Comparison

Sail Buddy vs Argo Navigation

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Sail Buddy

This app provides a clean, easy-to-read display for course, speed, and NMEA data, complementing other navigation tools. It supports various devices, including iPads in split-screen mode and Apple Watches for hands-free data access. Route tracking and export are also available.

Highlights
  • Large, readable course and speed display
  • NMEA data reception via WiFi
  • Route tracking and export (CSV, KML, GPX, GeoJSON)
  • Apple Watch integration for hands-free data
  • Split View support on iPads
  • Alarms for data loss and grounding
Features
Read full description

Sail Buddy is a light-weight app that displays course, speed and NMEA data in a fast, clean interface. This is not a "kitchen sink" application with lots of features you may or may not use. If you want a clean, easy-to-read data display to complement your navigation and weather apps, this might be the one for you. Also works very well on iPads and other tablets, including "split screen" mode so you can use other navigation apps side-by-side. And the Apple Watch lets you keep track of course, speed and essential data, hands free, no matter where you are on your boat! Sail Buddy receives NMEA data from external hardware via a WiFi connection. Your hardware must support WiFi or be connected to a multiplexer with WiFi support. Sail Buddy includes a "demo" mode that plays sample NMEA data if you just want to see how the app works without connecting to an NMEA network. Features: • Displays course and speed and NMEA data in a large, easily read display • Multi-view instrument dial option for wind, course, speed and satellite views • Support for TCP and UDP connections • Support for Sail Timer wind instrument™ and Sail Timer wind vane™ • Route tracking with full capture of GPS and NMEA data • Export routes in CSV, KML, GPX and GeoJSON • Alarms for lost data connections and potential groundings (if your hardware supports depth data) • Start and stop instruments and tracking with your Apple Watch • Full support for "dark mode" • Supports Split View on newer iPads (use Sail Buddy alongside your favorite navigation app)

About

Argo Navigation

This free marine navigation app provides NOAA charts, depth surveys, and points of interest for US waters. It allows users to plot routes, share locations, and access community-reported hazards. Premium features offer advanced routing, weather forecasts, and tide predictions.

Highlights
  • NOAA charts and USACE depth surveys
  • 500,000+ marinas, anchorages, and fuel docks
  • Community-reported hazards
  • Route plotting with ETA and fuel use
  • Live location sharing
  • Offline chart downloads
  • Marine weather and tides
Features
Read full description

Argo is a boat navigation app you can actually use for free. Not a trial. You get NOAA charts and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depth surveys for US waters, 500,000+ marinas, anchorages and fuel docks, hazards reported by other boaters, and routes you plot yourself, with ETA and fuel use. On your first trip, open the map to see how deep it is and read what other boaters say about the anchorage before you drop the hook. A hundred trips in, you're checking how old the Army Corps survey is before you run a shoaling inlet, or laying out a few route options and picking one underway. Think of Argo as the boating buddy who knows every good dock bar and never asks for gas money. FREE FOR EVERY BOATER Navigate • Up-to-date NOAA charts plus Army Corps (USACE) surveys you can filter by survey date • Shoal areas, dredged channels, restricted areas and recommended tracks on the coast and inland rivers • See your GPS position and speed on the chart • Search buoys, beacons, lights, wrecks and mile markers • Record your track and use Return to follow it back • Depth shading presets, including two built for bright sun glare Plan • Search 500,000+ places, from boat ramps and moorings to non-ethanol fuel and dock bars • Read reviews from boaters who've been there • Plot your own route on the map and see distance, ETA and fuel use • A trip log of everywhere you've been Connect • See other Argo boaters on the water and share your live location with family ashore • Join your boat club, marina or rally group • Share routes, places and trips, and post photos and video • Report hazards and see the ones other boaters have reported • Keep fishing spots private or share them with your group One account works on every phone and tablet you own, free. ARGO PREMIUM, WHEN YOU WANT MORE Smarter routes • Autoroute plans around shallow water, hazards and restricted areas based on your boat's draft, height and safety buffer • Run inside or outside, or set Autoroute to stay in the marked channel • Save several routes to your chart, start a track, and choose between them underway • Have a sailboat and a powerboat? Save both, each with its own draft and height Marine weather and tides • 7-day marine forecast: weather, wind, wave height and period, tides and currents • Wind, rain and lightning overlays on your chart • 6,000+ tide and current stations on your chart, with predictions as far ahead as you want • Tide variance right next to your depth gauge On the water • Offline charts download automatically around your location and home port, for when you lose signal • Connect over NMEA (Wi-Fi gateway) for depth, speed and heading from your electronics, plus AIS targets • Custom depth shading and contours, so shallow water and fishing drop-offs stand out • Distance, time, bearing and course to your next turn, always in view Logbook and planning tools • Import and export GPX routes and tracks between Argo and your chartplotter • Download a PDF trip report to document sea time toward your captain's license Coverage: US coastal waters, the ICW, inland lakes and rivers, Canada and the Caribbean. WHO'S BEHIND ARGO Argo is family-owned. Our founder, Captain Jeff, grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay. He built Argo so the local knowledge usually shared between friends at the dock is on the map for everyone. Many of our features started as boater requests. Send yours to support@argonav.io. Argo is a navigation aid. Always check official charts and conditions, and use your own judgment on the water. Plan. Navigate. Connect. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.argonav.io/privacy/

Screenshots

Sail Buddy4 screens
Argo Navigation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Argo Navigation at Free against Sail Buddy's $4.99. Argo Navigation also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 months). Sail Buddy's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Argo Navigation is free to download; Sail Buddy costs $4.99 up front. Argo Navigation sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Sail Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Argo Navigation holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Argo Navigation has 6.2K ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Sail Buddy's written reviews are positive against 85% of Argo Navigation's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sail Buddy ships an update every 6 months, Argo Navigation every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Sail Buddy versus Argo Navigation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSail BuddyArgo Navigation
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (14 ratings)4.9 (6.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better84.6% of reviews
Number of ratings146.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFreemium — better
Best chart rank—#92 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS16.415.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB139 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTim HerzogARGO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Customer experience

Sail Buddy

All ratings14 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Argo Navigation

All ratings6,206 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews221 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral2.3%
Negative13.1%

Bugs and requests

Sail Buddy

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Argo Navigation

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login/account creation issues
  • Slow map loading times

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improved offline map capabilities
  • Integration with marine weather data
  • Enhanced route planning tools

In-app purchases

None

Sail Buddy

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Argo Navigation

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Canada Charts14 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Argo Premium Monthly14 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Argo Canada Charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Argo Premium14 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Sail Buddy free?
Sail Buddy costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Argo Navigation free?
Argo Navigation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sail Buddy or Argo Navigation?
Argo Navigation is rated higher. Sail Buddy averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while Argo Navigation averages 4.9 from 6.2K ratings.
Do Sail Buddy or Argo Navigation have ads?
Neither Sail Buddy nor Argo Navigation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sail Buddy or Argo Navigation?
Sail Buddy ships an update every 6 months, and Argo Navigation every 4 days. Most recently, Sail Buddy was updated on November 2, 2026 and Argo Navigation on November 6, 2026.

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