# Kaptan vs SaltWx

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Kaptan at none against SaltWx's 5. Kaptan also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (weekly vs every 11 months). SaltWx's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SaltWx sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. Kaptan asks for nothing beyond the download.

Kaptan ships an update weekly, SaltWx every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Kaptan | SaltWx |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saltwx/id1521897621/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **4** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Think Design Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/504533501) | [Piedmont Solutions, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1521897623) |

## What reviewers say

### Kaptan

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaptan/id1053832760)

This app provides real-time and predicted sea conditions for the Malta-Sicily Channel. It utilizes HF radar, satellite data, and numerical models for accurate information.

**Highlights:** HF radar operational data, Satellite data integration, Numerical model predictions, Present sea conditions, Predicted sea conditions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SaltWx

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/saltwx/id1521897621)

This marine forecast app offers side-by-side comparisons of four leading weather models for enhanced accuracy. It provides hourly forecasts up to six days out, including ocean conditions like tides and sea surface temperature, along with trip planning tools.

**Highlights:** Four weather models side-by-side, Hourly forecasts up to 6 days, Ocean conditions (tides, SST, chlorophyll), Proprietary clutter-free basemap, Satellite overlays (SST, Chlorophyll, Currents), Trip planning tools (waypoints, distance measure)

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Yearly Subscriptions | $39.99 | per year |
| Start 1 Year Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Start 1 Year Subscription | $42.49 | per year |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | one-time |
| Yearly Subscription | $42.49 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Kaptan free?

Kaptan is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SaltWx free?

SaltWx is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Kaptan or SaltWx have ads?

SaltWx shows ads; Kaptan does not.

### Which is updated more often, Kaptan or SaltWx?

Kaptan ships an update weekly, and SaltWx every 11 months. Most recently, Kaptan was updated on September 28, 2026 and SaltWx on October 4, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*