OpenWind vs NAVLITE
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
OpenWind
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.
- 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
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The OpenWind App is an extension for the OpenWind instrument, designed to receive all the Data measured during sail time, such as: - pitch/roll of the vessel - compass - true wind speed and direction - apparent wind speed and direction - course over ground - speed over ground The App also gives information about the battery level of the instrument and the strength of the bluetooth connection. The App only works after connecting to the OW instrument. UDP NMEA 0183 output sentences for AWA/AWS and TWA/TWS
NAVLITE
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NAVLITE is a clear, fast and beautiful coastal navigation app for boaters, sailors and kayakers. Built for the sea, it puts your position, heading and speed on a crisp marine chart so you always know where you are and where you are going. NAVIGATION Follow your live GPS position with course over ground (COG) and speed over ground (SOG). A heading vector shows where you are headed. Keep north up or rotate the chart to your heading. MARINE CHART A high definition vector chart powered by MapLibre and OpenStreetMap data, with the OpenSeaMap layer showing buoys, lights, beacons and harbours. Switch to Sentinel 2 satellite imagery to read the coastline and anchorages at a glance. Day and night modes protect your night vision. PLAN AND RECORD Create routes with waypoints and follow them leg by leg. Record your tracks, drop points of interest, and measure distance and bearing between any two points. SAFETY A man overboard mode marks a position with one tap and guides you back with bearing, distance and elapsed time. An anchor watch alarm warns you if your boat drifts beyond your chosen radius, even when your phone is locked. OFFLINE Download your sailing area, base chart and sea marks, and navigate with no network at all. Your data stays on your device. FREE AND PREMIUM NAVLITE is free, supported by occasional ads on some tools. Go premium to remove all ads. The chart, position sharing and man overboard mode are never interrupted. IMPORTANT NAVLITE is a recreational aid to navigation. It does not replace official nautical charts and publications. You remain solely responsible for your navigation and your safety at sea. Terms of Use (EULA): https://globalsarhub.com/navlite/cgu Privacy Policy: https://globalsarhub.com/navlite/confidentialite
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: OpenWind at none against NAVLITE's shown. OpenWind also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and device support (5 vs 3). On price, in-app purchases and iOS requirement 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
OpenWind ships an update fortnightly, NAVLITE every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | OpenWind | NAVLITE |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.1 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 52 MB | 69 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Liesenberg | Global SAR Hub |
In-app purchases
OpenWind
No in-app purchases
NAVLITE
No in-app purchases
