# OpenWind vs Helmsman's Kit

The clearest difference is price: OpenWind at Free against Helmsman's Kit's $1.99. OpenWind also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 7 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

OpenWind is free to download; Helmsman's Kit costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, Helmsman's Kit every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenWind | Helmsman's Kit |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openwind/id1214386697/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 52 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.1** | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Michael Liesenberg](https://appshunter.io/developer/1214386696) | [Dr. Harald Merkel](https://appshunter.io/developer/404381431) |

## What reviewers say

### OpenWind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openwind/id1214386697)

This application connects to a specialized instrument to display real-time sailing data, including vessel pitch and roll, compass readings, and wind speed and direction. It also provides insights into the instrument's battery level and Bluetooth connection strength. The app requires a connection to the OW instrument to function.

**Highlights:** Real-time sailing data display, Vessel pitch and roll monitoring, True and apparent wind data, Compass and course over ground, Instrument battery level, Bluetooth connection strength

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Helmsman's Kit

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/helmsmans-kit/id1220932986)

This navigation app provides essential yacht cockpit features, including a spherical compass, man-over-board alerts, and anchor watch. It offers offline charts, weather overlays, and marine instrument displays for a comprehensive sailing experience.

**Highlights:** Spherical compass display, Man-over-board button with direction/distance, Anchor watch with forwarding, Offline chart caching, Weather overlay (wind, waves, temp, pressure), Marine instruments display (position, heading, speed), Track export in GPX format

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenWind free?

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

### Is Helmsman's Kit free?

Helmsman's Kit costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do OpenWind or Helmsman's Kit have ads?

Neither OpenWind nor Helmsman's Kit shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, OpenWind or Helmsman's Kit?

OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, and Helmsman's Kit every 7 months. Most recently, OpenWind was updated on September 21, 2026 and Helmsman's Kit on September 20, 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.*