# ActiveCaptain® vs RampTracker

The clearest difference is review sentiment: RampTracker at 100% against ActiveCaptain®'s 56%. RampTracker also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 18). ActiveCaptain®'s advantage is ratings volume (5.2K vs 2) and chart position (#34 vs unranked). On price, ads 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. RampTracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

RampTracker 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 2, 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 RampTracker's.

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, RampTracker every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ActiveCaptain® | RampTracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ramptracker/id6756939566/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.2K** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 56.2% 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 | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 196 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) | [ALEJANDRO PALAU GONZALEZ](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863780921) |

## What reviewers say

### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Grossing · Navigation, #167 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


### RampTracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ramptracker/id6756939566)

Discover and check live conditions for over 36,000 public boat ramps across the US and Canada. Get GPS coordinates, directions, and facility details for every listing. Plan your trips with integrated tide, wind, and weather forecasts.

**Highlights:** Extensive boat ramp directory (36,000+ US/Canada), GPS coordinates and directions, Facility details, Tides, wind, and weather forecasts, Live community reports, Explore new launch locations

**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 RampTracker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or RampTracker?

RampTracker is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while RampTracker averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ActiveCaptain® or RampTracker have ads?

Neither ActiveCaptain® nor RampTracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or RampTracker?

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and RampTracker every 3 days. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on October 7, 2026 and RampTracker on September 30, 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.*