# inkPad 2 vs Cygnus Astro

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Cygnus Astro at 67% against inkPad 2's 18%. Cygnus Astro also leads on price (Free vs $2.99) and rating (4.3 vs 2.5). inkPad 2's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.1). On ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Cygnus Astro is free to download; inkPad 2 costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Cygnus Astro holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 18% of inkPad 2's written reviews are positive against 67% of Cygnus Astro's.

inkPad 2 ships an update every 4 months, Cygnus Astro every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | inkPad 2 | Cygnus Astro |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [2.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkpad-2/id988700301/reviews) | **[4.3 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cygnus-astro/id6745795760/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 17.9% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 5 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Stone Studio Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/937993247) | [Christopher Ventura](https://appshunter.io/developer/1742045592) |

## What reviewers say

### inkPad 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inkpad-2/id988700301)

This open-source vector illustration app is designed for iPad, offering high performance for complex drawings. It supports a wide range of features including paths, text, images, and unlimited layers, with easy export options.

**Highlights:** High performance vector editing, Pen tool for bezier paths, Compound paths, masks, and groups, Text and image placement, Unlimited layers, Multiple export formats (SVG, PDF, PNG, JPEG), Snap to grid and path edges

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Cygnus Astro

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cygnus-astro/id6745795760)

Control your astrophotography equipment remotely from your mobile device. This app provides a touch-friendly interface to connect, monitor, and manage your N.I.N.A. software and connected gear, simplifying your setup in the field.

**Highlights:** Remote equipment control, N.I.N.A. software integration, Mobile touch interface, Real-time exposure preview, Open-source and free

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is inkPad 2 free?

inkPad 2 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Cygnus Astro free?

Cygnus Astro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, inkPad 2 or Cygnus Astro?

Cygnus Astro is rated higher. inkPad 2 averages 2.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Cygnus Astro averages 4.3 from 4 ratings.

### Do inkPad 2 or Cygnus Astro have ads?

Neither inkPad 2 nor Cygnus Astro shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, inkPad 2 or Cygnus Astro?

inkPad 2 ships an update every 4 months, and Cygnus Astro every 5 days. Most recently, inkPad 2 was updated on November 6, 2026 and Cygnus Astro on October 30, 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.*