Sail Buddy vs SailTimer API™
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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)
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.
- Integrates with SailTimer Wind Instrument
- Delivers wind data to partner apps
- Crowdsourced wind maps
- Marine weather animations
- Supports chartplotter apps
- Real-time wind data
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Sail Buddy | SailTimer API™ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (14 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 4 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Tim Herzog | SailTimer Inc. |
Customer experience
Sail Buddy
SailTimer API™
In-app purchases
Sail Buddy
No in-app purchases
SailTimer API™
- 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
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- 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









