# ActiveCaptain® vs Simrad

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.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | Simrad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[4.6 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simrad-companion-for-boaters/id1476822749/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5K** | 2.5K |
| Positive reviews | **56.5% of reviews** | 43.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#22** | #53 |
| Size | 195 MB | 168 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Navico Norway AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/842162153) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #22 Top Grossing · Navigation, #146 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


### Simrad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simrad-companion-for-boaters/id1476822749)

**Currently charting:** #53 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Annual Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Region | $18.49 | per year |
| Region | $22.99 | per year |
| North America | $22.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Caribbean | $31.99 | per year |
| Region | $32.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $49.99 | per year |
| Atlantic Ocean | $54.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

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


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*