Comparison

Tactiqs vs Pathfinder Sailing

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Tactiqs

This comprehensive boat performance system enhances race understanding and decision-making using real-time sensor data. It offers customizable displays for numerous metrics, post-race analysis, and integrated charting with weather forecasts. Supports both instrumented and smaller boats, with advanced features for foiling vessels.

Highlights
  • Real-time performance metrics
  • Post-race analysis tools
  • Sail usage tracking
  • Integrated chart viewer
  • Weather forecasts and routing
  • Augmented reality display integration
Features
Read full description

The Tactiqs® Performance System was designed by a team of sail boat racers and technologists from the US and Europe as the ultimate comprehensive boat performance system. It will substantially improve your understanding of the conditions and the race course, and help you make better decisions and win more races. The system utilizes your boat's sensor data via a wireless NMEA interface connected to the Tactiqs® application, allowing the crew to use any number of iOS devices as customizable displays for 52 different performance metrics. An additional data set is available for foiling boats to optimize your flight attitude and performance. Post-race analysis tools give you the details on your performance and let you review the race by numbers as well as track individual sail usage and cross-overs to make optimum use of your inventory. The integrated camera function allows you to take sail shape photos synchronized with your performance data for detailed analysis - photos taken with dual-camera iPhones are perspective-corrected for maximum accuracy in sail-shape analysis tools. For smaller boats without instruments the system uses the iOS devices' built-in sensors and basic wind input controls combined with smart tracking algorithms. The built-in chart viewer (iPad only) enables quick and easy planning and routing for offshore and coastal racing, including fully integrated weather forecasts and routing together with our partner Avalon Offshore. You can create course specific waypoints and exclusion zones to fine-tune your route, and visually edit the course directly in the map. If your boat is equipped with an AIS receiver you can see other vessels and their heading and speed on the chart. The system supports Navionics charts and raster format charts based on BSB versions 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and GeoTIFF. Navigation in the app is simple - swipe the left edge to switch between live race mode, race analysis mode, and setup mode, and the right edge to select a view within each mode. When in live race mode, swipe up and down to switch between performance data and start data, and between wind and course data. That's all you need to know. Additionally, the Tactiqs® system offers custom augmented reality displays in the form-factor of sun-glasses that provide you the key data right within your field of vision. These glasses are fully integrated with the iOS application and can replicate any metrics of choice. Race data such as course definitions, your sail inventory, and your boat's VPP data are synchronized with your iOS device for offline access during racing. Once you have raced with this level of understanding of the race track and your boat's performance in realtime you will never want to go back.

About

Pathfinder Sailing

Features
Read full description

The Pathfinder Sailing App for the iPhone and Apple Watch is the Ultimate App for Sailboat Racing. This app helps you get better starts, hit the wind shifts, and sail faster. Racing screens provide input on your starts, boat speed, wind shift management, and current trends—right on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Race replay and analysis allow you to view your race and performance details and compare your boat track over a Google map with other boats in your fleet using the Pathfinder app. Live Map shows your boat's location and track over several different map backgrounds, including NOAA charts where available. The Marks & Courses screen allows you to create marks, import gpx files for marks and courses, and drop marks on the Live Map. You can then navigate to them via the Navigate screen or Live Map. You can also select a free and provided NOAA current GRIB or a paid GRIB from another service such as Tidetech or Mercator. Two plans are offered: - Pathfinder Plus Plan with sailing instrument integration - Pathfinder Basic plan, which uses your iPhone's GPS Post-race virtual replay provides metrics analysis to improve your sailing performance. You must purchase a monthly or annual subscription to access this content and all race screens within the app after the 14-day free trial period. App features: - Race Timer with audible output to time your starts more effectively. Supports custom time countdown. - Start screens to nail your starts by precisely pinging your start line and tracking the Distance Below Line and your required Speed to Start. - Speed screen to compare your actual performance to polar target speeds and wind angles to get up to speed faster (Plus Plan) - Compare your real-time performance to your polars for real-time feedback on speed and wind angles (Plus Plan) - Visualize wind shift trends to understand the oscillations and better predict shifts (Plus Plan) - Understand the impact of tidal current on your boat and whether you are sailing into a different current with Live Map and NOAA current GRIB (all plans) - Record your races and replay them - Track your performance metrics after the race - Export race logs in JSON or Expedition format for offline analysis Free trial - If you subscribe to the Pathfinder Sailing app, your first 14 days are free. A paid subscription is required beyond the free trial period to access the content. You will be billed for the monthly or annual subscription at the end of the trial. Your subscription will automatically renew at the end of the subscription period. By using this app, you agree to the Pathfinder Sailing Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy at pathfindersailing.com EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Terms and Conditions: https://pathfindersailing.com/termsandconditions/ Privacy Policy: https://pathfindersailing.com/privacy/

Screenshots

Tactiqs4 screens
Pathfinder Sailing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tactiqs at none against Pathfinder Sailing's 3. Tactiqs also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Pathfinder Sailing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Tactiqs asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tactiqs ships an update weekly, Pathfinder Sailing every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Tactiqs versus Pathfinder Sailing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTactiqsPathfinder Sailing
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (19 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings19 — better—
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size186 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarine Ventures LLCPathfinder Sailing LLC

In-app purchases

None

Tactiqs

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Pathfinder Sailing

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Basic Subscription1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription1 Month trial$19.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription1 Month trial$190.001 Year

Questions

Is Tactiqs free?
Tactiqs is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pathfinder Sailing free?
Pathfinder Sailing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Tactiqs or Pathfinder Sailing have ads?
Neither Tactiqs nor Pathfinder Sailing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tactiqs or Pathfinder Sailing?
Tactiqs ships an update weekly, and Pathfinder Sailing every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tactiqs was updated on October 21, 2026 and Pathfinder Sailing on October 27, 2026.

Other comparisons