CBP ROAM vs PADI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CBP ROAM
This app allows pleasure boaters and eligible travelers arriving at remote locations to report their arrival online. It facilitates trip creation and may offer video inspections with a CBP Officer for eligible users.
- Online arrival reporting
- Create trip details
- Add travelers
- Specify mode of travel
- Report location
- Video inspection eligibility
- Push notifications for video chat
Read full descriptionHide full description
The official CBP ROAM App (formerly OARS) from U.S. Customs and Border Protection allows pleasure boaters and other eligible travelers who arrive at remote locations to report their arrival online. In addition to submitting a report of arrival, pleasure boaters who are not currently enrolled in a Trusted Traveler Program, Local Boater Option, or I-68 program who are currently required to report in person may be eligible for a video inspection. Disclaimer: This is a pilot version only for use in limited areas. Contact your local Port of Entry for guidance. Create a trip by adding travelers, your mode of travel, your location, and contact information. After you submit a trip, you may receive a push notification on your device to start a video chat with a CBP Officer to finish reporting your entry into the United States.
PADI
This app provides comprehensive scuba diving resources, allowing users to learn, log dives offline, verify certifications, and discover new adventures. Stay connected with the diving community and book your next underwater experience.
- Online and offline learning
- Offline dive logging
- Certification verification
- Inspiration from divers and pros
- Book diving adventures
Read full descriptionHide full description
The New PADI App Learn, log, stay inspired , and book your next adventure …all in one app. Learn Anywhere Both online and offline . The best scuba diving training materials in the world are available to you wherever your adventures take you. Log Your Dives Both online and offline. Capture every memory, as they happen, with or without internet access. Verify (certifications, credentials, and training dives) Quickly and easily verify training dives using your instructors QR Code and verify your status as a PADI diver using your eCards to help dive shops and PADI Pros provide the best service based on your level. Stay Inspired Follow PADI divers, instructors, dive shops, and AmbassaDivers to stay informed, inspired, and engaged with the world of Scuba Diving, Freediving, and Mermaiding. Book your next adventure Explore the best of what PADI professionals around the world in 180 countries have to offer and easily book your next adventure.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: PADI at 4.9 against CBP ROAM's 3.3. PADI also leads on review sentiment (55% vs 27%) and ratings volume (46K vs 125). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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.
PADI holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PADI has 46K ratings behind it against 125, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 27% of CBP ROAM's written reviews are positive against 55% of PADI's.
CBP ROAM ships an update every 3 weeks, PADI fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CBP ROAM | PADI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.3 (125 ratings) | 4.9 (46K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 26.5% of reviews | 54.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 125 | 46K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.2 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 231 MB | 200 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | US Customs and Border Protection | PADI Americas, Inc. |
Customer experience
CBP ROAM
PADI
User reviews
CBP ROAM
From 125 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Simplifies entry process
- 👍 Works well when functional
- 👍 Good for local boaters
- 👍 Video chat clearing works well
- 👍 Easy to use
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes frequently
- 🐛 App will not open
- 🐛 Login issues
- 🐛 Update issues
- 🐛 Not supported/removed from AppStore
PADI
From 46K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Convenient to have all dive info in one spot
- 🚀 Great for learning and revisiting hand signals
- 👍 Helpful for organizing PADI certifications
- 👍 Fantastic time for Discover Scuba Diving
- 👍 User friendly app for eStudy course
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buttons don't work, inconsistent functionality
- 🐛 Logbook doesn't work, can't log dives
- 🐛 eCards get deleted, can't access offline
- 💰 Expensive eCards, should be included
- 🐛 Dive log data gets lost or doesn't sync
Bugs and requests
CBP ROAM
Reported bugs
34 issues- App crashes after update
- App will not open
- App crashes within one second of opening
- App closes immediately after opening
- App not letting user login
Show 29 moreShow fewer
- App crashes when trying to enter a change of port of call
- One-time verification codes never worked
- Latest update fails to submit arrivals
- Update forces user to update, causing crash after login
- App keeps sending user to the same place despite logging in
- Waiting for agent for over two days
- App says waiting, cannot cancel or navigate
- Unable to report 'port of call'
- Port of call button missing
- Latest update dumps previously configured travelers and vessels
- No account info comes over when adding app to new device
- Updated version on App Store downloads incomplete or old version
- No copy-and-paste for phone numbers or other info
- No ability to change traveler info after initial edit
- Cannot paste existing passport photo
- Tedious manual entry of numbers
- Authentication failed on own phone, but works on others'
- Facial recognition takes multiple tries
- Stuck on login screen, does not advance to verification code
- Switching apps for PIN code results in blank screen on return
- App quits when editing or manually entering a traveler
- Cannot find support for security key setup
- Stuck in a loop requiring backup authentication setup
- Won't go past the accept button
- New update no longer works, fails to open
- App won't load
- Gets frozen on a screen
- Misspelled 'Received' on Video Chat info page
- App crashes when trip page is displayed
Requested features
11 requests- Add port of call button
- Allow letters in flight number
- Allow copy-paste for numbers
- Allow sharing travelers between users
- Add more instructions for numbers needed
Show 6 moreShow fewer
- Allow submission and approval prior to US waters entry
- Allow users to remain logged in
- Use fingerprint recognition for login
- Consider alternatives to Zoom for video calls
- Add Spanish language support (already present, but caused bugs)
- Invite users to TestFlight beta program
PADI
Reported bugs
6 issues- Account setup failed
- eCards don't download or display properly
- Dive log data disappears or doesn't save
- Inconsistent display of certifications
- Dive site search doesn't work
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- App gets stuck on loading screen
Requested features
6 requests- Allow mixing of metric and imperial units
- Customize order of certifications on home page
- Integrate with dive computers and upload profiles
- Add custom checklists, equipment tracking
- Integrate with Apple Wallet for eCards
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Offline mode with sync for dive logging
In-app purchases
CBP ROAM
No in-app purchases
PADI
No in-app purchases
