# ActiveCaptain® vs Hawaii Ocean Map

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | Hawaii Ocean Map |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $9.99 |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hawaii-ocean-map/id6755807546/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 59.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#29** | #68 |
| Size | 196 MB | 19 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **17.6** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [Jorma Rodieck](https://appshunter.io/developer/1856490604) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #29 Top Grossing · Navigation, #169 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


### Hawaii Ocean Map

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hawaii-ocean-map/id6755807546)

**Currently charting:** #68 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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.

---

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