Comparison

CourseSpeed vs Celestial Nav

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

Head to head
About

CourseSpeed

This navigation app provides real-time course, speed, and position data on a clear display. It offers turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts, map overlays, and the ability to save tracks and points of interest. Additional features include sunrise/sunset times, horizon distance calculation, and specialized functions for sailing and geocaching.

Highlights
  • Real-time course, speed, and position display
  • Turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts
  • Map view with track history and waypoints
  • Save and load track history and points of interest
  • GPX file export for computer viewing
  • Sunrise/sunset times and horizon distance calculator
  • Anchor watch and geocaching search functions
Read full description

App Summary: Although the CourseSpeed App was developed for boating, the App can be used anywhere, for example Boating, Hiking, Bike Riding, and Geocaching. The app was developed to conveniently have Course, Speed, and Position available on one screen in sufficiently large fields to be seen several feet away from the iPhone as well as to show the current position on a map. However, it also provides other views that perform the following, additional useful functions: 1. Allows the current position to be followed on any of three map types and, from the map, get Turn-by-turn navigation directions with voice prompts to anywhere. The current track history can be displayed along with user entered waypoints along the track line. Both the track history and waypoints can be saved to a history file. Saved history files can be loaded to the map later for reference. 2. Allows Point-Of-Interest map pins to be added to the map. These are also saved to a file and displayed whenever the App is started and are independent of the track history Waypoints. The Map Point-Of-Interest pins can be edited or deleted. 3. Saving track points in a GPS Exchange Format (GPX) file which can be moved to a computer. The GPX track may then be viewed on any mapping program/web site that reads GPX files. 4. For the current location, displays the times of sunrise and sunset as well as the current Sun azimuth and elevation for the current day, or any other day with user date input. 5. Provides a Horizon Distance Calculator that calculates the distance an observer can see for any height of an observer and any height of an object. 6. Provides the capability to add a Mark point on the Map to which Speed-Made-Good and bearing is displayed. (Useful for sailors, geocachers, hikers) 7. Provides a Speed-Made-Good-To-Windward indication for sailers. 8. Provides an "Anchor Watch" function for boaters to determine if their anchor is "dragging". 9. Provides a Geocaching search function to use a user entered "Mark" as a geocache location. 10. Allows the management of track history files, and GPX files; i.e. renaming or deleting them. 11. Allows the following settings to be saved automatically whenever the user changes them. The settings are selectable from either the "Settings" view or other views. All are saved to a file on the iPhone and restored when the App is restarted: 1 Speed smoothing enabled 2 Course smoothing enabled 3 Course smoothing type 4 Use fractional speeds when speed less than 10 enabled 5 Enabling the recording of a GPX format track file. 6 Latitude/Longitude display format 7 Elevation Display Mode 8 Course display format 9 Speed display format 10 Map type 11 Horizon Distance units 12 Enabling/disabling Speed-Made-Good function 13 Wind Direction 14 Anchor Distance The CourseSpeed iPhone App supports Apple's "Light" and "Dark" modes. The CourseSpeedWatch App is also available for use with a paired iPhone running the CourseSpeed App. The CourseSpeedWatch App functionality is a subset of the iPhone App functionality and contains only data fields and buttons but no mapping capability. The following data fields/buttons are visible on a single, scrolling, screen: 1 Position (Latitude & Longitude) 2 GPS receiver Accuracy (Horizontal & Vertical) 3 Course 4 Speed 5 Altitude 6 Trip 1 Odometer value 7 Trip 1 Odometer Start/Pause/Resume button 8 Trip 1 Odometer Reset button 9 Trip 2 Odometer value 10 Trip 2 Odometer Start/Pause/Resume button 11 Trip 2 Odometer Reset button 12 Distance to a user entered Mark 13 Bearing to a user entered Mark 14 Start/Stop/Clear track button 15 Save track button 16 Current track distance 17 Sunrise time 18 Sunset time The CourseSpeedWatch App supports one watch face "complication" called "Sun Rise/Set". A detailed description of all the functions and options is available from the App's "About" page and also on the web at santuit-sw.weebly.com (Then click on the CourseSpeed App and CourseSpeedWatch App)

About

Celestial Nav

This app provides tools for celestial navigation, offering computations for celestial bodies and sight reductions. It includes an offline perpetual almanac and allows for quick capture of observation data for accurate course adjustments.

