Comparison

ActiveCaptain® vs Hawaii Ocean Map

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

Hawaii Ocean Map

Explore detailed seafloor topography of the Hawaiian Islands with professional-grade bathymetry data. Access maps offline, tap for instant depth queries, save locations, and navigate to waypoints. Ideal for marine activities with full island coverage and no subscriptions.

Highlights
  • High-resolution bathymetry data
  • Offline map access
  • Instant depth queries
  • Save and navigate to waypoints
  • Record and export GPS tracks
  • Points of interest and fishing zones
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Hawaii Ocean Map brings professional-grade seafloor mapping to your iPhone and iPad. Explore the depths around the Hawaiian Islands with NOAA's high-resolution bathymetry data—all available offline, with no subscription required. PROFESSIONAL DEPTH DATA Access detailed ocean floor topography derived from NOAA's Continuously Updated Digital Elevation Model (CUDEM) at approximately 3-meter resolution. Find underwater features including reefs, ledges, channels, and drop-offs with precision. DEPTH CONTOUR LINES Toggle fathom lines at 40, 100, 200, 500, 750, 1,000, 1,500, and 2,000 fathoms, drawn and labeled on top of the color bathymetry. WORKS OFFLINE Download maps before you head out. Whether you're miles offshore or in areas with no cell coverage, your depth data is always available. Perfect for ocean adventures beyond the reach of cellular networks. INSTANT DEPTH QUERIES Tap anywhere on the map to instantly see the water depth at that location. Plan routes, identify fishing spots, or explore underwater terrain with a simple touch. SAVE LOCATIONS Mark and save your favorite spots with custom placemarks. Add names, notes, and organize your locations for quick reference on future trips. NAVIGATE TO WAYPOINTS Select any saved or imported placemark and get live bearing, distance, and a compass guiding you to your destination. Keep your eyes on the water while the app points the way. RECORD GPS TRACKS Capture your routes as you explore Hawaii's waters. Start, pause, and resume recording, then export your tracks as standard GPX files to share or analyze. Your tracks sync automatically across all your devices via iCloud. MAP LAYERS Toggle and explore ocean overlays from one dedicated page—depth contour lines, fishing restriction zones, ORMA ocean recreation areas, humpback whale sanctuary boundaries, submarine cables, and curated points of interest including harbors, boat ramps, FAD buoys, surf spots, dive spots, and lifeguard towers. Zoom directly to any layer on the map. IMPORT YOUR SPOTS Bring years of accumulated spots with you. Import KML, KMZ, and GPX files—exports from Google Earth, Navionics, Garmin, and most chartplotters and fishing apps—and each file becomes its own map layer of points, lines, and areas. Rename, show, or hide every layer, tap any feature for details, save any imported waypoint as a placemark of your own, and your imported layers sync across all your devices via iCloud. MEASURE DISTANCE & BEARING Use the built-in measurement tool to calculate distances between points on the map, with the heading and return bearing for your current leg — shown as true or magnetic to match your compass. Drag any point to fine-tune it, delete a single point, or undo the last one. Save any point — or every point at once — as placemarks, each with its depth filled in automatically. FULL ISLAND COVERAGE Complete bathymetry coverage for all major Hawaiian Islands—Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, and surrounding waters. NO SUBSCRIPTIONS One purchase, lifetime access. No recurring fees, no in-app purchases, no ads. Ideal for boaters, fishermen, divers, snorkelers, kayakers, and anyone who wants to understand what lies beneath Hawaii's beautiful waters. IMPORTANT: For informational and recreational purposes only. Not a marine navigation device. Always use official nautical charts and proper navigation equipment when on the water. Full terms at hawaiiocean.app/terms.

Screenshots

ActiveCaptain®4 screens
Hawaii Ocean Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ActiveCaptain® at Free against Hawaii Ocean Map's $9.99. ActiveCaptain® also leads on ratings volume (5.2K vs 5). Hawaii Ocean Map's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (100% vs 59%). On ads, chart position, device support and iOS requirement 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

ActiveCaptain® is free to download; Hawaii Ocean Map costs $9.99 up front. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Hawaii Ocean Map asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hawaii Ocean Map holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 59% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 100% of Hawaii Ocean Map's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, Hawaii Ocean Map every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
ActiveCaptain® versus Hawaii Ocean Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterActiveCaptain®Hawaii Ocean Map
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating4.0 (5.2K ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews59.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings5.2K — better5
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#29 — better#68
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.517.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarminJorma Rodieck

Customer experience

ActiveCaptain®

All ratings5,159 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative23.4%
Written reviews1,221 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral4.4%
Negative36.6%

Hawaii Ocean Map

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

Hawaii Ocean Map

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

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
None

Hawaii Ocean Map

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ActiveCaptain® free?
ActiveCaptain® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hawaii Ocean Map free?
Hawaii Ocean Map costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or Hawaii Ocean Map?
Hawaii Ocean Map is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while Hawaii Ocean Map averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do ActiveCaptain® or Hawaii Ocean Map have ads?
Neither ActiveCaptain® nor Hawaii Ocean Map shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or Hawaii Ocean Map?
ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and Hawaii Ocean Map every 3 days. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on October 22, 2026 and Hawaii Ocean Map on October 21, 2026.
Which is more popular, ActiveCaptain® or Hawaii Ocean Map?
ActiveCaptain® currently peaks at #29 in the App Store charts, and Hawaii Ocean Map at #68. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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