Photopills vs Planit Pro: Photography Phone Planning Apps

Day 8 of my 12 Days of Christmas! 12 days to being a better photographer.
You’ve likely heard of Photopills, pretty much everyone who like to do night photography has. But have you heard of Planit Pro? Maybe not.
If you’re one of my Milky Way Photography Masterclass students you already know which I prefer.
Both of these apps are invaluable for planning Milky Way photoshoots. In this video I compare the two apps, specifically looking at three images that I created this year.
This one gets a wee bit long, but that’s because there is so much goodness packed inside! To jump to a specific section see the time stamps below:
Photopills App Website: www.photopills.com/
Planit Pro Website: www.planitphoto.com/pdfs/01.Pl...
And if you want to look up specifics here are the timestamps:
What I like about PhotoPills: 2:02
What I like about PlanitPro: 3:30
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Photopills & Milky Way Planning: 6:36
Planit Pro & Milky Way Planning: 8:32
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Photopills & Moon Planning: 10:02
Planit Pro & Milky Way Planning: 11:34
Planit Pro OH MY GOSH buy this now moment: 13:00 (seriously, it’s so useful!)
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Photopills & Orion Planning: 14:44
Planit Pro & Orion Planning: 15:45

[@johnjackson9601]

Thank you I will be buying Planit Pro. I currently have Photo Pills but I see the benefit of Planit Pro. Thank you for this information.

[@simonharding5696]

Wow!! I must admit I'm an evangelist for Photopills, but Planit Pro, and its virtual reality.....plus the ability to plan constellations.....plus preview the FOV with a specified focal length.......I think you've converted me!! Thanks for this.

[@KristineRosePhotography]

I'm just seeing this now!! You're welcome. How has it been going using Plait Pro?

[@insalatacosmica]

Thank you for sharing this, helped me to choice an app. ✨ 🔭

[@sven1858]

Thanks for sharing how you use these apps 👍

[@kk6t]

Really informative comparison. I own PhotoPills and use it often for moon and Milky Way photography. But the VR function of Planit Pro has intrigued me for a while. After watching this video, I think I'm convinced to pull the trigger and buy PlanIt Pro.

[@KristineRosePhotography]

I do not think you will be disappointed!! It is a fantastic app!

[@quiltamma]

I have photopill and need to watch videos on how to's, but also just got Planitpro, thank you

[@bradperry4902]

Great comparison! I have been a PhotoPills die hard for a few years, but that VR function in Planit Pro might convert me. Also, hello from New Brunswick!

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Yes!! Photopills is fantastic, but the VR function is a gamechanger IMO, it lets me do so much more in depth planning in advance of actually going somewhere.

[@tallaganda83]

I use TPE I love the 3D version

[@sinetwo]

Great video overview. I think the best ideal is really to get both. I really dislike TPE due to how limited it is on android

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Well, I have to agree on all counts. I have all of these apps, if someone were to only get one I would recommend Planit Pro, but the AR on Photopills is easier to use. I own the full version of the TPE apps and do not enjoy them.

[@bobby350z]

Tried all of them and I like PlanIt Pro.

[@crawford323]

Enunciate!

[@lisaraczka9934]

Game changer !!!!

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Yes!!! Glad you think so :)

[@shupingyin8082]

Thanks I will get planit pro

[@KristineRosePhotography]

YES!!! It is a learning curve but it is SO worth it.

[@woolcos1]

I have Photo pills but haven't found it too intuitive (I'm usually quite good with these things!) Could you recommend any tutorials?

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Honestly I've almost done a photopills tutorial many times, but have found www.photopills.com/ so comprehensive that I haven't. Perhaps a new years project though!

[@woolcos1]

@@KristineRosePhotography Brilliant - thanks i will check that out.

[@andysuzierawlins5462]

Hi Kristine, I have photopills, considering planit pro, what do you think ( its Suzie btw from your ps 101 class)

[@zhaooskar3178]

believe me that planit pro is definitely much better the photopill. just take a look some tutorial on youtube and you will find how amazing this APP is.

[@woolcos1]

I call Orion the only other constellation I know (The Plough is the first!!!!)

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Yes!! Those were the two main ones of my childhood, but also Cassiopeia (the winter "W")

[@robgerety]

Peggy's Cove has a special place in my heart. A family member was a passenger on Swissair Flight 111. Despite the fact that Peggy's Cove was the site of that terrible tragedy, it is nevertheless a lovely picturesque little seaside community. I love visiting. Highly recommended. You are very lucky to live nearby.

[@7775Kevin]

Hi there. Thank you for this. If I might ask that you speak a little more slowly and clearly in the future? I have a hard time following some of your description. Thanks again.

[@thierrygillard6896]

The price statement is completely misleading! For alignments, which is the back-bone of photopills and comes with the app, you need to pay for Planit an additional monthly fee of 5 usd or 30 usd annually. This puts Planit in the category of rented apps, at a much higher price. Every third month, you buy photopills again for this price. Although I agree that Planit has more night sky capabilities, many free apps will give you azimuth and elevation for any celestial body. I consider photopills a much better value for money and more intuitive to use.

[@KristineRosePhotography]

Actually that additional cost is not for the main functionality of Planit Pro, it is for two new features that they have created since I recorded this video (3D model and location explorer) The statements in this video still hold true, especially given I am not using or showing the new features here! PhotoPills is certainly easier to use from the getgo, and great for people new to the genre. It’s generally what I recommend people use first. However when you get into more detailed planning and especially different elevations and terrains Planit Pro is indispensable. You can get azimuth and altitude from other apps, but not in conjunction with the terrain and visualization. So for the Planit Pro has my vote.

[@thierrygillard6896]

@@KristineRosePhotography Fair comment. It’s about Personal preferences. Photopills is really about computation of alignements and saves lot of trial, but no vr and terrain modeling.