Stellarium Mobile is a planetarium app for iOS and Android that provides real-time sky mapping and telescope control for astronomy hobbyists.
Product velocity
Unknown
Daily rank 🇺🇸
#7
Education · free
Sentiment
4.8
341k reviews
Nemesis
Night Sky
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
Users hire the app to bridge the gap between casual stargazing and professional-grade observation, relying on its scientific accuracy to identify celestial objects in real time.
For Astronomy hobbyists and casual stargazers looking for both educational sky mapping and professional-grade telescope control.
What does it look like?
Key features
Uses device sensors to identify stars, planets, and satellites by pointing the phone at the sky
WIFI-based control for GOTO telescopes using NexStar, SynScan, or LX200 protocols
Access to 1.69 billion stars and 2 million deep sky objects via Gaia DR2 catalog
How much does it cost?
Freemium model gates advanced catalog depth and hardware control behind a paid upgrade, targeting both casual users and serious hobbyists.
Velocity
Steady developmentShow more...
Who built it?
User Sentiment
What do users think recently?
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
Weekly average review rating
Not enough recent reviews to extract reliable themes yet.
Read the full review analysisCompetition
Competitive landscape for Stellarium Mobile - Star Map
How's the Education market?
Stellarium Mobile maintains a strong international presence, holding top-20 Education chart rankings in over 15 markets including Australia and Italy. The gap between its free-tier discovery and paid-tier revenue conversion suggests the app successfully captures high-intent hobbyists while maintaining broad casual reach.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By iCandi Apps Ltd.
With over 480k ratings, this app dominates the market share for sky-mapping and maintains a high-frequency update cadence.
- Aggressive cross-platform integration across Apple Watch, iPhone, and iPad maximizes user touchpoints throughout the day.
- Advanced augmented reality overlays provide deeper contextual data for celestial objects compared to standard map views.
- Frequent feature releases ensure the app remains at the forefront of mobile astronomy technology trends.
Unlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Stellarium Mobile - Star Map
Where is it heading?
The astronomy app market is consolidating around ecosystem-integrated experiences, leaving standalone planetarium apps exposed to churn. Stellarium Mobile must pivot from a feature-parity roadmap to an ecosystem-first strategy to prevent Night Sky from capturing the high-value hobbyist segment.
- Consistent top-20 chart performance across 15+ markets indicates strong organic acquisition velocity that sustains the freemium funnel.
- Lack of wearable integration forces users to rely on mobile-only interaction, which limits the app's utility during active outdoor observation sessions.
The SWOT
- Scientific accuracy derived from open-source heritage sustains high user trust
- Telescope control protocols create high switching costs for hobbyists
- Minimalist UI reduces cognitive load for casual stargazers
- Education partnerships untapped as B2B distribution
- Wearable integration captures active-observation segment
- Localized sky-culture content expands regional appeal
Next best moves
Ship wearable companion app because it is the top missing engagement surface → capture active-observation segment
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's open-source heritage is its primary moat…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
Wearable integration (available in Night Sky but absent here) +1
Since the last report: The app transitioned to a freemium model and repositioned its core features to target professional-grade hobbyists, while identifying critical gaps in ecosystem integration.
Bottom line
Stellarium Mobile holds its category lead through scientific accuracy, but it bleeds engagement to rivals with better ecosystem integration, so revenue growth hinges on tightening the wearable-observation loop.
Unlock 3 critical frictions, 3 market threats, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeReport last updated