# ActiveCaptain® vs Anchor Plus

The clearest difference is price: ActiveCaptain® at Free against Anchor Plus's $1.99. ActiveCaptain® also leads on ratings volume (5.2K vs 7) and chart position (#28 vs #179). Anchor Plus's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 56%) and rating (4.7 vs 4.0). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

ActiveCaptain® is free to download; Anchor Plus costs $1.99 up front. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Anchor Plus asks for nothing beyond the download.

Anchor Plus holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. 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: 56% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Anchor Plus's.

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, Anchor Plus monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | Anchor Plus |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anchor-plus/id1496727384/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 56.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | #179 |
| Size | 196 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Roy Cadman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496724272) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Grossing · Navigation, #156 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


### Anchor Plus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anchor-plus/id1496727384)

**Currently charting:** #179 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides advanced anchor alarm functionality with features like Siri integration, Home Screen widgets, and Apple Watch control. It also includes weather forecasts, man overboard alerts, and a map view with drift history for enhanced safety and convenience while boating.

**Highlights:** Siri Shortcuts and voice commands, iOS14 Home Screen widgets, Apple Watch remote control, Email status updates and alarm alerts, Man Overboard (MOB) alerts, Map view with drift history, Current and 7-day weather forecast

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Is Anchor Plus free?

Anchor Plus costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or Anchor Plus?

Anchor Plus is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Anchor Plus averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do ActiveCaptain® or Anchor Plus have ads?

Neither ActiveCaptain® nor Anchor Plus shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or Anchor Plus?

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and Anchor Plus monthly. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on September 29, 2026 and Anchor Plus on September 20, 2026.

### Which is more popular, ActiveCaptain® or Anchor Plus?

ActiveCaptain® currently peaks at #28 in the App Store charts, and Anchor Plus at #179. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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