# ActiveCaptain® vs PrimeAlert Responder

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ActiveCaptain® at 59% against PrimeAlert Responder's 0%. ActiveCaptain® also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.1) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 7). PrimeAlert Responder's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. PrimeAlert Responder asks for nothing beyond the download.

ActiveCaptain® holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 0% of PrimeAlert Responder's.

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, PrimeAlert Responder monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | PrimeAlert Responder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews)** | [1.1 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primealert-responder/id1188087098/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **59.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#59** | — |
| Size | 197 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Locution Systems](https://appshunter.io/developer/1188087097) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Grossing · Navigation, #176 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

This app connects your mobile device to compatible Garmin chartplotters, enabling wireless chart and map transfers, software updates, and route planning. It also provides access to a community of boaters for reviews and information on marinas and points of interest.

**Highlights:** Wireless chart and map transfer, Route and waypoint planning, ActiveCaptain Community for POI reviews, Chartplotter control via Helm feature, Easy software updates, OnDeck system monitoring, Garmin Quickdraw Community map sharing

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NSUS007R-U.S. East | $74.99 | per year |
| NSUS006R-U.S. South | $74.99 | per year |
| g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i | $99.99 | per year |
| NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada | $99.99 | per year |
| g4 Vision U.S. South | $129.99 | per year |
| g4 Vision U.S. East | $129.99 | per year |
| GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In | $149.99 | per year |
| U.S. LakeVü Detail Map | $59.99 | one-time |
| US+Great Lakes Detail Map | $99.99 | one-time |
| BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I | $99.99 | one-time |
| LUS100F - Download | $149.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. South | $149.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. East | $149.99 | one-time |
| VUS010R - Download | $174.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. & Canada | $199.99 | one-time |
| HXUS604X - Download | $219.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. East | $249.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. South | $249.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 💡 Useful for planning trips and managing waypoints
- 🚀 Convenient for updating software and charts
- 👍 Great app for Garmin users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔍 Limited chart and mapping functionality compared to competitors
- 🤔 Difficult to transfer data between devices
- 🤔 Confusing and not very intuitive user interface
- 💰 Expensive for the features provided

**Reported bugs**

- Charts and maps not loading properly
- Waypoints and routes not syncing correctly
- Constant prompts to purchase additional charts
- Compatibility issues with older Garmin devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to duplicate and edit existing routes
- Sync user data across multiple devices
- Improved chart detail and coverage
- Animated tides and currents
- Better integration with other navigation apps


### PrimeAlert Responder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/primealert-responder/id1188087098)

This app offers dispatch and mapping information with an intuitive swipe interface for easy navigation between dispatches. It provides one-touch driving directions and allows searching through past dispatches.

**Highlights:** At-a-glance dispatch information, Intuitive swipe interface, One-touch driving directions, Searchable prior dispatches, Mapping integration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Is PrimeAlert Responder free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or PrimeAlert Responder?

ActiveCaptain® is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while PrimeAlert Responder averages 1.1 from 7 ratings.

### Do ActiveCaptain® or PrimeAlert Responder have ads?

Neither ActiveCaptain® nor PrimeAlert Responder shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or PrimeAlert Responder?

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and PrimeAlert Responder monthly. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on November 1, 2026 and PrimeAlert Responder on October 26, 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.*