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Education · head to head

Articulate 360 vs Stellarium

Articulate 360 logo

Articulate 360

Education

The complete e-learning authoring solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Stellarium logo

Stellarium

Education

Free open source desktop planetarium software, distinct from the paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Articulate 360 personal plan lacks team collaboration features; Stellarium it is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.
  • They diverge on capability: Articulate 360 covers Storyline 360, Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Articulate 360 and Stellarium actually diverge.

Attributes where Articulate 360 and Stellarium differ
AttributeArticulate 360Stellarium
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWindows, Web (Rise)Windows, macOS, Linux
Founded2002Unknown

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 Stellarium

  • Photorealistic sky rendering
  • Large object catalogue
  • Telescope control
  • Scripting engine
  • Free and open source
  • Plugin ecosystem

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 Stellarium
  • Delivering training through the built-in LMSnot Stellarium
  • Review and approval cycles with subject matter expertsnot Stellarium
  • Exporting SCORM packages to an existing LMSnot Stellarium

Stellarium

  • A student or educator wanting a serious, scriptable planetarium tool without a budget line itemnot Articulate 360
  • An amateur astronomer wanting telescope control from desktop software they can inspect and modifynot Articulate 360
  • Someone running a planetarium display or public astronomy event on a scripted shownot Articulate 360
  • A hobbyist who wants a large object catalogue without paying a subscription, and does not need a phone appnot 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

Stellarium

  • It is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.
  • As a volunteer-maintained open source project, support is community-based rather than a guaranteed commercial help desk.
  • The interface, while capable, is less immediately intuitive for a first-time user than a polished commercial phone app.
  • Telescope control and some advanced plugins require additional setup that a non-technical user may find fiddly.
  • Because it shares a name with the unrelated paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app, buyers researching pricing online can easily conflate the two products.

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

Stellarium

Free
  • Stellarium DesktopFree
    • Full software, GPL licensed
    • No account, ads or subscription
    • Community-developed plugins

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.
Articulate 360 review

Choose Stellarium if

  • You need photorealistic sky rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large object catalogue.
Stellarium review

Questions people ask

Is Articulate 360 or Stellarium better?
Neither clearly leads. Articulate 360 starts at Free and Stellarium at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Articulate 360 or Stellarium?
Articulate 360 starts at Free and Stellarium at Free.
Does Articulate 360 or Stellarium run on more platforms?
Articulate 360 runs on Windows, Web (Rise). Stellarium runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
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 Stellarium is typically brought in for.
What can Articulate 360 do that Stellarium cannot?
Articulate 360 covers Storyline 360, Rise 360, Content Library, Review 360. Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering, Large object catalogue, Telescope control, Scripting engine.

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.

Source
Stellarium: Is Stellarium really free?

The desktop software is free and open source under the GPL licence. The separate mobile app, Stellarium Mobile Plus, is a different paid product.

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.

Source
Stellarium: Is the mobile app made by the same team?

No. Stellarium Mobile Plus is built by Noctua Software, a different company, and is sold on subscription.

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.

Source
Stellarium: What platforms does the free version run on?

Windows, macOS and Linux desktop.

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.

Source
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