Comparison

ActiveCaptain® vs Simrad

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ActiveCaptain®

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
Read full description

The free ActiveCaptain app creates a powerful connection between your compatible mobile device and Garmin chartplotter, charts, maps and the boating community. Whether you use your Garmin products for cruising, fishing, sailing or diving, this all-in-one app will help you enjoy your time on the water. Just pair the app with your compatible chartplotter to wirelessly transfer and access charts and maps, software updates, routes, waypoints and helpful feedback from the ActiveCaptain Community. And, with the purchase of the OnDeck™ hub(1), you can track and monitor your boat from virtually anywhere. Please note that this app is intended for Garmin chartplotter owners and is not recommended for use as a stand-alone navigational app. FEATURES AVAILABLE: - ONECHART™: > New Garmin Navionics+™ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+™ cartography, featuring a Navionics® style appearance, advanced Auto Guidance+™ technology(2) and a one-year subscription to daily updates, is available now for North America and Europe, and coming soon to the rest of the world. Purchase our newest-generation charts or legacy BlueChart® g3 charts from your mobile device, and upload them to registered Garmin chartplotters on your vessel. You will get exceptional coverage, clarity and detail with charts that feature integrated Garmin and Navionics data and much more. Plus, the NOAA raster cartography(3) and premium features can be downloaded for free through the ActiveCaptain app. Visit Garmin.com/marinemaps. - PLAN A TRIP: Plan your trip, or e-scout a new fishing spot before you’re on the water. Then, transfer your data to your chartplotter where you can view your routes and waypoints. - USER DATA SYNC: Automatically back up and sync your data between your chartplotter and the ActiveCaptain app. - ACTIVECAPTAIN COMMUNITY: Join a community of boaters to get up-to-date feedback on marinas, boat ramps and other points of interest (POI). Check ratings, read reviews, and view pictures of POIs to make informed decisions on the water. Contribute your own POI, reviews and pictures from your compatible mobile device. - CONTROL YOUR CHARTPLOTTER: Using the built-in Helm™ feature, the ActiveCaptain app lets you view and control your compatible(4) chartplotter from your smartphone or tablet, even when someone else is at the helm(5). - EASY SOFTWARE UPDATES: Receive notifications about software updates from the app, and update your chartplotter wirelessly. - ONDECK HUB: Use the ActiveCaptain app to track, monitor and control any number of switches with the OnDeck system(1) from nearly anywhere. Door open? Bilge running? Peace of mind comes in the form of text alerts and updates. - GARMIN QUICKDRAWTM COMMUNITY: Download the latest 1’ HD contour maps shared by your fellow boaters, and sync with your chartplotter. You can also upload your own Quickdraw Contours map data. - SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Connect the app to your chartplotter, and turn on smart notifications(4) to see calls, text messages and more on the chartplotter display while your phone is somewhere safe and dry. FOOTNOTES 1)OnDeck hub sold separately and requires an active subscription plan 2)Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations 3)NOAA raster cartography cannot be viewed on echoMAP™ CHIRP and ECHOMAP™ Plus combos but can be viewed on mobile devices via the ActiveCaptain mobile app 4)Helm feature is not compatible with ECHOMAP series chartplotters 5)Check device compatibility on the ActiveCaptain app web page; visit https://www.garmin.com/c/marine/marine-apps/ End User License Agreement: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/marine-mobile-eula/

About

Simrad

This app provides boaters with detailed nautical charts, weather forecasts, and route planning tools. It offers GPS navigation, track recording, and points of interest, with premium features like offline maps and advanced charting available through subscription.

Highlights
  • Detailed nautical charts
  • Marine weather forecasts
  • Route planning with Autorouting™
  • GPS and track recording
  • Points of Interest database
  • Offline map downloads (Premium)
  • AIS & C-MAP Traffic (Premium)
Features
Read full description

