1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Star And Planet Locator

Best Star And Planet Locator Apps

250+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.6 avg rating
20 free apps
Updated August 2026

Sky Guide is the household name in star and planet locator, but it's far from the only option. We track 250+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Star And Planet Locator Apps (August 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Sky GuideSky GuideFree4.8★ (367K)NoYesAug 2026
2SkyView® LiteSkyView® LiteFree4.5★ (19K)YesYesAug 2026
3Star & Planet FinderStar & Planet FinderFree4.1★ (1.8K)NoYesAug 2026
4Night SkyNight SkyFree4.7★ (490K)NoYesAug 2026
5Sky Tonight - Stargazing GuideSky Tonight - Stargazing GuideFree4.8★ (74K)YesYesAug 2026
6PlanetsPlanetsFree4.5★ (969)NoNoAug 2026
7Planet Finder: Sky TonightPlanet Finder: Sky TonightFree5.0★ (1)NoYesAug 2026
8Star Identification CameraStar Identification CameraFree4.0★ (1)YesYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Star And Planet Locator

Sky Guide#1

Sky Guide by Fifth Star Labs LLC

Star gaze constellation finder
Editor's Choice
🔍 Reference
4.8😊(367K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#4in Reference
Sky Guide screenshot 1
Sky Guide screenshot 2
Sky Guide screenshot 3
Sky Guide screenshot 4
Sky Guide screenshot 5
Sky Guide screenshot 6

Identify stars, constellations, planets, and satellites in real-time by holding your device overhead. Explore celestial bodies with AR overlays, track satellites like the ISS, and travel through time to view past and future astronomical events. Perfect for both novice and experienced stargazers.

What We Love

  • 🌟 Stunning visuals and graphics
  • 📚 Wealth of information on celestial objects
  • 🧭 Accurate and responsive compass/AR features
  • 🌌 Immersive stargazing experience

Room to Improve

  • 🧭 Occasional compass/location calibration issues
  • 💰 Subscription model limits access to some features
  • 🌍 Lack of support for certain regions/locations
SkyView® Lite#2

SkyView® Lite by Terminal Eleven LLC

Explore the Universe
Strong Contender
📚 Education
4.5😊(19K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#37in Education
SkyView® Lite screenshot 1
SkyView® Lite screenshot 2
SkyView® Lite screenshot 3
SkyView® Lite screenshot 4

Identify stars, constellations, satellites, and more by simply pointing your device at the sky. This augmented reality app makes stargazing accessible to everyone, day or night. Explore celestial paths and even travel through time to view the sky on different dates.

What We Love

  • 🌟 Accurate star and planet tracking
  • 👍 Easy to use and navigate
  • 🔭 Helpful for learning about the night sky
  • 💫 Engaging and educational for all ages

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Compass/location issues causing inaccurate positioning
  • 🔍 Limited free features, many paid upgrades
  • 🤔 Confusing for some users to understand how it works
Star & Planet Finder#3

Star & Planet Finder by Nir Alperovitch

Point your camera at stars
Worth Considering
📚 Education
4.1😐(1.8K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Star & Planet Finder screenshot 1
Star & Planet Finder screenshot 2
Star & Planet Finder screenshot 3
Star & Planet Finder screenshot 4
Star & Planet Finder screenshot 5

Discover celestial objects with this augmented reality sky guide. Simply select a planet or star, and follow the on-screen pointer to locate it in the night sky. Explore constellations, satellites, and detailed information about planets.

What We Love

  • 🌟 Accurate planet tracking
  • 🔍 Easy to locate planets
  • 🎓 Educational for kids
  • 👍 Useful for amateur astronomers

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 💰 Paywall for many features
  • 🧭 Inaccurate location tracking

More Star And Planet Locator apps to explore

4
Night Sky
Night Sky
Night Sky
Guide to Stars,Comets,Meteors
Free

Explore the cosmos with an AI-powered planetarium. Identify stars, planets, and satellites by pointing your device at the sky. Discover celestial objects in augmented reality and share your stargazing experiences with others.

AI personal planetariumIdentify stars, planets, constellations, satellitesAugmented Reality (AR) exploration
🔍 Reference
(490K)
freemium
5
Sky Tonight - Stargazing Guide
Sky Tonight - Stargazing Guide
Sky Tonight - Stargazing Guide
Star Constellation Finder App
Free

Explore the night sky with this astronomy app. Identify celestial objects, discover upcoming astronomical events, and track their positions. Customize your view, set reminders, and access detailed information for a personalized stargazing experience.

Real-time interactive sky mapAugmented reality modeTime Machine for past/future positions
🔍 Reference
(74K)
free with in-app purchases
6
Planets
Planets
Planets
by Q Continuum
Free

Explore the solar system with a 3D guide. Discover planets, moons, and celestial events with interactive sky views and visibility information. Perfect for budding astronomers.

