Best Astronomy Apps in 2026
Updated
In short: Cosmic Watch is ranked #1 of 34 as of 4 October 2026, ahead of Luminos Pro and Solar System Scope. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Solar System Scope. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Cosmic Watch at $0.42/mo.
When you want a closer look at the night sky, astronomy apps can pair object catalogs with learning tools, mission updates, and telescope controls. Compared on AR sky view, catalog size, learning content, mission tracking, and offline access, the entries also differ in platform coverage and whether they offer a free plan or start at a paid price. Telescope control may be central to your setup, while an AR view or offline access may matter more for observing away from a connection. Luminos Pro and Night Sky appear among the opening options, alongside KStars and SkySafari. Use the ranked order as a way into the options, then weigh the features against how you observe.
34 astronomy apps ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
| # | Platform | Score | Why | From | Free plan | Paid from | Offline access | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cosmic Watch | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $0.42/mo | Yes | — | — | View |
| 2 |  Luminos Pro | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | $3/mo | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 3 |  Solar System Scope | 6.0 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 4 |  NASA Eyes | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | No | View |
| 5 | Night Sky | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | Free | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 6 |  UNISTELLAR App | 5.9 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 7 |  DWARFLAB App | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 8 |  Seestar App | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 9 |  Sky Guide | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 10 |  SkyPortal | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 11 | Star Chart | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 12 |  Star Walk 2 | 5.6 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 13 |  Gaia Sky | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 14 |  Heavens-Above | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 15 | KStars | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 16 |  Singularity | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | No | View |
| 17 |  SkyORB | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 18 |  Spot the Station | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 19 |  Star Chart | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 20 |  Starmap | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 21 |  Stellarium | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | Yes | View |
| 22 |  WorldWide Telescope | 5.5 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | No | View |
| 23 |  Aladin Desktop | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 24 |  ISS Detector | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
| 25 |  OpenSpace | 5.4 | RecognisedAPIDocumented | — | Yes | — | — | View |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored. They are labelled, and the editorial order and scores never change for payment.
Questions about this list
Which astronomy app is ranked first on Inferse?
Cosmic Watch is ranked #1 of 34 with a score of 6.0. Luminos Pro is second and Solar System Scope third.
How many of these have a free plan?
4 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Cosmic Watch has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.42/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it. Paid placements never change a rank.