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Boat Beacon

Boat Beacon

AIS Marine Navigation

866 ratings
185 reviews
#51 in paid Navigation
⚽ Sports
🗺️ Navigation
$14.99
In-App Purchases

Details

  • Released
  • Updated

Features

Background Location Access

Developer

Pocket Mariner Ltd.
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Boat Beacon screenshot #1 for iPhone
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Boat Beacon screenshot #7 for iPhone
Boat Beacon screenshot #8 for iPhone
Boat Beacon screenshot #9 for iPhone
Boat Beacon screenshot #10 for iPhone
iphone
ipad
watch
🧾$4.99 - $12.99
In-App Purchase↘︎
📉no. 51
Charts↘︎
📌Ready
Reviews summary↘︎
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❓5 answered
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About

This marine navigation app provides real-time AIS data for collision avoidance and position sharing. It offers over-the-horizon warnings, background operation, and a user-friendly interface for boaters.

✓Collision warnings with CPA calculations
✓Real-time AIS ship tracking
✓Background operation for continuous alerts
✓Position sharing with other users
✓Augmented Reality view (IAP)
✓Man Overboard and Anchor Watch alarms (IAP)
Show original description

What users say

Summarized from real user reviews of Boat Beacon. Based on 866 reviews and a 4.6/5 average, it highlights the 10 positives and 9 negatives reviewers mention most about this Navigation app.

Positive things

  • 👍Works great
  • 🚀Excellent app
  • 🔒Fantastic app
  • 💡Useful navigation aid
  • 👍Handy app
  • 👍Superb app
  • 👍Great app
  • 👍Awesome app
  • 👍Excellent AIS tool
  • 👍Best alternative to AIS

Negative things

  • 🐛Crashes constantly
  • 🐛Unreliable
  • 🐛Doesn't work
  • 🐛Useless
  • 🐛Clunky UI
  • 🐛Inaccurate data
  • 🐛Limited coverage
  • 💰Expensive for features
  • 🔋High battery consumption
See all reviews
+1

What's New in Boat Beacon

5.1.6

September 16, 2026

Collision and Anchor alerts can now be set to fire Critical Alerts which bypass silence: They sound off even if your phone is muted or in Focus mode. (see new option in Advanced settings) Stability improvements

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Subscription plans

AIS Share

Share AIS with other Apps

$16.491 Year
How to cancel Boat Beacon subscription ⁉️
1

In-App Purchases

$7.99

Live View Upgrade

Adds a unique "Live View" to Boat Beacon... Spot a ship in the camera view and see its name, range and bearing instantly overlaid. When zoomed in on the Map view, other boats are drawn to scale and positions update in real-time.

More

Charts

Top Paid

📉 51-1

Navigation

This app dropped -1 position in Navigation chart.

Last updated on September 20, 2026.

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Mr.

Is it possible to get a trial subscription so so I can see how it works for me in my area
Thanks
Kurt
KULADEKULADE

Response from developer

Hi, thanks for your interest in BoatBeacon. You can get an idea of coverage for your area using our free BoatWatch app or email us your location and we can send you some screenshots Best regards The PocketMariner crew

Massive Energy Consumption

Cool app but needs massive energy. A full charged IPhone is down in approximately 1 hour
Hank123628Hank123628

Response from developer

Hi Hank, that doesn’t sound right. We get at least 4 to 5 hours or more. Can you please email us at help@pocketmariner.com to diagnose what is different in your situation Best regards The PocketMariner crew

Confusing

Not recommended
101 Tanya101 Tanya

Response from developer

Hi Tanya We are very sorry to hear you are confused by our app. Could you please email us at help@pocketmariner.com and let us know what you find confusing so we can try and help explain? There is a user guide in the app and also online here https://boatbeaconapp.com/ais/bb_userguide.php Best regards The PocketMariner crew

Nutzlos

Absolut nutzlos. Mein AIS sieht mehr als 10 Schiffe in unmittelbarer nähe. Die App sieht kein einziges. Mehrere Schiffe draussen auf See werden angezeigt aber die relevanten im Umkreis nicht.
Schade, rausgeworfenes Geld.
Gast_99Gast_99

Response from developer

Hallo, es tut uns sehr leid und wir sind überrascht, das zu hören. Unsere AIS-Echtzeitabdeckung gehört zu den besten der Branche. Bitte senden Sie uns eine E-Mail an help@pocketmariner.com, damit wir die Abdeckung für das Sie interessierende Gebiet überprüfen können. Herzliche Grüße Das PocketMariner-Team

Mr.

Is it possible to get a trial subscription so so I can see how it works for me in my area
Thanks
Kurt
KULADEKULADE

Response from developer

Hi, thanks for your interest in BoatBeacon. You can get an idea of coverage for your area using our free BoatWatch app or email us your location and we can send you some screenshots Best regards The PocketMariner crew

See 180 more reviews

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User experience

🐞

Reported Bugs

4 issues

Crashes when panning or changing settings

Bug

Phantom ships not disappearing

Bug

Inaccurate position data

Bug

Compatibility issues with older devices

Bug
✨

Requested Features

4 requests

Add marine charts

Feature

Improve search functionality

Feature

Offline mode

Feature

Integrate with other navigation apps

Feature

FAQ

What does Boat Beacon do?

Boat Beacon is an internet-based AIS receiver and transmitter for iPhones and iPads. It provides real-time ship tracking, collision warnings, and allows you to share your boat's position with others. It connects to a global network of AIS shore receivers to provide comprehensive coverage.

What are the key features of Boat Beacon?

Key features include over-the-horizon collision avoidance with continuous CPA calculations and alarms, real-time ship map view, navigation display, SART alarms, and Man Overboard/Anchor Watch alarms (available via in-app purchase). It also includes an Apple Watch app and Siri voice commands.

How much does Boat Beacon cost?

The base app is free, but it offers various in-app purchases (IAP) for additional features like LiveView augmented reality, AIS Sharing subscriptions, and marine raster charts. The AIS Sharing subscription has monthly and yearly options.

What are the compatibility requirements for Boat Beacon?

Boat Beacon is available for iPhone and iPad. It requires internet access to function, as it relies on cellular data access for most coastal areas. It also offers an Apple Watch app for extended functionality.

Who would benefit from using Boat Beacon?

Boat Beacon is ideal for any boater who wants to enhance their safety and situational awareness on the water. This includes recreational boaters, small boat users, participants in boat races, and those sailing in groups or flotillas who need to track other vessels and receive collision alerts.