Labelstars.com stands out as the best site to buy a star. The evaluation considered key factors such as product quality, the transparency of costs (with no hidden fees), support, delivery speed, and pricing, the ability to easily locate your star, and verified customer reviews.
Where to Buy a Star: A Complete & Honest Guide
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April 17, 2024
Where to Buy a Star: A Complete & Honest Guide
Understanding Where You Can Buy a Star
You can buy a star through commercial gift service providers that offer official star-naming registrations and maintain independent star databases. However, if you're hoping to purchase a star through scientific organizations like NASA or the International Astronomical Union (IAU), the answer is clear: You cannot buy a star through them. For more detailed insights, check out our related articles: "Buy a Star from NASA: Can You Do That? and Buy and Name a Star with the IAU: Is That Possible?
Spot a Reliable Star-Naming Service
Star-naming has become increasingly popular, which, unfortunately, has led to the rise of fake companies with professional-looking websites that seem trustworthy. While every company may send you a certificate for your purchase, it’s far better to invest in a reputable, high-quality service.
The best providers offer beautifully designed packaging, use real stars from verifiable databases, and provide excellent customer support. It’s worth paying for a company that truly puts effort into delivering a meaningful and authentic experience rather than falling for flashy, unreliable services.
Here are five key points to help you assess a company's legitimacy:
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A trustworthy provider will be transparent about their process, clearly explain what you’re purchasing, and offer customer reviews or testimonials.
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Ensure the company is upfront about pricing, avoids hidden fees, and provides a clear breakdown of what is included in each package, along with examples of how the product looks in real life.
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Verify whether the company offers a visible and verifiable star registry, along with a star map or app that allows you to locate your star.
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Look for secure payment options, reasonable refund policies, and prompt, live customer support.
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Finally, researching the company’s reputation on third-party review platforms, like Trustpilot, can give you valuable insight into their credibility and customer satisfaction.
So, the real question is: Which is the best site to buy a star, and which service provider should you trust?
In the following sections, we will compare different star-naming services to help you find the most suitable option. Our comprehensive analysis will cover key aspects such as pricing, customer reviews, service features, and overall value.
The Best Site to Buy a Star
When it comes to buying a star, different factors may be important to different customers. Some might prioritize an attractive gift package, while others might focus on finding the best prices, a smooth purchasing process, or prompt delivery.
There are many considerations beyond these, so our comparison takes into account all the elements that could be crucial to you as a customer.
Aspects Evaluated:
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Gift Package and Inclusions
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Overall Pricing and Hidden Costs
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Delivery Options, Speed, and Costs
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Verified Customer Reviews
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Star Location
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Gift Customization and Enhancement
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Unique Products
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Website and Purchasing Process
The aspects analyzed highlight notable features, whether positive or negative. Points of average quality will not be discussed in detail. The websites will be ranked from least to most favorable based on these criteria.
A well-designed and unique Star Finder will allow you quickly locate your star online and in the night sky, depending on your location and current time.
Each physical package includes the electronic delivery of digital files.
The only website to provide you with tracked shipping delivery options at a reasonable price. Regular post that takes ages is not in use.
You have a 365-day refund policy in case the purchase is not to your liking, demonstrating a friendly and supportive approach to customer satisfaction.
Electronic files can be edited as many times as you wish, free of charge.
Decent Trustpilot overall score.
Free of charge editing your electronic files if you made a mistake.
Free shipping available.
You have 4 different certificate designs to choose from.
Easy to use website.
You have a wide variety of payment methods to choose from.
You can enhance your package with optional extras (some of which other star naming companies don't even have), including a gift box, a fitting frame, a telescope, an engraved star, and a zodiac necklace.
Compared to other websites, Labelstars.com stands out as the best and most flexible service provider. It offers excellent value for money with no hidden costs and a highly flexible refund policy. You can further personalize your package with optional extras, such as a gift box, a fitting frame, a telescope, an engraved star, and a zodiac necklace—extras that go beyond what many other websites offer. Additionally, you receive free electronic files, unlimited edits, and access to the impressive Star Finder software, making it easy to locate your star in the night sky.
Compared to other websites, Labelstars.com stands out as the best and most flexible service provider. It offers excellent value for the money with no hidden costs and a highly flexible refund policy. Additionally, you receive free electronic files and unlimited edits. The service also includes impressive Star Finder software, allowing you to easily locate your star in the night sky.
A unique 3D web software to view your star online in style!
The only website that offers physical gift cards.
