VesselView Mobile vs Argo Navigation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
VesselView Mobile
Monitor your Mercury Marine SmartCraft® engine data in real-time, track fuel consumption, and receive maintenance alerts. Connect wirelessly for full functionality or use basic tools like a speedometer and map without the module.
- Live engine data monitoring
- Fuel usage tracking
- Fault alerts and descriptions
- Maintenance reminders
- Speedometer tool
- Map with points of interest
- Location-tagged moment capture
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VesselView Mobile provides Mercury Marine SmartCraft® engine owners with the ability to view live engine data, monitor fuel usage, obtain detailed descriptions when a fault occurs and receive maintenance alerts when due. The full functionality of the app is available when used in conjunction with the Bluetooth Low Energy VesselView Mobile module. This app collects and shares your precise geolocation. When the app is open and connected to your vessel it requires a continuous connection and therefore may impact the battery life of your device. Without the module, users still have access to a speedometer tool, a map with POIs, the ability to capture moments with the location tagged, plus other useful features. Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile app also provides users with a Web-based account. Features: • View live SmartCraft® engine data : RPM, Battery Voltage, Engine Temperature, Engine Hours, Oil Temperature, Oil Pressure, Coolant Temperature, Sea Temperature and more! • Speed is determined from your device • Your Top Speed is captured so you can share with friends • Holeshot. A racing game that uses your device's GPS to see how soon you can get to 20mph or 30mph • Enter fuel on-board and the app tracks fuel usage • Average speed and fuel economy is calculated and used to estimate Distance to Empty and Time to Empty • Receive active fault alerts and corresponding descriptive fault information • Enter Maintenance records and get appropriate reminders in the future • See your location on a map with nearby Points of Interest • Capture Moments such as pictures or fish caught with a location tag • Use the timeline to review Moments or Maintenance • Weather and wind conditions updated periodically • Communicate wirelessly to your SmartCraft® engine through a Bluetooth Low Energy connection • Allows for normal phone operation – call, text, streaming music, search the web, etc. while connected to your Mercury Marine SmartCraft® engine ************ IMPORTANT INFORMATION ************************* • Mercury Marine’s VesselView Mobile app is free to install. The VesselView Mobile module can be purchased through Mercury Marine dealers or through a link inside the app. • The VesselView Mobile module works with SmartCraft® capable engines built since 2003 (40HP and up). One to four engines can be viewed simultaneously. • The VesselView Mobile module simply connects to a SmartCraft® connector located either at the helm or on the engine. • Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
Argo Navigation
This app provides comprehensive navigation and planning tools for boaters, offering features like chart plotting, route planning, and weather forecasts. It aims to be user-friendly for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced cruisers, with a focus on safety and connectivity on the water.
- Web/Desktop planning with auto-sync
- Autorouting for multi-stop trips
- 7-day marine weather forecast
- Unlimited nautical charts (NOAA/USEACE)
- Record and save tracks
- Real-time NMEA/AIS data
- Location and route sharing with groups
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Argo is a boat navigation app you can actually use for free. Not a trial. You get NOAA charts and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depth surveys for US waters, 500,000+ marinas, anchorages and fuel docks, hazards reported by other boaters, and routes you plot yourself, with ETA and fuel use. On your first trip, open the map to see how deep it is and read what other boaters say about the anchorage before you drop the hook. A hundred trips in, you're checking how old the Army Corps survey is before you run a shoaling inlet, or laying out a few route options and picking one underway. Think of Argo as the boating buddy who knows every good dock bar and never asks for gas money. FREE FOR EVERY BOATER Navigate • Up-to-date NOAA charts plus Army Corps (USACE) surveys you can filter by survey date • Shoal areas, dredged channels, restricted areas and recommended tracks on the coast and inland rivers • See your GPS position and speed on the chart • Search buoys, beacons, lights, wrecks and mile markers • Record your track and use Return to follow it back • Depth shading presets, including two built for bright sun glare Plan • Search 500,000+ places, from boat ramps and moorings to non-ethanol fuel and dock bars • Read reviews from boaters who've been there • Plot your own route on the map and see distance, ETA and fuel use • A trip log of everywhere you've been Connect • See other Argo boaters on the water and share your live location with family ashore • Join your boat club, marina or rally group • Share routes, places and trips, and post photos and video • Report hazards and see the ones other boaters have reported • Keep fishing spots private or share them with your group One account works on every phone and tablet you own, free. ARGO PREMIUM, WHEN YOU WANT MORE Smarter routes • Autoroute plans around shallow water, hazards and restricted areas based on your boat's draft, height and safety buffer • Run inside or outside, or set Autoroute to stay in the marked channel • Save several routes to your chart, start a track, and choose between them underway • Have a sailboat and a powerboat? Save both, each with its own draft and height Marine weather and tides • 7-day marine forecast: weather, wind, wave height and period, tides and currents • Wind, rain and