Photography · head to head
NightCap vs Sky Guide
NightCap
Photography
Long-exposure camera app for iOS aimed at night sky, star trail and light trail photography
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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
- Only Sky Guide has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: NightCap it is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.; Sky Guide it is iOS-only, unlike SkySafari which also covers Android and desktop.
- They diverge on capability: NightCap covers Manual exposure control, 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 NightCap and Sky Guide actually diverge.
Identical on both: platforms (iOS), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 NightCap
- Manual exposure control
- Star trail mode
- Light trail mode
- Northern lights mode
- Meteor shower mode
- Astro mode with stacking
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.
NightCap
- An iPhone owner wanting star trail or Milky Way photos without buying a dedicated cameranot Sky Guide
- A hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacksnot Sky Guide
- Someone capturing light trail shots of traffic or fireworks at nightnot Sky Guide
- A photographer who prefers a one-time purchase app over yet another photography subscriptionnot Sky Guide
Sky Guide
- An iOS stargazer who wants light pollution forecasting to plan a dark-sky observing tripnot NightCap
- Someone tracking meteor showers and wanting a forecast of viewing conditionsnot NightCap
- A user who wants extreme zoom into deep-sky objects without owning a telescopenot NightCap
- A buyer comparing subscription astronomy apps on iOS specifically, rather than cross-platform toolsnot NightCap
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
NightCap
- It is iOS-only, so Android photographers cannot use it at all.
- Results are still limited by the physical sensor size and aperture of an iPhone, so it cannot match a dedicated mirrorless camera for astrophotography.
- It requires a tripod or other stabilisation for most of its long-exposure modes, which is an extra cost and inconvenience beyond the app itself.
- Its manual controls have a learning curve for someone used to a fully automatic point-and-shoot camera app.
- As a niche app from a small developer, update cadence and long-term support are less predictable than a major platform vendor camera app.
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
NightCap
On request- NightCap$2.99/one-time
- Full manual exposure control
- All shooting modes included
- No subscription
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 NightCap if
- You need manual exposure control.
- You work on iOS.
- You also want star trail mode.
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 NightCap or Sky Guide better?
- Neither clearly leads. NightCap starts at On request and Sky Guide at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NightCap or Sky Guide?
- Sky Guide has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for NightCap and Free for Sky Guide.
- Does NightCap or Sky Guide run on more platforms?
- Both run on iOS, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Sky Guide for free?
- Yes. Sky Guide has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NightCap starts at On request.
- What is NightCap best used for?
- NightCap is most often used for an iphone owner wanting star trail or milky way photos without buying a dedicated camera, a hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacks, someone capturing light trail shots of traffic or fireworks at night, a photographer who prefers a one-time purchase app over yet another photography subscription. Of those, an iphone owner wanting star trail or milky way photos without buying a dedicated camera and a hobbyist photographing the northern lights who needs exposure control the stock camera app lacks are not what Sky Guide is typically brought in for.
- What can NightCap do that Sky Guide cannot?
- NightCap covers Manual exposure control, Star trail mode, Light trail mode, Northern lights mode. Sky Guide covers Light pollution forecasting, Meteor shower prediction, Camera and gyroscope sky view, Deep-sky object catalogue.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
NightCap: Is NightCap still maintained?
Yes, it remains listed and updated on the App Store, including a rebuilt version offered free to existing customers.
Sky 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.
NightCap: Is it a subscription?
No, it is sold as a one-time purchase.
Sky 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.
NightCap: Does it work on Android?
No, NightCap is iOS-only.
Sky Guide: Does Sky Guide support telescope control?
No. For telescope control, SkySafari Plus or Pro is the better choice.
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