# ActiveCaptain® vs Anchor Buddy

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ActiveCaptain® at 56% against Anchor Buddy's 0%. ActiveCaptain® also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and ratings volume (5.2K vs 8). Anchor Buddy's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 18). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

ActiveCaptain® is free to download; Anchor Buddy costs $4.99 up front. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Anchor Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Anchor Buddy 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 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Anchor Buddy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | Anchor Buddy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[4.5 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anchor-buddy/id6472235533/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | **56.2% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | — |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#27** | — |
| Size | 196 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Universal Queue LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1577058225) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #27 Top Grossing · Navigation, #175 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 Buddy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/anchor-buddy/id6472235533)

This app helps boaters monitor their vessel's position and safety zone while anchored. It provides continuous background tracking and critical alerts for potential issues like anchor dragging or GPS inaccuracies.

**Highlights:** Anchor and safe zone radius definition, Continuous background monitoring, Critical alerts for dragging and GPS, GPS-based precision tracking, User-friendly interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, 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 Buddy free?

Anchor Buddy costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

Anchor Buddy is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Anchor Buddy averages 4.5 from 8 ratings.

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

Neither ActiveCaptain® nor Anchor Buddy shows ads.

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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.*