# ActiveCaptain® vs PezCA

The clearest difference is rating: PezCA at 5.0 against ActiveCaptain®'s 4.0. PezCA also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 18) and iOS requirement (16.6 vs 18.5). ActiveCaptain®'s advantage is ratings volume (5.2K vs 3) and chart position (#22 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, 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. PezCA asks for nothing beyond the download.

PezCA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, PezCA every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | PezCA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pezca/id1464581719/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 56.2% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | — |
| Size | 196 MB | 34 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **16.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Marina Marrari](https://appshunter.io/developer/1502462788) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Grossing · Navigation, #184 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


### PezCA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pezca/id1464581719)

This app provides near real-time oceanographic data for Central America, including sea surface temperature, currents, and tides. It also offers fishing information, local regulations, and weather event notifications, accessible even offline.

**Highlights:** Near real-time satellite data maps, Offline data access, Tide and moon phase forecasts, Fish species information, Local fishing regulations, Weather event notifications

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Is PezCA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or PezCA?

PezCA is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while PezCA averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do ActiveCaptain® or PezCA have ads?

Neither ActiveCaptain® nor PezCA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or PezCA?

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and PezCA every 6 weeks. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on October 13, 2026 and PezCA on September 24, 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.*