# LuckGrib vs Pilot Charts

The clearest difference is review sentiment: LuckGrib at 93% against Pilot Charts's 33%. LuckGrib also leads on price (Free vs $5.99) and rating (4.9 vs 1.7). Pilot Charts's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

LuckGrib is free to download; Pilot Charts costs $5.99 up front. LuckGrib sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Pilot Charts asks for nothing beyond the download.

LuckGrib holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LuckGrib has 343 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of LuckGrib's written reviews are positive against 33% of Pilot Charts's.

LuckGrib ships an update every 2 months, Pilot Charts every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LuckGrib | Pilot Charts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $5.99 |
| Rating | **[4.9 (343 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luckgrib/id1318450117/reviews)** | [1.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-charts/id1616211846/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **343** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **92.7% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 173 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Craig McPheeters](https://appshunter.io/developer/590365129) | [Johannes Wagener](https://appshunter.io/developer/688814588) |

## What reviewers say

### LuckGrib

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/luckgrib/id1318450117)

This app provides advanced weather data visualization, downloading, and routing for sailors and weather enthusiasts. It offers access to a wide range of global and high-resolution weather and ocean models, with features for optimizing routes and analyzing complex weather parameters. Remote access via satellite is also supported.

**Highlights:** GRIB file reader, viewer, and downloader, Advanced weather routing and route analysis, Satellite data access, High-resolution global and regional weather models, Ocean current models, Detailed weather parameter analysis

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 14-day Trial | Free | one-time |
| 14 day trial of Offshore Data | Free | one-time |
| 14 day Weather Routing trial | Free | one-time |
| LuckGrib weather data access | $29.99 | one-time |
| Premium Offshore Data access | $59.99 | one-time |
| Weather Routing access | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent weather forecasting and routing
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly interface
- 💡 Wide range of weather models and data sources
- 🚢 Tailored for sailors and offshore navigation
- 💰 One-time purchase, no subscription fees

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with GRIB file downloads
- ⚠️ Steep learning curve for some features
- 🔍 Lack of support for some boat types (e.g., catamarans)

**Reported bugs**

- Reported issues with 'no wind data for start time'
- Occasional app crashes or freezes

**Requested features**

- Integration with boat instruments and data logging
- More advanced routing options and customization
- Improved support for regional weather models


### Pilot Charts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-charts/id1616211846)

Access historical wind and wave data for oceans worldwide, presented in monthly charts. Explore conditions for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, with additional regions available for free download.

**Highlights:** Monthly wind and wave condition charts, Oceanic data for Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans, Historical data from the last century, Free additional chart downloads, Preloaded North Atlantic chart

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LuckGrib free?

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

### Is Pilot Charts free?

Pilot Charts costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LuckGrib or Pilot Charts?

LuckGrib is rated higher. LuckGrib averages 4.9 out of 5 from 343 ratings, while Pilot Charts averages 1.7 from 3 ratings.

### Do LuckGrib or Pilot Charts have ads?

Neither LuckGrib nor Pilot Charts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LuckGrib or Pilot Charts?

LuckGrib ships an update every 2 months, and Pilot Charts every 23 months. Most recently, LuckGrib was updated on October 26, 2026 and Pilot Charts on October 27, 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.*