Comparison

Big Arrow vs Visa Sailing

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

Head to head
About

Big Arrow

Navigate without cellular data using a large directional arrow. Set destinations on your iPhone and track them on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Features GPS accuracy indicators and notifications for nearby destinations.

Highlights
  • Large directional arrow for navigation
  • Offline GPS navigation
  • Apple Watch support
  • GPS accuracy indicator
  • Proximity notifications
  • Battery saving mode
  • Apple Maps extension
Read full description

Big Arrow is a simple navigation app designed to direct you towards your destination when you are unwilling or unable to use cellular data, when there is no road to follow, or when you simply want a big arrow to point you towards your destination. The eponymous big arrow will indicate the direction pointing towards your selected destination, depending on your current direction (for example, if you are moving directly towards your destination, the arrow will point upwards). Only on iPhone, enabling the magnetometer allows the arrow to point in the correct direction when standing still. New destinations are added on your iPhone, and you will be able to navigate back to them using your iPhone or Apple Watch GPS, using no cellular data. On Apple Watch Series 5 and above, the integrated magnetometer (compass) can also be used to improve the responsiveness of the arrow. GPS accuracy while navigating is indicated by a number of dots (top right). It is shown only when accuracy is suboptimal. • red (1 dot): low accuracy (error margin above 66 m or 72 yd). •• yellow (2 dots): medium accuracy (error margin below 66 m or 72 yd). ••• green (3 dots) / hidden: good accuracy (error margin below 16 m or 17 yd). The indicator should disappear shortly after the 3 dots are shown. On Apple Watch, it also supports a compass mode that will point you towards north.. Additional features: • Notifications to alert when you are nearby a destination, or about to reach it • Battery saving mode • Handoff from Watch to iPhone • Apple Maps extension to add destinations from Apple's Maps app

About

Visa Sailing

Features
Read full description

Visa Sailing helps you hold a steady course using sound, not sight. It is built to aid visually impaired sailors, turning your phone into a talking compass that keeps you on heading through every passage. Lock your target heading, then let Visa guide you. As your bow drifts, Visa speaks the deviation and plays clear audio cues so you can correct by ear and keep both hands on the helm. HEAR YOUR WAY Choose how Visa talks to you. Pick spoken announcements, simple tones, or both together. Drift to port sounds on one side and drift to starboard on the other, so the direction to correct is instantly clear. STAY ON COURSE Set a target heading with a single tap, or enter one by hand. Visa tells you when you are on course and warns you the moment you begin to wander, with faster cues as the deviation grows. BUILT FOR SCREEN READERS Every screen, button and value is designed to work with VoiceOver and TalkBack. Headings, live readings and status changes are announced clearly, with large high contrast text for visually impaired sailors. This is real accessibility, built in from the start, not added on at the end. ACCURATE HEADINGS Visa blends compass, motion and location sensors to give a stable heading even in a rolling sea. Boat calibration corrects for magnetic interference on your vessel, and your location is used to adjust for magnetic declination so your heading stays true. REVIEW YOUR JOURNEYS Visa saves a summary of each trip, including your target heading, your average deviation and how long you sailed, so you can look back on how each passage went. KEY FEATURES - Talking compass with a live spoken heading - Target heading lock with fine adjustment by one degree or ten degrees - Spoken deviation alerts in degrees, to port or starboard - Distinct audio tones for port and starboard drift - Three audio modes: speech, tones, or both - Full VoiceOver and TalkBack support on every screen - High contrast display with large, legible text - Sensor fusion for a steady heading in real conditions - Boat calibration for your own vessel - Magnetic declination correction from your location - Journey history with trip summaries - The screen stays awake while you are sailing Visa Sailing is an aid for visually impaired sailors, so you can sail with confidence and independence, guided by what you hear. Hold your course. Hear your way. Privacy Policy: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZDYCMcVNphTr9sCSfR7rHRsqg-vnmA2a/view?usp=sharing Terms of Use: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1gPjHi5sRi8-54-mpYkSbdZgeNQtogFzA/view?usp=sharing

Screenshots

Big Arrow4 screens
Visa Sailing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Big Arrow at 10.3 against Visa Sailing's 15.0. On price, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Big Arrow versus Visa Sailing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBig ArrowVisa Sailing
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (73 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings73 — better—
Update frequency—Every 2 months
Ads—No
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS10.3 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarco FilettiScottish Tech Army

In-app purchases

None

Big Arrow

No in-app purchases

None

Visa Sailing

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Big Arrow free?
Big Arrow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Visa Sailing free?
Visa Sailing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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