3D solar system guide2D sky view3D planetarium sky view
🔧 Utilities
(969)
free
7
Planet Finder: Sky Tonight
Planet Finder: Sky Tonight
Planet Finder: Sky Tonight
Star Map, Stargazing Guide
Free

This app transforms your phone into a live celestial guide. Point it at the sky to identify planets, stars, and constellations with an on-screen pointer. It provides real-time astronomical data, a sky calendar, and detailed information on celestial objects.

Live sky pointerCelestial object identificationRise, transit, and set times
🗺️ Navigation
(1)
free with in-app purchases
8
Star Identification Camera
Star Identification Camera
Star Identification Camera
Astrology Camera
Free

Capture stunning images of stars and the Milky Way with a single tap. This app automatically identifies and labels celestial bodies in your photos, offering a complete astronomy experience from shooting to sharing.

One-click star and Milky Way photographyAutomatic celestial body recognition and markingReal-time raw stacking with GPU acceleration
🔍 Reference
(1)
free with in-app purchases
9
Sky Map: Stars & Planets
Sky Map: Stars & Planets
Sky Map: Stars & Planets
Stargazing AR Finder & Tracker
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
10
AstroSeekerApp
AstroSeekerApp
AstroSeekerApp
by Aykut Kilic
Free
🌟 Lifestyle
(0)
11
Stellar Registry Star Finder
Stellar Registry Star Finder
Stellar Registry Star Finder
Name a star in the sky
Free

This app allows users to name a star in the sky. It is a registered company that provides this service. The app is free to download and use.

Name a starFree to useEntertainment category
🎬 Entertainment
(0)
free
12
StarWizard: Astronomy Sky Map
StarWizard: Astronomy Sky Map
StarWizard: Astronomy Sky Map
Stargazing, Star Map & Planets
Free

Explore the night sky in real-time with augmented reality. Identify stars, planets, constellations, and the ISS. Features an AI guide for questions and offline celestial navigation lessons.

Real-time AR sky identificationOffline sky mapAI-powered celestial questions
📚 Education
(1)
free
13
Star Register
Star Register
Star Register
Star Register
Free
🎬 Entertainment
(0)
14
StellarEye
StellarEye
StellarEye
Your Personal Sky Guide
Free

Explore the night sky with a real-time map of stars, constellations, and planets. Discover celestial objects, track planets, and stay updated on astronomical events. Document your stargazing with an observation log and travel through time to view the sky on different dates.

Real-time sky mapConstellation guide with mythologyDeep sky object tracking
📚 Education
(0)
free
15
OSR Star Finder
OSR Star Finder
OSR Star Finder
Stars, Constellations & More
Free

Explore the night sky and locate your named star with this augmented reality app. Discover constellations, learn about celestial bodies, and easily find when and where to view your star from your location. Share your stargazing experiences with others.

Name and find your own starLocate and track starsExplore 88 constellations with artwork
📚 Education
(4.8K)
free
16
Star Gazer - Live Sky View Map
Star Gazer - Live Sky View Map
Star Gazer - Live Sky View Map
Planet & Constellation Finder
Free

Explore the night sky with a powerful stargazing companion. Identify stars, planets, and constellations with real-time tracking and stunning 3D visualizations. Stay informed about cosmic events and learn fascinating facts about the universe.

Live sky view mapStar and constellation identificationDetailed celestial object information
🔧 Utilities
(1.5K)
free with in-app purchases
17
Sky Location: Star Finder
Sky Location: Star Finder
Sky Location: Star Finder
Sun, Moon & Planet Tracker
Free
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
18
Star Signal
Star Signal
Star Signal
by Kory Newton
Free
☀️ Weather
(0)
19
Planet - Solar System
Planet - Solar System
Planet - Solar System
Cosmic Atlas & Planet Data
Free
📚 Education
(0)
20
SkyGuru - Star Map & Astronomy
SkyGuru - Star Map & Astronomy
SkyGuru - Star Map & Astronomy
Explore stars & constellations
Free
📚 Education
(0)

FAQ about Star And Planet Locator

What are the best star and planet locator apps for iPhone?
Sky Guide tops our star and planet locator apps ranking as of August 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 367K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 20 of the top star and planet locator apps we rank are free to download, including Sky Guide and SkyView® Lite.
Sky Guide has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of August 2026.
We track 250+ star and planet locator apps on the iOS App Store as of August 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
Sky Guide helps you identify celestial objects in the night sky. By holding your device up, it automatically recognizes stars, constellations, planets, and satellites. It uses augmented reality to overlay these figures onto your view of the real sky, making it easy to visualize and learn about the heavens.
Key features include automatic identification of celestial bodies, an AR mode for visualizing the sky, satellite tracking with notifications (like for the ISS), time travel controls to view past and future astronomical events, and a personalized calendar for events like eclipses. It also functions offline without Wi-Fi, cellular service, or GPS.