Softwr

Education · head to head

Flip vs Stellarium

F

Flip

Education

Empower student voice with video discussions

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: Flip the Internet Archive's capture of Flip's homepage on 28 June 2022 stated 'Flip is a free video discussion app', confirming the Microsoft-owned product (rebranded from Flipgrid) carries no subscription fee.; 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: Flip covers Video responses, Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Flip and Stellarium actually diverge.

Attributes where Flip and Stellarium differ
AttributeFlipStellarium
Pricing modelfreeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWeb, IOS, AndroidWindows, macOS, Linux
Founded1975Unknown

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 Flip

  • Video responses
  • Topics
  • Camera effects
  • Stickers
  • Text responses
  • Moderation
  • Mixtapes
  • AR camera

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.

Flip

  • Video discussionsnot Stellarium
  • Student portfoliosnot Stellarium
  • Book talksnot Stellarium
  • Language practicenot Stellarium

Stellarium

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

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Flip

  • The Internet Archive's capture of Flip's homepage on 28 June 2022 stated 'Flip is a free video discussion app', confirming the Microsoft-owned product (rebranded from Flipgrid) carries no subscription fee.

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

Flip

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited groups
    • Unlimited topics
    • Video responses

Stellarium

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Flip if

  • You need video responses.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android.
  • You also want topics.
Flip 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 Flip or Stellarium better?
Neither clearly leads. Flip 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, Flip or Stellarium?
Flip starts at Free and Stellarium at Free.
Does Flip or Stellarium run on more platforms?
Flip runs on Web, IOS, Android. Stellarium runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use Flip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Flip best used for?
Flip is most often used for video discussions, student portfolios, book talks, language practice. Of those, video discussions and student portfolios are not what Stellarium is typically brought in for.
What can Flip do that Stellarium cannot?
Flip covers Video responses, Topics, Camera effects, Stickers. Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering, Large object catalogue, Telescope control, Scripting engine.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

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.

Stellarium: What platforms does the free version run on?

Windows, macOS and Linux desktop.

Share

Related pages

More on Flip

More on Stellarium

Keep looking

Other head to heads