# Sail Buddy vs Argo Navigation

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.

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.

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.

Sail Buddy ships an update every 6 months, Argo Navigation every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Sail Buddy | Argo Navigation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sail-buddy/id1100095207/reviews) | **[4.9 (6.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/argo-navigation-boat-gps-map/id1463869636/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 14 | **6.2K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 84.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#91** |
| Size | 3 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Tim Herzog](https://appshunter.io/developer/1100095206) | [ARGO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1463869635) |

## What reviewers say

### Sail Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sail-buddy/id1100095207)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Argo Navigation

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/argo-navigation-boat-gps-map/id1463869636)

**Currently charting:** #91 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Canada Charts | $2.99 | per month |
| Argo Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Argo Canada Charts | $9.99 | per year |
| Argo Premium | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate navigation
- 💡 Helpful social features
- 🔋 Good battery life
- 🔒 Reliable app performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🗺️ Limited map coverage in some areas
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain locations

**Reported bugs**

- Login/account creation issues
- Slow map loading times

**Requested features**

- Improved offline map capabilities
- Integration with marine weather data
- Enhanced route planning tools


## Frequently asked 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 7, 2026.

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