Highlights
  • Celestial navigational computations
  • Offline perpetual almanac
  • Quick celestial observation data capture
  • High accuracy sight reductions
  • Sight planning and reduction tools
  • Celestial fix computations
Features
Read full description

We believe celestial navigation is an amazing skill and develop Celestial Nav to offer a simple, yet powerful and all encompassing app for our users. Celestial Nav is an easy to use, all-in-one tool which offers: • Celestial navigational computations for your device • Simple toolbar menu for quick access • Internally stored perpetual Almanac • Offline ready and functional without the need for other external tools • Quick and easy capture celestial observation data • High accuracy sight reductions • Star reference tables SIGHT PLANNING • Local Hour Angle (LHA) for Aries • Star tables sorted by name, magnitude, declination, and SHA • Sunrise, sunset, twilight, and location reference • Moon phase reference SIGHT REDUCTION • High accuracy sight reduction algorithm • Perpetual Almanac offering accurate data for years 1600 - 3000 • Almanac data for Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn • Detailed Almanac data for 58 navigational stars • Assumed Position (AP) for any user defined position • Line of Position (LOP) intercept data for accurate course and speed adjustments • Computational variables displayed for accuracy and validation CELESTIAL FIX • Computations by USNO algorithm in the Nautical Almanac • Save all your LOP in an easy reference table BASIC VERSION Free daytime celestial navigation tools using the sun: • Unlimited sextant sight reduction calculations • Sight reduction to a line of position using the sun • Perpetual almanac for the sun • Advanced sight corrections for index error, eye height, temperature, and pressure • Support for upper and lower limb reference • Star Table with navigational references • Detailed Sun references • Limited Moon references PRO FEATURES (IN-APP PURCHASE) Advanced Day & Night Celestial Navigation includes all BASIC features plus: • Almanac data for 65 navigational bodies for years 1600 through 3000 • Map display for saved LOPs • View intercepts with course and speed corrections • Metric and imperial unit support with automatic conversions • Support for coordinate entries in different formats (H° M’ S” or Decimals) • Save all your LOP calculations for future reference • Save user preferences and settings • Unrestricted moon references • Almanac and algorithmic models for 65 navigational bodies: • Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn • 58 navigational stars Supported stars: Acamar, Achernar, Acrux, Adhara, Aldebaran, Alioth, Alkaid, Alnair, Alnilam, Alphard, Alphecca, Alpheratz, Altair, Ankaa, Antares, Arcturus, Atria, Avior, Bellatrix, Betelgeuse, Canopus, Capella, Deneb, Denebola, Diphda, Dubhe, Elnath, Eltanin, Enif, Fomalhaut, Gacrux, Gienah, Hadar, Hamal, Kaus Australis, Kochab, Markab, Menkar, Menkent, Miaplacidus, Mirfak, Nunki, Peacock, Polaris, Pollux, Procyon, Rasalhague, Regulus, Rigel, Rigil Kent., Sabik, Schedar, Shaula, Sirius, Spica, Suhail, Vega, Zubengenubi REFERENCES Sight reductions and celestial calculations use various internationally accepted references for the most accurate results: • Jean Meeus - Astronomical Algorithms • US Naval Observatory (USNO) Almanac and Algorithms • Hipparcos New Astrometric Catalog, Published 2007 • ELP2000-85 SUBSCRIPTION TERMS Celestial Nav is free to download and the basic features free to use. A paid upgrade to the PRO version provides access to premium features and additional tools. We may offer trial subscriptions that give limited time access to all PRO features and premium content for the duration of the trial period. Trial subscriptions automatically expire and the app will revert back to the Basic version thereafter. No data is lost but access and use of premium features will no longer be available.

Screenshots

CourseSpeed4 screens
Celestial Nav4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: CourseSpeed at 5.0 against Celestial Nav's 4.3. CourseSpeed also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). Celestial Nav's advantage is ratings volume (10 vs 2). On price, update cadence, 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. Celestial Nav sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. CourseSpeed asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CourseSpeed holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Celestial Nav has 10 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

CourseSpeed ships an update every 4 weeks, Celestial Nav every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 13, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
CourseSpeed versus Celestial Nav: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCourseSpeedCelestial Nav
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.3 (10 ratings)
Positive reviews—58.3% of reviews
Number of ratings210 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid JenningsSkytip LLC

Customer experience

CourseSpeed

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Celestial Nav

All ratings10 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral10.0%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral8.3%
Negative33.3%

In-app purchases

None

CourseSpeed

No in-app purchases

6 purchases

Celestial Nav

Subscriptions3
  • PRO Version$1.991 Month
  • PRO Version$7.996 Months
  • PRO Version$9.991 Year
One-time3
  • 7 Day Trial License$0.99
  • 30 Day Trial License$2.99
  • PRO Version Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is CourseSpeed free?
CourseSpeed is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Celestial Nav free?
Celestial Nav is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, CourseSpeed or Celestial Nav?
CourseSpeed is rated higher. CourseSpeed averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Celestial Nav averages 4.3 from 10 ratings.
Do CourseSpeed or Celestial Nav have ads?
Neither CourseSpeed nor Celestial Nav shows ads.
Which is updated more often, CourseSpeed or Celestial Nav?
CourseSpeed ships an update every 4 weeks, and Celestial Nav every 3 weeks. Most recently, CourseSpeed was updated on September 15, 2026 and Celestial Nav on September 13, 2026.

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