Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PixInsight VS Nebulosity

Compare PixInsight VS Nebulosity and see what are their differences

PixInsight logo PixInsight

A powerful deep sky stacking application for astrophotography.

Nebulosity logo Nebulosity

Nebulosity is designed to be a powerful, but simple to use capture and processing application for Windows and Mac.
  • PixInsight Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-28
  • Nebulosity Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-22

PixInsight features and specs

  • Advanced Image Processing
    PixInsight offers advanced tools and algorithms specifically designed for astrophotography, allowing users to achieve high-quality processing results.
  • Customizable Workspace
    The software provides a flexible and customizable user interface, enabling users to organize and optimize their workflow according to personal preferences.
  • Modular Architecture
    PixInsight is highly modular, allowing users to add or remove functionalities via scripts and modules, adapting the software to specific needs or updates.
  • Extensive Documentation and Tutorials
    Users have access to comprehensive documentation and a wide range of tutorials, helping both beginners and advanced users to understand and utilize the software effectively.
  • Community Support
    PixInsight has a strong community of users and professionals who offer support, share techniques, and contribute to continuous development and improvement.

Possible disadvantages of PixInsight

  • Steep Learning Curve
    The software's advanced capabilities and specialized focus can make it challenging for beginners to learn and use effectively.
  • High Cost
    PixInsight can be expensive compared to other image processing software, which might be a barrier for hobbyists or those with tight budgets.
  • Resource Intensive
    The software requires significant computing power and resources to function optimally, which might necessitate hardware upgrades for some users.
  • Complex Interface
    Despite its customizability, the interface can appear complex and overwhelming, particularly for users who are new to astrophotography image processing.
  • Limited Non-Astrophotography Use
    Since PixInsight is specialized for astrophotography, it lacks the broader functionality found in more general image editing software, limiting its use for other photo editing tasks.

Nebulosity features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Nebulosity offers an intuitive and clear user interface, making it accessible for beginners in astrophotography.
  • Comprehensive Image Processing
    It provides a wide range of image processing tools necessary for editing and enhancing astronomical images.
  • Multi-Platform Support
    The software is compatible with both Windows and macOS, allowing users from different platforms to utilize its features.
  • Camera Control
    Nebulosity supports a variety of cameras, enabling users to capture images directly through the software.
  • Detailed Documentation
    The software comes with extensive documentation and tutorials, which can aid users in making the most of its features.

Possible disadvantages of Nebulosity

  • Limited Advanced Features
    While good for beginners, the software may lack some advanced tools and capabilities sought by professional astrophotographers.
  • Paid Software
    Nebulosity requires a purchase, which may be a consideration for users when there are free alternatives available.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported occasional crashes or stability issues, which could affect the user’s workflow.
  • Not Open Source
    Being closed-source may limit customization options for developers looking to modify the software for specific needs.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite being user-friendly, new users may still experience a learning curve as they adapt to its feature set and controls.

PixInsight videos

Stacking Shootout - Pixinsight vs DSS vs Nebulosity. Also Cybertruck.

More videos:

  • Review - Explaining PixInsight #1 | OSC Workflow | Pre-Processing
  • Review - DeepSkyStacker vs. PixInsight Stacking

Nebulosity videos

Nebulosity Review & Demo

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Stacking & Aligning Astro Photos in Nebulosity4 Tutorial
  • Review - Stacking Shootout - Pixinsight vs DSS vs Nebulosity. Also Cybertruck.

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PixInsight and Nebulosity)
Time Tracking
63 63%
37% 37
Invoicing
66 66%
34% 34
Accounting
61 61%
39% 39
Photos & Graphics
69 69%
31% 31

User comments

Share your experience with using PixInsight and Nebulosity. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PixInsight seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 8 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

PixInsight mentions (8)

  • When it comes to software what do you use and can you go a little bit into detail on how to use it
    PixInsight - Stacking and image processing. It's pricey but really the best processing software out there for deep sky pics imo (DeepSkyStacker / Siril / GIMP are commonly used free alternatives). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Asahi Ubuntu: does it support PixInSight and Gimp?
    Dear friends of Asahi, I was planning to get a laptop mainly for astrophotography postproduction while traveling, and other normal tasks. Apps required for astrophoto elaboration are just 2: PixInSight and Gimp. An M1 cored MacBook seem a very good machine but I really dislike macOS. I was wondering before spending time and money looking for suitable offer from refurbished market if Asahi Linux should run both... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • The Horsehead Nebula from my front yard
    Subs were calibrated and integrated for each filter using SiriL. In PixInsight I started by cropping the three stacked images, used automatic background extraction, and then combined the three into a colour image. BlurXTerminator on the combined image and StarNet v2 to separate the stars.. Separate multi scale linear transform on starless and luminance, more aggressive on the starless image. Unsharpmask applied to... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Files for the NGC 3132 Nebula
    PixInsight (costs money and I haven't tried a free trial). Source: almost 3 years ago
  • North America Nebula, NGC 7000
    PixInsight; stacking, calibration, noise reduction. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

Nebulosity mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Nebulosity yet. Tracking of Nebulosity recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PixInsight and Nebulosity, you can also consider the following products

Siril - Siril is an astronomical image processing tool, able to convert, pre-process images, help aligning...

RegiStax - Photography, Astronomy, Image, and Astrophotography

DeepSkyStacker - DeepSkyStacker is a freeware for astrophotographers that simplifies all the pre-processing steps of...

APT (Astro Photography Tool) - APT stands for "AstroPhotography Tool" and it is like Swiss army knife for your astro imaging sessions.

N.I.N.A. - NINA is a night time imaging and astronomy software.

Star Tools - Star Tools is one of the most advanced image processing tools that you can use for astrophotography.