# ActiveCaptain® vs Pure Watercraft

The clearest difference is rating: Pure Watercraft at 4.5 against ActiveCaptain®'s 4.0. Pure Watercraft also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 18) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). ActiveCaptain®'s advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 2). On price 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. Pure Watercraft asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pure Watercraft holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, Pure Watercraft every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | Pure Watercraft |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-watercraft/id1504761118/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 59.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Best chart rank | **#42** | — |
| Size | 197 MB | 120 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Pure Watercraft, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1504761117) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #42 Top Grossing · Navigation, #179 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


### Pure Watercraft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pure-watercraft/id1504761118)

Monitor your Pure Outboard system, track past trips with detailed statistics, and manage settings via Bluetooth. Receive important software and firmware updates, and easily contact customer support.

**Highlights:** View trip history and statistics, Monitor charging status, Manage system settings, Receive software/firmware updates, Contact customer support, Bluetooth connectivity

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Is Pure Watercraft free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or Pure Watercraft?

Pure Watercraft is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Pure Watercraft averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do ActiveCaptain® or Pure Watercraft have ads?

Pure Watercraft shows ads; ActiveCaptain® does not.

### Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or Pure Watercraft?

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and Pure Watercraft every 3 weeks. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on October 29, 2026 and Pure Watercraft on October 21, 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.*