Education · head to head
Articulate 360 vs Sky Guide
Sky Guide
Education
iOS astronomy app that moved from a one-time purchase to a free-to-download, subscription-tiered model
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Articulate 360 personal plan lacks team collaboration features; Sky Guide it is iOS-only, unlike SkySafari which also covers Android and desktop.
- They diverge on capability: Articulate 360 covers Storyline 360, Sky Guide covers Light pollution forecasting.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Articulate 360 and Sky Guide actually diverge.
| Attribute | Articulate 360 | Sky Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | Free download with Plus and Pro subscription upgrades |
| Platforms | Windows, Web (Rise) | iOS |
| Founded | 2002 | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Education).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Articulate 360
- Storyline 360
- Rise 360
- Content Library
- Review 360
- Screen recording
- Characters
- Templates
- SCORM/xAPI
Only in Sky Guide
- Light pollution forecasting
- Meteor shower prediction
- Camera and gyroscope sky view
- Deep-sky object catalogue
- Extreme zoom
- Satellite tracking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Articulate 360
- Authoring e-learning courses with Storyline and Risenot Sky Guide
- Delivering training through the built-in LMSnot Sky Guide
- Review and approval cycles with subject matter expertsnot Sky Guide
- Exporting SCORM packages to an existing LMSnot Sky Guide
Sky Guide
- An iOS stargazer who wants light pollution forecasting to plan a dark-sky observing tripnot Articulate 360
- Someone tracking meteor showers and wanting a forecast of viewing conditionsnot Articulate 360
- A user who wants extreme zoom into deep-sky objects without owning a telescopenot Articulate 360
- A buyer comparing subscription astronomy apps on iOS specifically, rather than cross-platform toolsnot Articulate 360
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Articulate 360
- Personal plan lacks team collaboration features
- Both main plans capped at 300 learners in built-in LMS
- Add-on services (Reach Pro, Localization) required for larger deployments
- 30-day free trial requires no credit card but is time-limited
Sky Guide
- It is iOS-only, unlike SkySafari which also covers Android and desktop.
- It has moved from one-time purchase to a subscription model, and long-time users who paid once for earlier versions have criticised the change publicly.
- Pro tier pricing is high relative to Star Walk 2 for broadly similar core stargazing functionality.
- It has no telescope control, unlike SkySafari Plus and Pro, which limits it to naked-eye and camera-based observing.
- Its relationship to other apps under the same distribution platform is not clearly documented, which makes long-term support commitments harder to assess.
Pricing, plan by plan
Articulate 360
Free- Personal$1449/year
- Build courses faster with agentic AI
- Core course creation tools
- Asset library access
- Teams$1749/year
- Build courses faster with agentic AI
- Collaboration tools
- Asset library access
- Reach Pro LMS Distribution$3600/year
- Content distribution
- Learner reporting
- User management
- Localization$5000/year
- Translate full courses into 80+ languages
- Custom glossaries
- In-context validation
Sky Guide
Free- Sky GuideFree
- Base sky map and object labelling
- Sky Guide Plus$19.99/year
- Larger star and satellite catalogue
- Light pollution forecasting
- Meteor shower prediction
- Sky Guide Pro$39.99/year
- Very large deep-sky object catalogue
- Exoplanet data
- Extreme zoom
Which should you pick?
Choose Articulate 360 if
- You need storyline 360.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Web (Rise).
- You also want rise 360.
Choose Sky Guide if
- You need light pollution forecasting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS.
- You also want meteor shower prediction.
Questions people ask
- Is Articulate 360 or Sky Guide better?
- Neither clearly leads. Articulate 360 starts at Free and Sky Guide at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Articulate 360 or Sky Guide?
- Articulate 360 starts at Free and Sky Guide at Free.
- Does Articulate 360 or Sky Guide run on more platforms?
- Articulate 360 runs on Windows, Web (Rise). Sky Guide runs on iOS.
- Can I use Articulate 360 for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Articulate 360 best used for?
- Articulate 360 is most often used for authoring e-learning courses with storyline and rise, delivering training through the built-in lms, review and approval cycles with subject matter experts, exporting scorm packages to an existing lms. Of those, authoring e-learning courses with storyline and rise and delivering training through the built-in lms are not what Sky Guide is typically brought in for.
- What can Articulate 360 do that Sky Guide cannot?
- Articulate 360 covers Storyline 360, Rise 360, Content Library, Review 360. Sky Guide covers Light pollution forecasting, Meteor shower prediction, Camera and gyroscope sky view, Deep-sky object catalogue.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Articulate 360: How much does Articulate 360 cost?
Articulate 360 Personal costs 1,449 USD per user per year. Teams plan costs 1,749 USD per user per year. Both are billed annually and include agentic AI, asset libraries, and a built-in LMS for up to 300 learners.
SourceSky Guide: Is Sky Guide free?
The base app is free to download; Plus and Pro are subscription upgrades for a larger catalogue and forecasting features.
Articulate 360: What is included in Articulate 360 Teams vs Personal?
The Teams plan at 1,749 USD per year adds collaboration tools compared to the Personal plan at 1,449 USD per year. Both include AI-powered course creation, asset library access, and built-in LMS for up to 300 learners.
SourceSky Guide: Did Sky Guide used to be a one-time purchase?
Yes, earlier versions were sold as a one-time purchase before it moved to the current free-plus-subscription model.
Articulate 360: Can I try Articulate 360 before purchasing?
Yes, Articulate 360 offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. Subscriptions renew automatically each year with a valid payment method on file.
SourceSky Guide: Does Sky Guide support telescope control?
No. For telescope control, SkySafari Plus or Pro is the better choice.
Articulate 360: Does Articulate 360 offer translation services?
Yes, Localization service starting at 5,000 USD per year translates full courses into 80+ languages with custom glossaries and in-context validation. Reach Pro LMS distribution starts at 3,600 USD per year for 1,200 active learners.
SourceRelated pages
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