Comparison

Polar Scope Align vs Touch

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

Head to head
About

Polar Scope Align

This app calculates the precise position of celestial poles in your telescope's polar scope reticle for accurate alignment. It supports a wide range of reticles and corrects for atmospheric refraction, offering precision even at lower latitudes. Features include night mode, moon phase, and astronomical databases.

Highlights
  • Polaris/Sigma Octantis position calculation
  • Atmospheric refraction correction
  • Reticle centering error correction
  • Supports numerous reticle types
  • Red-color night mode
  • Moon phase and astronomical databases
Features
Read full description

Polar Scope Align is a free, ad-supported polar alignment app for iPhone and iPad. It calculates the position of Polaris or σ Octantis in your polar scope reticle for your location, date and time, helping you get a quick and accurate polar alignment with an equatorial mount. POLAR SCOPE ALIGNMENT • Accurate Polaris and Sigma Octantis position for your date and location • Atmospheric refraction correction for better accuracy, especially at lower latitudes - readings may differ slightly from simpler apps that skip this correction, but will agree with precise sources (USNO, scientific software) • Automatic time and location • Manual location support • Reticle centering-error measurement and correction • Zero-position help for common Celestron / Sky-Watcher / Orion style reticles • Full red night-mode interface SUPPORTED RETICLES Polar Scope Align supports 35+ polar scope and finder reticle types, including: iOptron, Astro-Physics RAPAS & PASILL, Takahashi (EM-10/11/200/400/500, NJP, PM-1, P2-Z), Sky-Watcher / Orion (including EQ6/AZ-EQ and Star Adventurer), Celestron, Meade, EXOS2, Bresser, Vixen (Atlux/SX/SXD/SXP/AXD/GP/GP-DX, Polarie), Astrotrac, Losmandy, Kenko, Avalon, Konus, Telrad, Rigel QuikFinder, and several older polar finders (Tuthill, Explore Scientific, Meade 9x60, Vixen Polaris, Celestron 7x50, Carton Optical). OBSERVING TOOLS The free version also includes: • Moon phase • Messier, Caldwell and bright-star database • DSS image downloads for included database objects • Saved, editable and printable DSO lists • 8 astronomy calculators for observing and imaging • Sample Pro tools available from Settings, including aurora forecast • iOptron WiFi Connect - report mount status, set mount Time/Date/Location LOOKING FOR ALIGNMENT WITHOUT A POLAR SCOPE? Polar Scope Align Pro adds the advanced tools many users search for: • Daytime / No Polar Scope Alignment • Camera Azimuth Calibration using the Sun, Moon, planets or bright stars • Laser / Hop Align for night alignment when Polaris is blocked • Push To / manual GoTo for non-GoTo telescopes • Live sky maps for Daytime Alignment, Laser / Hop Align, Push To and Hop To • Full 22,000+ object DSO database • Xasteria astro weather, aurora, satellite passes and widgets • 30+ calculators • Bubble level, compass and iOptron WiFi mount control • Apple Watch companion app • No ads If you only need accurate polar-scope alignment, this free version is a capable tool. If you want alignment without a polar scope, observing planning, weather and field tools, Pro is the complete version.

About

Touch

Control your astrophotography sessions remotely from your mobile device or Mac. Manage imaging, focus, guiding, and polar alignment. This open-source tool enhances your workflow without ads or in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Remote imaging session launch
  • Focus control
  • Guiding performance monitoring
  • Three Point Polar Alignment
  • Connected device control
  • Open source
Features
Read full description

Touch-N-Stars brings the core features of the popular astrophotography software N.I.N.A. right to your phone, tablet, or Apple Silicon Mac. Start imaging sessions, adjust focus, monitor guiding, or perform a Three Point Polar Alignment – all from the palm of your hand. Key Features: - Launch imaging sessions and control focus remotely - Monitor guiding performance in real time - Perform Three Point Polar Alignment (requires N.I.N.A. v2.2.2.0+) - Control all connected devices such as the dome or flat panel - 100% open source. No ads. No in-app purchases. Requirements: - A running N.I.N.A. instance on your imaging PC - Advanced API Plugin enabled (Port 1888, API v2) - Touch'N'Stars Plugin Touch-N-Stars is a companion tool – not a full replacement for the desktop experience. Enhance your astrophotography workflow and stay flexible – wherever you are.

Screenshots

Polar Scope Align4 screens
Touch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Touch at none against Polar Scope Align's 3. Touch also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). Polar Scope Align's advantage is ratings volume (173 vs 7) and review sentiment (91% vs 75%). On price, rating 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

Both are free to download. Polar Scope Align sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Touch asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Polar Scope Align against 4.7 for Touch. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Polar Scope Align has 173 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Polar Scope Align's written reviews are positive against 75% of Touch's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Polar Scope Align ships an update every 6 weeks, Touch fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Polar Scope Align versus Touch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPolar Scope AlignTouch
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (173 ratings)4.7 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews91.4% of reviews — better75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings173 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDimitrios KechagiasJohannes Maier

Customer experience

Polar Scope Align

All ratings173 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral0.6%
Negative6.9%
Written reviews174 reviews
Positive91.4%
Neutral1.7%
Negative6.9%

Touch

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral14.3%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Polar Scope Align

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Date and time dial do not match correctly
  • GMT and LST times appear to be switched
  • App crashes or fails to initialize for some users
  • Alignment accuracy varies inconsistently between sessions
  • Location detection issues with cell tower vs GPS
Show 1 more
  • Reticle display not rendering properly in some cases

Requested features

7 requests
  • Online video tutorials demonstrating all features
  • Remove or reduce center dot size in reticle
  • Larger, bolder font options for better readability
  • Brighter star options for southern hemisphere alignment
  • Smaller ad button or ad customization
Show 2 more
  • Better beginner onboarding and instructions
  • More robust alternative alignment methods for southern hemisphere

Touch

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Polar Scope Align

One-time3
  • Tip 1x$0.99
  • Tip 4x$3.99
  • Tip 10x$9.99
None

Touch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Polar Scope Align free?
Polar Scope Align is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Touch free?
Touch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Polar Scope Align or Touch?
Touch is rated higher. Polar Scope Align averages 4.7 out of 5 from 173 ratings, while Touch averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.
Do Polar Scope Align or Touch have ads?
Polar Scope Align shows ads; Touch does not.
Which is updated more often, Polar Scope Align or Touch?
Polar Scope Align ships an update every 6 weeks, and Touch fortnightly. Most recently, Polar Scope Align was updated on October 24, 2026 and Touch on October 24, 2026.

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