locator/id927483920/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **68** | — |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 14 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 6 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Progress Concepts Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/788761727) | [杭州美思特智能科技股份有限公司](https://appshunter.io/developer/1308126213) |

## What reviewers say

### Astro Locator

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astro-locator/id927483920)

This app assists astronomers in quickly and easily achieving polar alignment for their telescopes. It helps locate key stars like Polaris or Sigma Octantis, displaying essential astronomical data for setup and viewing. Ideal for mobile astronomers who frequently set up and pack down their equipment.

**Highlights:** Quick polar alignment, Locate Polaris/Sigma Octantis, Display elevation, latitude, longitude, Show moon phase, Sunrise/sunset times, Astro twilight times, Today Extension widget

**In-app purchases:** none


### Smart Badge

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smart-badge/id6475957029)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Astro Locator free?

Astro Locator costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Smart Badge free?

Smart Badge is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Astro Locator or Smart Badge have ads?

Neither Astro Locator nor Smart Badge shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Astro Locator or Smart Badge?

Astro Locator ships an update every 3 months, and Smart Badge every 14 months. Most recently, Astro Locator was updated on November 6, 2026 and Smart Badge on November 4, 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.*