Best under $1,000
Seestar S50 Pro
$999: the only 50 mm with a 4K sensor in this bracket.
- 50 mm
- 2.45° × 1.38°
- 2.8 kg
- $999
Best smart telescopes under $1,000
Every current smart telescope with a US list price under $1,000, sorted by what it does best. Prices checked 11 Nov 2026.
Best under $700
Seestar S30 Pro
$699 list, $664 on sale when checked.
- 30 mm
- 3.99° × 2.24°
- 1.65 kg
- $699
Best under $600
DWARF 3
$599 on dwarflab.com, often $549 at dealers. No tripod.
- 35 mm
- 2.93° × 1.65°
- 1.3 kg
- $599
Best under $400
DWARF mini
$399, 840 g. No tripod.
- 30 mm
- 2.13° × 1.20°
- 0.84 kg
- $399
Every model under $1,000
| Model | List price | Aperture | Field of view | Weight | Battery | Image scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seestar S30 | $399 | 30 mm | 2.13° × 1.20° | 1.65 kg | 6 h | 3.99″/px |
| DWARF mini | $399 | 30 mm | 2.13° × 1.20° | 0.84 kg | 4 h | 3.99″/px |
| Seestar S50 | $499 | 50 mm | 1.29° × 0.73° | 2.5 kg | 6 h | 2.39″/px |
| DWARF 3 | $599 | 35 mm | 2.93° × 1.65° | 1.3 kg | 5.5 h | 2.75″/px |
| Seestar S30 Pro | $699 | 30 mm | 3.99° × 2.24° | 1.65 kg | 6 h | 3.74″/px |
| Seestar S50 Pro | $999 | 50 mm | 2.45° × 1.38° | 2.8 kg | 9 h | 2.30″/px |
How we choose
We do not accept free units or payment for placement. Picks come from manufacturer specifications compared like for like: aperture (light), image scale (detail), field of view (what fits), weight, battery and what is included. Discontinued models are excluded. See our method.
More buying guides
Frequently asked questions
What is the best smart telescope under $1,000?
Our pick is the Seestar S50 Pro: $999: the only 50 mm with a 4K sensor in this bracket.
What is a smart telescope?
A smart telescope combines a small telescope, a camera sensor, a motorised mount and a computer in one unit. You control it from a phone app: it plate-solves its position, slews to the target, tracks it and stacks short exposures live, so an image builds up on screen in minutes.
Can I look through a smart telescope?
Most have no eyepiece. You view on a phone or tablet. The Unistellar Odyssey Pro and eVscope 2 add a digital eyepiece that shows the same processed image.