Physical packages include electronic delivery as well.
You will get a rich package with various additional handouts.
Free shipping with a regular post.
A great app that will help you locate your star in the night sky.
You cannot select your star type (for example, a double star). Also, you cannot choose the brightness degree, so it is impossible to know whether the star will be visible and what brightness you are getting.
An average review score on Trustpilot.
Express shipping to the US is 53$ and around 20$ in Europe.
You cannot select 2 or more copies as a backup for your documents.
Constellation is randomly picked if you do not choose one. Make sure it is visible in your area since it does not consider your location.
OSR offers a great gift package that includes various items, including beautifully designed physical gift cards. They also provide an online 3D tool to view your star and a useful app. However, the cost for express delivery to the US is quite high, and additional document copies are not available. Additionally, you cannot choose the type or brightness of your star, so it might not be visible in your area. The reviews available are generally less favorable.
Fine gift packages with various handouts. You can also pick a gift box and star atlas.
Free economy shipping is available to various countries. See your case.
A website has comfortable navigation.
A good Trustpilot overall score.
Hidden costs: Additional charge if you want to get your documents electronically.
Mobile App shows Google sky map, which is is not interactive and just a static and blurry image from space. You will not be able to find your star in the night sky in real life.
If you do not pay additionally to select a specific constellation, then the constellation is assigned randomly without considering your location.
You can select an extra bright star, but there is no information on its brightness and whether it is possible to see that.
Star Name Registry excels with its attractive gift packages and elegant gift boxes. They also offer free economy shipping to certain locations. However, there is an additional charge for obtaining digital files as a backup. Finding your star may be challenging without interactive software. Additionally, there is an extra fee to select a star in a specific constellation, as a randomly assigned constellation might not be visible in your area.
A unique chance to get premium packaging boxes and LED boxes. This, however, would cost you around 400$ but is an excellent option if going for something unique.
Good looking certificates with various designs available.
A website is easy to use and place an order.
Hidden costs: Physical package will cost you 10$ additionally. You will find out only when you will have your information entered.
There is no mobile app, just static blurry images from space, so you won't be able to find your star in the night sky.
Trustpilot score is not among the best ones.
Express delivery to the US is 14$ (and to many other countries) and will take up to 5 business days.
You can only select Zodiac constellations, not the other ones.
English speakers can only shop in US dollars.
Cosmonova distinguishes itself with its premium and LED box options, which are ideal for those willing to invest more in unique and high-quality products. However, express delivery costs to the US are quite high. There is no mobile app or interactive online star finder, so locating your star in the night sky will not be possible. Additionally, obtaining a hard copy requires an extra fee. If these premium features are important to you, Cosmonova might be a good choice for registering your star.
You can place an order via phone call.
Unique items: Hand-lettered calligraphy, sky images, custom engraved jewelry.
No mobile app or any other star-finding tools. You won't be able to find your star.
You cannot get digital files or simply have e-mail delivery only.
In the US: 18$ for economy delivery, 35.95$ for two day delivery. Outside the US, the delivery can be up to 54$.
Cheapest non-digital option is 59$ with no frame available for that package. The kit with framing will cost you an additional 50$.
Process of ordering is complex. You have to explicitly decline various additional features.
Trustpilot review score is very low.
Hidden costs: Additional 5$ recordation and document fee at the checkout.
It is hard to understand the packages and how they differ, only the pricing.
No other payments than PayPal and cards.
No live chat support. Only E-mailing is possible.
This company's notable advantage is its offering of unique items, such as hand-lettered calligraphy and custom-engraved jewelry. However, there are several drawbacks: delivery costs are very high, the entry-level product is among the most expensive on the market, and framing options are complicated. Additionally, finding your star is limited to using an observatory, with few other options available. Overall, the negatives significantly outweigh the positives.
You get a good gift package with various items.
Website is nicely made and easy to use. Also comfortable to compare packages.
A good Trustpilot review rating.
Hidden Costs: While the cheapest package is 29$, you will soon be required to pay an additional 55$ for a hard copy, which would amount to roughly 90$ for the cheapest physical package.
They claim they are NASA and Harvard partners. A worrying signal.
After naming a star, you get a voucher to buy land on a moon. A worrying signal 2.
Shipping is 18 working days. There is no express delivery available.
Mobile App shows Google sky map, which is not interactive and just a static and blurry image from space. You will not be able to find your star in the night sky in real life.
No refunds for digital products. If you change your mind or the recipient is unhappy, you won't get your money back.