With detailed charting powered by C-MAP®, weather and marine traffic information, route planning and GPS, it is the perfect aid to navigation for boaters, and is a must-have for water-lovers with Simrad on-board. The Simrad App Includes: - Activation and Registration of your Simrad Chartplotter - FREE C-MAP Chart Viewer - Autorouting™ – find the best route to your favourite places - Personal Waypoints - Track Recording - Thousands of pre-loaded Points of Interest, including relevant information about marinas, harbours, beaches, shops and much more - Marine Weather Forecast - Weather Along the Route - Weather Overlay - Chart Personalisation - Import & Export GPX Files – share your Routes, Tracks or Waypoints with friends - Measure Distance Tool Upgrade to Premium to unlock additional features, including: - Full GPS Functionality - Offline Map Downloads - REVEAL Shaded Relief - High-Resolution Bathymetry - Custom Depth Shading - AIS & C-MAP Traffic Try before you buy… Experience the Simrad App Premium for yourself, with a free 14-day trial (3-day trial in Denmark and Sweden). The Simrad App updates on a continuous basis to make sure you get the best experience and to bring you the most up-to-date maps and functionalities. Compatible with: GO5 XSE; GO7 XSR; GO9 XSE; GO12 XSE NSS Evo3; NSS Evo3S; NSX Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Links to Your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Privacy policy: https://appchart.simrad-yachting.com/privacy.html Terms of service: https://appchart.simrad-yachting.com/tos.html

Screenshots

ActiveCaptain®4 screens
Simrad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Simrad at 4.6 against ActiveCaptain®'s 4.0. Simrad also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). ActiveCaptain®'s advantage is review sentiment (57% vs 44%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year and Simrad sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Simrad holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 57% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 44% of Simrad's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, Simrad monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
ActiveCaptain® versus Simrad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterActiveCaptain®Simrad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (5K ratings)4.6 (2.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.5% of reviews — better43.7% of reviews
Number of ratings5K — better2.5K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#22 — better#53
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size195 MB168 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarminNavico Norway AS

Customer experience

ActiveCaptain®

All ratings5,011 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative23.4%
Written reviews890 reviews
Positive56.5%
Neutral4.6%
Negative38.9%

Simrad

All ratings2,513 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral1.5%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews316 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral6.0%
Negative50.3%

User reviews

ActiveCaptain®

From 5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Simrad

From 2.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great navigation
  • 🚀 Accurate charting
  • 🚀 Useful planning features
  • 🚀 Seamless integration with Simrad hardware
  • 👍 User-friendly interface

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • 🐛 Syncing issues with Simrad devices
  • 🐛 Unreliable offline maps
  • 🐛 Buggy and unstable
  • 👎 Poor customer support

Bugs and requests

ActiveCaptain®

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

Simrad

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Sync issues with Simrad chartplotters
  • Offline maps not working as expected
  • Coordinates not recognized properly
  • Routing issues and inaccurate routes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Import/export of routes and waypoints
  • More customization options
  • Better weather and tide data integration
  • Improved auto-routing capabilities
  • Support for more device types

In-app purchases

18 purchases

ActiveCaptain®

Subscriptions7
  • NSUS007R-U.S. East$74.991 Year
  • NSUS006R-U.S. South$74.991 Year
  • g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i$99.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada$99.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. South$129.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. East$129.991 Year
  • GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In$149.991 Year
One-time11
  • U.S. LakeVü Detail Map$59.99
  • US+Great Lakes Detail Map$99.99
  • BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I$99.99
Show 8 more
  • LUS100F - Download$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. South$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. East$149.99
  • VUS010R - Download$174.99
  • GN+ U.S. & Canada$199.99
  • HXUS604X - Download$219.99
  • GNV+ U.S. East$249.99
  • GNV+ U.S. South$249.99
10 purchases

Simrad

Subscriptions10
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Annual subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Region14 Days trial2 variants$18.491 Year
Show 7 more
  • Region14 Days trial2 variants$22.991 Year
  • North America14 Days trial$22.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Caribbean14 Days trial$31.991 Year
  • Region14 Days trial$32.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Atlantic Ocean14 Days trial$54.991 Year

Questions

Is ActiveCaptain® free?
ActiveCaptain® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Simrad free?
Simrad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or Simrad?
Simrad is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5K ratings, while Simrad averages 4.6 from 2.5K ratings.
Do ActiveCaptain® or Simrad have ads?
Neither ActiveCaptain® nor Simrad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or Simrad?
ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and Simrad monthly. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on September 26, 2026 and Simrad on September 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, ActiveCaptain® or Simrad?
ActiveCaptain® currently peaks at #22 in the App Store charts, and Simrad at #53. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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