PhotoPills vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against PhotoPills's closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

	PhotoPills This App	Planit Pro: Photo Planner Nemesis	Sun Surveyor (Sun & Moon) Contender	The Photographer's Ephemeris Contender	Moon Phase Calendar Peer	Lumy Peer	Night Sky New Kid	Star Walk 2 Pro: Sky Map Live New Kid
Core Identity
Developer	PhotoPills S.L.	JIDE Software, Inc.	Adam Ratana	Crookneck Consulting LLC	Coocent	Raja V	iCandi Apps Ltd.	Vito Technology Inc.
Category	Photo & Video	Photo & Video	Photo & Video	Photo & Video	Weather	Photo & Video	Reference	Education
Platform	iOS	iOS	iOS, Android	iOS, Android	Android, iOS	iOS, Android	Android, iOS	iOS, Android
Store Metrics
Rating	4.7 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.7 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.8 / 5	4.7 / 5	4.7 / 5
Ratings Count	1,500	1,405	276	1,532	28,857	2,155	483,204	66,644
Price	USD10.99	$4.99	$9.99	$9.99	Free	$6.99	Free	$2.99
Release Date	Mar 21, 2013	Jan 23, 2015	May 11, 2012	Apr 17, 2010	Jul 17, 2013	Aug 27, 2014	Nov 1, 2011	Aug 21, 2014
Last Updated	Apr 16, 2026	Apr 10, 2026	Nov 7, 2025	Mar 20, 2026	Mar 29, 2026	Apr 7, 2026	May 4, 2026	May 12, 2026
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment	mixed	-	-	-	-	-	negative	mixed
Score	65/100	-	-	-	-	-	35/100	65/100
Praises	Comprehensive planning tools for sun and moon photography provide significant value for landscape photographers	-	-	-	-	-	Educational value regarding constellations and planetary positions keeps casual stargazers engaged during evening sessions	Educational depth regarding astronomical objects provides significant value for novice stargazers and hobbyists
Complaints	Steep learning curve and complex interface design overwhelm casual users who lack technical photography knowledge	-	-	-	-	-	Aggressive subscription prompts and paywalls for basic discovery features frustrate long-term users post-update	Inaccurate sky tracking and compass calibration issues prevent reliable identification of celestial objects
Requests	Improved search functionality for specific landmarks to avoid manual map navigation and pin dropping	-	-	-	-	-	Option to disable background music independently of system volume for a silent stargazing experience	Weather forecast integration for stargazing would provide practical utility for planning observation sessions
Strategic Intel
Strengths	Educational content ecosystem translates planning data into legendary photographic results All-in-one utility consolidates multiple single-purpose calculators into one interface	-	-	-	-	-	AR-first UX leverages LiDAR for unique ceiling-removal immersion Cross-device integration creates hardware-locked retention 1.7 billion star database provides deep-space exploration depth	AR-driven interface lowers the barrier to entry for casual users 3D model depth functions as a brand moat for educational utility
Weaknesses	$10.99 upfront price point exceeds the casual-utility median Manual landmark navigation creates high friction in the location scouting workflow	-	-	-	-	-	Premium tier at the top of the category median Calibration errors reported in the latest update 0.7★ rating gap on Android vs iOS	Compass calibration failures persist across devices Monetization structure creates friction post-purchase
Pricing	paid	paid	paid	paid	freemium	paid	subscription	paid
Momentum	Maintenance	Intense	Steady	Intense	-	Intense	Steady	Maintenance
Update Cadence	3 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~81d avg	5 versions	5 versions	5 versions	-	3 versions	5 versions, 1 majors/6mo, ~57d avg	4 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~28d avg

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