# Open Canal Map UK vs Brit Stops

The clearest difference is update cadence: Open Canal Map UK at weekly against Brit Stops's every 2 months. Open Canal Map UK also leads on review sentiment (59% vs 32%) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Brit Stops's advantage is rating (4.7 vs 4.4). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Open Canal Map UK sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Brit Stops sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $45.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Brit Stops holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 14 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 59% of Open Canal Map UK's written reviews are positive against 32% of Brit Stops's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Open Canal Map UK ships an update weekly, Brit Stops every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Open Canal Map UK | Brit Stops |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-canal-map-uk/id1380322683/reviews) | **[4.7 (14 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brit-stops/id1588268172/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **14** |
| Positive reviews | **59.3% of reviews** | 32.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 105 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Tom Sapey](https://appshunter.io/developer/1547266625) | [Harvest Hosts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1321631416) |

## What reviewers say

### Open Canal Map UK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/open-canal-map-uk/id1380322683)

Navigate the UK's waterways with a comprehensive map of canals and rivers. Discover points of interest like locks, services, and commercial amenities. Contribute to the community by adding new locations and keeping the map up-to-date.

**Highlights:** UK canal and river mapping, Points of interest (locks, bridges, services), User contributions and updates, Boater services (water, pumpouts), Commercial services for cruisers, Automatic map updates

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Adverts Permently | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Very useful for canal navigation
- 🗺️ Great interactive maps
- 💡 Rich with information
- 🆓 Free to use
- 🚀 Works well with GPS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😠 Ads are intrusive and polluting
- 🐛 Location not found after update
- ⚠️ Static info is outdated
- ❓ No mechanism to report errors
- ⏳ Lacks ETA feature

**Reported bugs**

- Location not found after update
- Tow path closure location incorrect
- Locks have disappeared from the Thames map
- App icon changed, graphics horrid
- Stopped working on iPad

**Requested features**

- Add ETA feature
- Include widths, depths, and air height of canals
- Option to change text size
- Option to switch off blurry Google map overlay
- Add map legends


### Brit Stops

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brit-stops/id1588268172)

Discover over 1500 free overnight stopover locations at independent farms, vineyards, and pubs for motorhomers. Filter by type, view photos and reviews, and find spots along your route. Your vehicle must meet self-contained motorhome requirements.

**Highlights:** 1500+ free stopover locations, Filter by location type and vehicle length, View member photos and reviews, Find stopovers along your route, Contact hosts for approval, Supports local businesses

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Brit Stops | $45.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great idea/concept
- 👍 Supports local businesses
- 👍 Good for meeting people
- 👍 Cheaper than campsites
- 👍 Useful for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 App is laggy and unresponsive
- 🐛 Pins don't open or are hard to open
- 🐛 Locations shown incorrectly on map
- 🐛 Auto-renewal without notice

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App crashes on map view
- App buffers and shows 'unauthenticated'
- App won't load on iPhone
- Pins don't open or are difficult to open

**Requested features**

- Option to search 'near me'
- Filter options (dog friendly, amenities, waste, water)
- Clearer indication of electrical hookups
- Ability to filter by utilities
- Bring back the book


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Open Canal Map UK free?

Open Canal Map UK is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Brit Stops free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Open Canal Map UK or Brit Stops?

Brit Stops is rated higher. Open Canal Map UK averages 4.4 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Brit Stops averages 4.7 from 14 ratings.

### Do Open Canal Map UK or Brit Stops have ads?

Neither Open Canal Map UK nor Brit Stops shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Open Canal Map UK or Brit Stops?

Open Canal Map UK ships an update weekly, and Brit Stops every 2 months. Most recently, Open Canal Map UK was updated on October 29, 2026 and Brit Stops on October 30, 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.*