# OpenWind vs Coaster

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: OpenWind at none against Coaster's 1. OpenWind also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coaster sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per year. OpenWind asks for nothing beyond the download.

OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, Coaster every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | OpenWind | Coaster |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/openwind/id1214386697/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 19 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) | [Michael Mathieu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451289797) |

## 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


### Coaster

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coaster-coast-watcher/id6642650729)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium | $4.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is OpenWind free?

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

### Is Coaster free?

Coaster is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do OpenWind or Coaster have ads?

Coaster shows ads; OpenWind does not.

### Which is updated more often, OpenWind or Coaster?

OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, and Coaster every 2 months. Most recently, OpenWind was updated on September 21, 2026 and Coaster on September 23, 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.*