Comparison

Whale and Dolphin Tracker vs Binnacle School

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

Head to head
About

Whale and Dolphin Tracker

Record sightings of whales and dolphins worldwide. Contribute to global research by logging your observations with GPS data and photos. Help scientists understand marine wildlife distribution and environmental interactions.

Highlights
  • Log sightings in real-time
  • Built-in GPS logger
  • Upload photos with sightings
  • Access submitted data
  • View global sightings map
  • Contribute to citizen science
Read full description

Log sightings and identify species of commonly sighted whales and dolphins from any location around the world. Whale and Dolphin Tracker provides a platform where both professional scientists and members of the public can participate in research and conservation by contributing their marine wildlife sightings. By submitting your sightings you will add to a global database that will help researchers determine patterns of species distribution and how these species interact with their environment. Features: -Log sightings in real-time during your trip. -Use the built-in GPS logger to create a full GPS track of your trip. -Upload photos from your mobile device to submit with your sighting. -Maintain full access to your submitted data through your Whale and Dolphin Tracker account. -View global sightings submitted by all users on a live sightings map updated in real time. Contribute to research: -Crowdsourcing allows for a larger scope of data collection than what is possible for dedicated researchers to achieve. -Greater coverage in both time and space increases the likelihood of documenting rare and/or understudied marine wildlife. -Citizen science creates ocean stewards and leads to a greater awareness of marine wildlife. How to submit a sighting: - Use the app to record GPS location of any sightings of whales, dolphins, and other marine wildlife. - Help researchers account for survey effort by associating a track with each sighting. Simply start the GPS track when you depart land and stop the track upon your return. Complete GPS tracks enable calculations of sightings per distance and are valuable for research on distribution of marine animals. - Upload photos associated with your sightings directly from your mobile device. Photos will be used by researchers to confirm species identification and will be added to photo-identification databases, where applicable.

About

Binnacle School

Prepare for your U.S. Coast Guard captain's license exams with a structured, module-based study approach. Practice questions with detailed explanations and interactive drills to master navigation, seamanship, and more. Track student progress for classes or unlock all content with a premium subscription.

Highlights
  • Module-based exam preparation
  • Explanation on every question
  • Interactive drills for practical skills
  • Class management and student tracking
  • Progressive unlocking of study modules
  • Daily practice with built-in tutor
Features
Read full description

Binnacle School — USCG Captain's License Exam Prep Study for your U.S. Coast Guard captain's license the way the exam actually works: by module, at your own pace, with an explanation on every question. Whether you're going for an OUPV / Six-Pack, OUPV-Master, or a 100- or 200-Ton Master credential, Binnacle School breaks the written exam into the same categories the Coast Guard tests. WHAT YOU STUDY - Navigation Rules (COLREGS / Inland) — lights, shapes, sound signals, give-way and stand-on. The most heavily weighted module on every deck exam. - Navigation General — piloting, tides and currents, aids to navigation, dead reckoning. - Deck General — seamanship, ground tackle, stability, firefighting, vessel construction. - Chart Plotting — set and drift, course to steer, lines of position, fixing your position. - Meteorology and Safety, scaling up to Celestial Navigation and Radar for the 200-Ton exam. FREE TO START Three full modules — Rules of the Road, Safety, and Meteorology — are open to everyone, no account required. Get free daily practice with an explanation from the built-in tutor. PASS TO UNLOCK Clear a module (80% over 20+ questions) and the next one opens. Build toward your specific license target one category at a time, in the sequence the exam follows. INTERACTIVE TRAINERS Drill the visual, hands-on parts the way they're tested: navigation lights, knots, chart work, celestial sights, stability, maneuvering boards, and tides. CLASSES Teaching a license course? Create a class, share a join code, and track every student's accuracy, attempts, and activity from one roster. Open specific modules for your students as they're ready. GO PRO Unlock every module, remove daily limits, and get unlimited tutor explanations. Sign in with Apple, Google, or a one-time email code. Fair winds and a following sea.

Screenshots

Whale and Dolphin Tracker4 screens
Binnacle School4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Binnacle School at 5.0 against Whale and Dolphin Tracker's 2.5. Binnacle School also leads on update cadence (weekly vs monthly). Whale and Dolphin Tracker's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (24 vs 1). On price, ads 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. Binnacle School sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whale and Dolphin Tracker asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Binnacle School holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Whale and Dolphin Tracker has 24 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Whale and Dolphin Tracker ships an update monthly, Binnacle School weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Whale and Dolphin Tracker versus Binnacle School: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhale and Dolphin TrackerBinnacle School
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.5 (24 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPacific Whale FoundationJohn Thomas

In-app purchases

None

Whale and Dolphin Tracker

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Binnacle School

Subscriptions2
  • Binnacle School Premium$4.991 Month
  • Binnacle School Premium$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$79.99

Questions

Is Whale and Dolphin Tracker free?
Whale and Dolphin Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Binnacle School free?
Binnacle School is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Whale and Dolphin Tracker or Binnacle School?
Binnacle School is rated higher. Whale and Dolphin Tracker averages 2.5 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while Binnacle School averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Whale and Dolphin Tracker or Binnacle School have ads?
Neither Whale and Dolphin Tracker nor Binnacle School shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Whale and Dolphin Tracker or Binnacle School?
Whale and Dolphin Tracker ships an update monthly, and Binnacle School weekly. Most recently, Whale and Dolphin Tracker was updated on November 2, 2026 and Binnacle School on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons