# Boat Beacon — user reviews > 183 indexed App Store user reviews of Boat Beacon by Pocket Mariner Ltd., rated 4.60/5 from 854 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 698 · 4★ 88 · 3★ 20 · 2★ 12 · 1★ 36 ## What do users think of Boat Beacon? Overall sentiment: neutral **Pros** - 👍 Works great - 🚀 Excellent app - 🔒 Fantastic app - 💡 Useful navigation aid - 👍 Handy app - 👍 Superb app - 👍 Great app - 👍 Awesome app - 👍 Excellent AIS tool - 👍 Best alternative to AIS **Cons** - 🐛 Crashes constantly - 🐛 Unreliable - 🐛 Doesn't work - 🐛 Useless - 🐛 Clunky UI - 🐛 Inaccurate data - 🐛 Limited coverage - 💰 Expensive for features - 🔋 High battery consumption **Commonly reported bugs** - Crashes when panning or changing settings - Phantom ships not disappearing - Inaccurate position data - Compatibility issues with older devices **Most requested features** - Add marine charts - Improve search functionality - Offline mode - Integrate with other navigation apps ## Newest reviews (12 of 183) ### 3/5 — Difficult to share on Navionics *2025-11-19, version 5.0.12* Spending hours trying to share/display info navionics. ### 4/5 — Works Great! *2025-09-17, version 5.0.11* Especially like the anchor alarm. I like that it now feeds AIS info into my Navionics Boating App ### 2/5 — Search problems *2025-03-07, version 5.0.9* Lately I’ve tried typing in a ship’s name and all that comes up are place names? No option to change to ship’s names. I’ve been here since it was in beta and paid a good fee to have the ability to track ships in the company that I worked for. Works great for the most part but why can’t I enter ship names anymore? ### 5/5 — Ace app *2024-05-15, version 5.0.3* Best thing for those onshore following tour progress and finding your sailing partners if you lose sight. ### 5/5 — Support *2024-03-10, version 5.0.3* Absolutely fantastic support as I set up the app again with my new phone. Now working really well again. I highly recommend this great App. ### 5/5 — gute Ergänzung, prima Support *2024-01-06* Auf Kleinbooten eine gute Ergänzung. Interessant ist die Möglichkeit (Abo notwendig), die AIS Daten via Wifi auf anderen Geräten und Apps (Navionics, OpenCPN …) nutzen zu können. Hatte bisher 2x sehr gute Erfahrung mit dem Support. ### 5/5 — Don’t leave the dock without this *2024-01-01, version 5.0.3* Sailing in SF Bay or anywhere you’re going to want this app ### 2/5 — Does Not Enter My Info I to AIs *2023-12-21, version 5.0.3* App does not enter my AIS I for into the AIS system ### 5/5 — Crew of the Watoosh Review *2023-11-18, version 5.0.1* We are enjoying the App as we cruise the Lessor Antilles. Recommend it to other Cruisers. ### 3/5 — Works well but….. *2023-09-07, version 5.0.1* This app generally works well, but there are big areas of my local region where there is no coverage at all. Other apps have much better coverage. ### 5/5 — Works Great! *2023-08-31, version 5.0.1* Especially like the anchor alarm. I like that it now feeds AIS info into my Navionics Boating App ### 5/5 — New user *2023-02-24, version 5.0* Loaded this app since the boat I am on doesn’t have a functioning AIS, and we are doing a night sail in Florida waters and was concerned about safe. It help with a near mis of a pleasure craft heading our way. Works great as long as you have cell service!!!! Maybe a next enhancement for the developers, a way to be functional when cell is not available. For costal it is a good lower cost option than a full transceiver AIS. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Confusing *2026-07-05, version 5.1.4* Not recommended ### 1/5 — Disappointed in Boat Beacon *2026-04-21, version 5.1* Did not show boats that appeared on a comparable app, such as Marine Traffic. Wish I could get a refund. ### 1/5 — Can’t find my family. *2025-08-26, version 5.0.11* I paid for app and I know where they are but it only came up once since last week when they left. It keeps telling me they are docked at home. ### 1/5 — Boat Beacon *2025-02-08, version 5.0.6* Useless does not work ### 1/5 — So tired of this not working *2024-07-12, version 5.0.3* Really can’t be relied upon to work which isn’t much use when you’re at Sea and you need it ### 1/5 — Boat name can not be entered *2024-04-21* Only 1 character possible: boat « Perle » can only be called « P » **Developer response:** Hi, you need to use all capital letters for boat name and destination ( this is the AIS Standard). All the best The PocketMariner crew ### 1/5 — Really buggy. *2024-03-03, version 5.0.3* Crashes constantly, expensive and unreliable. ### 1/5 — Can’t restore purchases *2023-05-18, version 5.0.1* No great ### 1/5 — Boat Beacon stürzt an *2023-02-21* Leider ist die Boat Beacon App nicht zu gebrauchen, da sie beim schließen und wieder öffnen abstürzt, zu mindestens auf meinem iPad. Auch lassen sich die Boote beziehungsweise Schiffe nicht in der Boating App anzeigen. Leider muss ich von dieser App abraten. **Developer response:** Hallo, es tut mir leid zu hören, dass Sie Probleme beim Ausführen von Boat Beacon auf Ihrem iPad haben. Können Sie uns bitte eine E-Mail an help@pocketmariner.com senden, damit wir Sie wieder einsatzbereit machen können? Beste grüße Die PocketMariner-Crew ### 1/5 — Will not open anymore; not happy about it since I paid for it! *2022-10-21, version 5.0* My Boat Beacon app will not open. It crashes EVERY TIME I try to open it. Please help, or provide an update patch for it. Thank you! ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Mr. *2026-08-10, version 5.1.5* Is it possible to get a trial subscription so so I can see how it works for me in my area Thanks Kurt ### 5/5 — Mr. *2026-06-22* Is it possible to get a trial subscription so so I can see how it works for me in my area Thanks Kurt **Developer response:** 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 ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-05-29, version 5.1.2* Works really well, means our friends and family can track us using and AIS app/website provided we have mobile signal. ### 5/5 — Amazing app *2026-05-16, version 5.1* Such a brilliant app for staying safe in a kayak around shipping. Using this down the Danube next week. Great helpful developers, too. ### 5/5 — To Support *2026-05-07* Steve is really responding very swift! Thank you **Developer response:** Thank you. Glad to help track your trans-Atlantic crossing. Fair winds and tides. Steve ### 5/5 — Tolle App *2025-08-13* Ich bin auf die Season 2020 gespannt. Schade das sie nur auf Englisch gibt, ich kann leider kein Englisch. ### 5/5 — Günstige Alternative zum Class-B-AIS *2025-07-27* Die app dient sowohl als AIS-out für das eigene Boot, als auch als Anzeige anderer „echter“ wie virtueller (BB) AIS Ziele (AIS-in), sofern man sich unter Abdeckung eines Funknetzes z.B. in Küstennähe bewegt. Somit ist es eine sehr günstige Alternative zu einem VHF-AIS. So ist man stets auf Vesselfinder und Co sichtbar. Toll ist auch der Support! **Developer response:** Vielen Dank für Ihre freundliche Bewertung von Boat Beacon und unserem Kundenservice. Gute Winde und gute Gezeiten Die PocketMariner-Crew ### 5/5 — so easy to use! *2025-07-17, version 5.0.10* Just got this app - great UX! ### 5/5 — Useless *2024-07-21* Find it useless **Developer response:** Hi Thom, We are very sorry to hear you think this. I wonder what is the problem? Can you please email us at help@pocketmariner.com so we can work out what is not working for you and improve things? Best regards The Pocket Mariner crew ### 5/5 — Great *2024-05-27, version 5.0.3* Great app ,it keep me aware , next I’ll upgrade --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-09.*