Comparison

Sail Buddy vs SailTimer API™

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

SailTimer API™

This app bridges the gap between your SailTimer Wind Instrument and other navigation or performance apps. It also offers access to crowdsourced wind maps and marine weather animations through a subscription, enhancing your sailing experience with real-time wind data.

Highlights
  • Integrates with SailTimer Wind Instrument
  • Delivers wind data to partner apps
  • Crowdsourced wind maps
  • Marine weather animations
  • Supports chartplotter apps
  • Real-time wind data
Features
Read full description

This app allows you to use SailTimer products in other partner apps. First, if you have the wireless SailTimer Wind Instrument (www.SailTimerWind.com), this app can receive the transmissions and deliver them to other apps for viewing. Use this app with the the SailTimer™ chartplotter app, or with lots of other navigation, wind gauge or performance apps (https://wi-rb.com/apps/). But what if you want to see what the wind is doing up ahead, or around the next point? Then you need our crowdsourced wind maps and marine weather animations. You can get the low-cost subscription here, to view our marine weather animations in partner apps. We'll add a growing list of partner apps at https://SailTimer.boats App web page: https://wi-rb.com/api. If you have a question or feedback please email info@SailTimer.co - we’re here to help. If you are getting the app and like this wireless technology, please help out other sailors by letting them know with a quick rating on this version while you’re here.

Screenshots

Sail Buddy4 screens
SailTimer API™4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sail Buddy at 100% against SailTimer API™'s 0%. Sail Buddy also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and ratings volume (14 vs 1). SailTimer API™'s advantage is price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (5.0 vs 4.4). 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

SailTimer API™ is free to download; Sail Buddy costs $4.99 up front. SailTimer API™ sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Sail Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SailTimer API™ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sail Buddy has 14 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 100% of Sail Buddy's written reviews are positive against 0% of SailTimer API™'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, SailTimer API™ every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Sail Buddy versus SailTimer API™: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSail BuddySailTimer API™
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.4 (14 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings14 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTim HerzogSailTimer Inc.

Customer experience

Sail Buddy

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

SailTimer API™

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Sail Buddy

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

SailTimer API™

Subscriptions6
  • Crowdsourced Wind Maps - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • WNI Marine Weather - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • AI Forecasts - Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Crowdsourced Wind Maps - Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • WNI Marine Weather - Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • AI Forecasts - Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is Sail Buddy free?
Sail Buddy costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SailTimer API™ free?
SailTimer API™ is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sail Buddy or SailTimer API™?
SailTimer API™ is rated higher. Sail Buddy averages 4.4 out of 5 from 14 ratings, while SailTimer API™ averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Sail Buddy or SailTimer API™ have ads?
Neither Sail Buddy nor SailTimer API™ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sail Buddy or SailTimer API™?
Sail Buddy ships an update every 6 months, and SailTimer API™ every 4 weeks. Most recently, Sail Buddy was updated on September 22, 2026 and SailTimer API™ on August 19, 2026.

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