lightning overlays on your chart • 6,000+ tide and current stations on your chart, with predictions as far ahead as you want • Tide variance right next to your depth gauge On the water • Offline charts download automatically around your location and home port, for when you lose signal • Connect over NMEA (Wi-Fi gateway) for depth, speed and heading from your electronics, plus AIS targets • Custom depth shading and contours, so shallow water and fishing drop-offs stand out • Distance, time, bearing and course to your next turn, always in view Logbook and planning tools • Import and export GPX routes and tracks between Argo and your chartplotter • Download a PDF trip report to document sea time toward your captain's license Coverage: US coastal waters, the ICW, inland lakes and rivers, Canada and the Caribbean. WHO'S BEHIND ARGO Argo is family-owned. Our founder, Captain Jeff, grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay. He built Argo so the local knowledge usually shared between friends at the dock is on the map for everyone. Many of our features started as boater requests. Send yours to support@argonav.io. Argo is a navigation aid. Always check official charts and conditions, and use your own judgment on the water. Plan. Navigate. Connect. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.argonav.io/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Argo Navigation at 4.9 against VesselView Mobile's 3.1. Argo Navigation also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 47%) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months). VesselView Mobile's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15.1). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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
Both are free to download. Argo Navigation sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. VesselView Mobile asks for nothing beyond the download.
Argo Navigation holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Argo Navigation has 6.2K ratings behind it against 146, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 47% of VesselView Mobile's written reviews are positive against 84% of Argo Navigation's.
VesselView Mobile ships an update every 3 months, Argo Navigation every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | VesselView Mobile | Argo Navigation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (146 ratings) | 4.9 (6.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 46.7% of reviews | 84.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 146 | 6.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #95 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mercury Marine LLC | ARGO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC |
Customer experience
VesselView Mobile
Argo Navigation
User reviews
VesselView Mobile
From 146 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 📊 Comprehensive engine data display
- 🎯 Easy setup and installation
- ⚡ Fast synchronization with module
- 🔧 Useful for maintenance tracking
- 💰 Cost-effective alternative to analog gauges
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent Bluetooth disconnection issues
- 📵 iOS compatibility problems (especially iOS 18)
- 🔌 Unreliable connection stability
- ❌ Limited engine data from expensive module
- 🎨 Basic, outdated interface design
Argo Navigation
From 6.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate navigation
- 💡 Helpful social features
- 🔋 Good battery life
- 🔒 Reliable app performance
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🗺️ Limited map coverage in some areas
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain locations
Bugs and requests
VesselView Mobile
Reported bugs
15 issues- App won't connect after iOS updates
- Bluetooth disconnects constantly
- App crashes on startup
- Touchpad unresponsive after iOS 18
- Freezes when opening or switching apps
Show 10 moreShow fewer
- Won't open on iPad despite working on iPhone
- Fuel consumption readings tripled after update
- Speedometer fluctuates randomly
- Language settings change unexpectedly
- Checklists revert to original after closing
- Device sync issues across multiple devices
- Connection drops when moving phone
- App won't accept password setup
- No data received from engine despite connection
- Fuel remaining calculations inaccurate
Requested features
20 requests- Landscape/portrait orientation support
- Trim and tilt angle display
- Dial/analog gauge options
- Apple Watch app integration
- Simulation mode for setup
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- Miles per gallon (MPG) on main screen
- Water pressure monitoring
- Rev limiter with alarm
- Troll control feature
- Engine performance history and analytics
- Individual hour tracking by RPM range
- Customizable gauge layouts
- Bluetooth auto-connect functionality
- Offline data storage and access
- User-defined maintenance categories
- Mixed metric/imperial unit support
- Oil pressure display
- Fuel level via Bluetooth (without SmartCraft harness)
- Screen rotation for charging
- Remote boat control capability
Argo Navigation
Reported bugs
2 issues- Login/account creation issues
- Slow map loading times
Requested features
3 requests- Improved offline map capabilities
- Integration with marine weather data
- Enhanced route planning tools
In-app purchases
VesselView Mobile
No in-app purchases
Argo Navigation
- Monthly Canada Charts14 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Argo Premium Monthly14 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Argo Canada Charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
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- Argo Premium14 Days trial$39.991 Year
Questions
Is VesselView Mobile free?
Is Argo Navigation free?
Which has better reviews, VesselView Mobile or Argo Navigation?
Do VesselView Mobile or Argo Navigation have ads?
Which is updated more often, VesselView Mobile or Argo Navigation?
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