6 Apps Like Co-Star Worth Trying in 2026

Orvela

Orvela is built around the premise that astrology is only as useful as the insight it generates in context. The app weaves five disciplines into a single reading: Western astrology, Vedic (Jyotish) astrology, numerology, the lunar calendar, and Ayurvedic dosha typing. Every planetary position is computed with Swiss Ephemeris — the same library professional astrologers use in desktop software. The AI interprets what those positions mean for you, but never invents or estimates them.

The centerpiece is a conversational oracle you can ask direct questions. Unlike Co-Star's one-directional push notifications, Orvela's oracle maintains a memory journal across sessions: it cites what it told you in earlier conversations, which makes follow-up exchanges more coherent than a blank-slate chatbot. One feature with no real equivalent elsewhere is the I-Ching Moment Oracle — a genuine three-coin hexagram cast the oracle can offer mid-conversation when you are weighing a specific decision. The free web tools at orvela.app include I-Ching readings without requiring a sign-in.

Pricing is straightforward: the free tier includes two oracle questions per day and the core daily reading. Plus (€9.99/month) covers unlimited oracle sessions. Circle (€22.99/month) adds compatibility analysis and profiles for up to six people — partners, family members, or anyone else you want to track alongside your own chart. Annual plans carry a seven-day free trial. Orvela is made in the EU (Latvia), and birth data is used for computation only, with no ad trackers on the site.

The Pattern

The Pattern is the closest in spirit to Co-Star as a social-first app, but its approach to personality is different: rather than transit-driven daily notes, it builds layered psychological profiles derived from your birth data — extended character descriptions that read more like a journal prompt than a horoscope. The Bonds feature lets you explore compatibility with friends or public figures in unusual depth, and the free tier offers a meaningful preview of that content.

The Go Deeper+ subscription unlocks the full content library, audio and written insights, immersive sound meditations, a timeline tool that lets you revisit past life periods through your chart, unlimited bonds, and an Astrology 101 curriculum. An in-app conversation feature — powered by your own Pattern profile rather than a general AI model — runs privately on your data. The Pattern is available on iOS and Android. Pricing for Go Deeper+ is tiered and subject to change; the current rate is listed on the App Store or Google Play listing.

CHANI

The CHANI app is the work of astrologer Chani Nicholas and her team, and every piece of content in it — interpretations, meditations, rituals, and weekly audio — is written or recorded by human astrologers. There is no AI-generated content. That editorial choice shows in the tone: readings are contemplative, politically progressive, and oriented toward ritual practice and self-examination rather than quick predictions. If you found Co-Star's ironic flatness off-putting, CHANI is a substantial departure.

Free features include daily horoscopes, moon sign and phase readings, and a weekly audio overview of upcoming astrological events. A full subscription costs $11.99 per month or approximately $107.99 per year (roughly $9 per month, as of July 2026) and unlocks birth chart readings, weekly horoscopes, new and full moon rituals, transit deep-dives, audio meditations, and workshop content. CHANI is available on iOS and Android. It is a strong choice if you want a human editorial voice and are comfortable with the app's particular cultural perspective.

Sanctuary

Sanctuary is not primarily an automated astrology app — it is a marketplace for live readings with professional astrologers, psychics, tarot readers, energy healers, human design practitioners, and mediums. The live-chat model sets it apart from every other app on this list: you browse reader profiles with bios, photos, and areas of specialty, then connect on demand at any hour. Standard readings are approximately $2.99 per minute; new users receive an introductory session at $4.99 for five minutes.

The app also includes daily horoscopes, a birth chart section, compatibility tools, and a content library. Sanctuary+ subscribers get a monthly complimentary reading credit, expanded horoscopes, and full library access. If what you wanted from Co-Star was a real human conversation about your chart and your current situation, Sanctuary delivers that — at a cost that compounds quickly for anyone who wants to talk weekly rather than occasionally.

Nebula

Nebula takes a similar live-advisor approach but with a larger roster — more than 500 vetted psychic advisors available via text chat, with the first three minutes of a session free and subsequent time billed at rates averaging around $3.99 per minute. The app subscription layer covers daily horoscopes, birth chart insights, compatibility readings, and a lunar calendar for tracking moon phases. Annual pricing is approximately $49.99 as of July 2026, with a weekly option at $7.99 and a three-day free trial on sign-up.

User reviews surface a consistent pattern: people who found an advisor they trust tend to rate the experience highly, while others report confusion about billing after free trials or difficulty canceling renewals. If you use Nebula, it is worth treating the subscription fee and the live-reading credits as two separate budgets and reading the renewal terms before starting a trial period.

TimePassages

TimePassages is the outlier on this list: it was built for people who want to understand astrological mechanics, not just receive readings. The app and its associated desktop software have been used by practicing astrologers since 2012. Core features include synastry and composite charts, transit and progression tracking, solar returns, and an interactive glossary of signs, planets, houses, and aspects — all interpreted by human astrologers rather than AI generation.

The basic birth chart and daily horoscope are always free. Unlimited access is sold per chart category — $9.99 each for unlimited birth charts, unlimited transits, unlimited progressions, or unlimited comparisons, purchased separately — rather than a single all-in-one unlock. Individual charts are available for $0.99 each on a pay-as-you-go basis. It runs on iOS, Android, and as a Mac desktop application. If Co-Star felt too lightweight and you want to genuinely learn what the natal chart contains and why transits feel the way they do, TimePassages is the most technically complete option on this list.

When Co-Star is still the better pick

• Your friend group is already on Co-Star. The chart-sharing and friend-comparison features are woven into Co-Star's social architecture in a way no other app currently replicates. If the people you want to compare charts with are already there, the friction of moving elsewhere is real.
• You want a daily check-in that takes ten seconds. Co-Star's terse, text-only notifications are deliberately minimal — no audio, no ritual prompts, no follow-up questions expected. If you want a quick atmospheric note rather than a conversation or a practice, the format is well suited to that intention.
• You are completely new to astrology and want a polished, low-commitment introduction to your birth chart placements. Co-Star's free tier is generous enough that it costs nothing to explore, and the clean design makes the chart legible without prior knowledge.
• The dry, slightly absurdist 'brutally honest' tone is specifically what you want. Some users find Co-Star's copy style uniquely entertaining — a quality that more earnest or ritual-focused apps deliberately do not try to replicate.