Documents come in a fragile envelope and can be damaged easily.
You cannot get your certificate framed. There are also no other additional extras.
No live chat support. Only E-mailing is possible.
You can only checkout using a card. No other payment methods are supported.
We recommend reconsidering before using this company as a star-naming service. First, the company falsely claims to be affiliated with scientific organizations. Second, their packages come with hidden costs and are among the most expensive on the market. Third, you’ll face slow delivery times, strict refund policies, and limited package options. Additionally, the star-finding experience is inaccurate.
Economy shipping to US and Canada is 10$.
Additional certificate hard copy costs only 1$.
It's possible to choose a digital or hand written signature.
Shipping to Europe will cost you from 55$ to 70$.
No verified reviews could be found on Trustpilot.
You cannot preview what your certificate will look like.
Arguably, worst-looking certificates.
No mobile app or any other tool to look for a star.
No registry listed. Unclear where the star is registered.
For some unknown reason they offer a limited amount of constellations.
The only option to pay is using a credit card.
Buying a star from this company has a few positive aspects: free economy shipping within the US and Canada and low costs for additional certificate copies. However, the negatives far outweigh this. The service appears untrustworthy, the certificate design is the least appealing among competitors, the star registry is not listed, and many more. There are numerous red flags with this provider, making it difficult to recommend if you're seeking a quality product and good value for your money.
What You Actually Get When You Buy a Star
When you buy a star from a star-naming service, what you receive can vary significantly between companies. Most commonly, you’ll get a personalized certificate with the name you’ve chosen for your star, along with its coordinates. However, the quality and details of the package can differ greatly.
Here are the typical items included in a star-naming package:
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Personalized Star Certificate: This is the core item in every star-naming package. The certificate typically displays the star's name, registration number, naming date, and coordinates. The design quality can range from simple to elaborate, depending on the provider.
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Star Map or Star Chart: Many services include a star map that highlights the location of your named star in the sky. Some companies may offer access to an online star map or app, allowing you to easily locate your star, while others may provide a physical star chart.
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Star Registration: Some services register your star in a non-governmental, independent star registry. Although these registries are not recognized by scientific organizations, they use the same coordinates and data as official bodies like NASA or the IAU. It’s important to verify that the star registry is easily accessible and searchable so you can trust that your star has been properly recorded.
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Additional Documents: Depending on the provider, you might receive items like a confirmation letter, a star dedication card, or detailed information about the constellation where your star is located.
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Framing and Presentation: Higher-end packages might include your certificate in a decorative frame or a premium presentation box, often included in premium star-naming gift sets. This can enhance the overall experience and make the package feel more special.
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Digital Access: Some companies offer digital versions of your star certificate and star map, which you can download or share online. This is a convenient option if you want to send your star-naming details as a gift.
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Extras and Upgrades: Certain providers offer optional extras, such as additional certificate copies, upgraded packaging, or the option to name a star in a specific constellation or even a binary star system. These add-ons usually come at an extra cost.
While every star-naming service offers a similar core product, the quality and experience can vary. Be sure to research what’s included in each package and choose a provider that meets your expectations for quality, presentation, support, and overall service.
Wrapping Up
We hope this comprehensive comparison helps you find and decide on the best place to buy a star. By now, you should be aware of all the key factors and considerations when choosing your service provider. All that’s left is to decide what matters most to you and select the option that suits you best. If you have any doubts, remember that you now have the tools to verify the information before making your decision.
Note: Some information may change over time. Please let us know if you come across any significant inconsistencies, so we can update this guide to help future readers!
Key Takeaways
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When buying a star, focus on quality and transparency. Choose a provider with clear, upfront pricing and high-quality products. Avoid those with hidden fees and unclear details.
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Verify the Star Registry: Ensure the company offers a verifiable star registry to record your named star.
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Check Reviews and Reputation: Research customer feedback on third-party sites like Trustpilot to gauge the company’s reliability and customer satisfaction.
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Evaluate Extras and Value: Look for added features like star maps, attractive packaging, and reasonable shipping costs to ensure good overall value.
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Avoid Untrustworthy Services: Be wary of companies with professional-looking but dubious websites. Opt for those with proven quality and transparent practices.
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Based on our evaluation, the best site for buying a star, offering excellent value for money, is labelstars.com.
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May 14, 2024
Star Registration-E-mail-Regular
The Digital Package is ideal for those short on time. Register a star’s name and receive all documents via email in under 15 minutes, ready to download and print at home!
Estimated Delivery:
