# AV Assistant vs SeaDrive

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AV Assistant at none against SeaDrive's 3. AV Assistant also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 18.1). SeaDrive's advantage is ratings volume (248 vs 4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SeaDrive sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. AV Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

AV Assistant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SeaDrive has 248 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

AV Assistant ships an update every 2 months, SeaDrive fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | AV Assistant | SeaDrive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-assistant/id1381484046/reviews)** | [4.5 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seadrive-boat-navigation/id1497056662/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **248** |
| Positive reviews | — | 89.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 5 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 18.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Clint O'Connor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381484045) | [SeaDrive LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1497054442) |

## What reviewers say

### AV Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-assistant/id1381484046)

This app provides U.S. waters navigation information, displaying your location and details of surrounding aids like buoys and lights. It downloads weekly U.S. Coast Guard Light List data and includes relevant Local Notice for Mariners information. It also allows users to report discrepancies in navigation aids to the U.S. Coast Guard.

**Highlights:** Location-based aid display, U.S. Coast Guard Light List data, Local Notice for Mariners integration, Discrepancy reporting to USCG, Informational aid for U.S. waters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SeaDrive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seadrive-boat-navigation/id1497056662)

This marine navigation app offers offline charting, route planning, and tide/current predictions. It provides free US charts and integrates weather forecasts and points of interest like marinas. Share your live track with others for enhanced safety and communication on the water.

**Highlights:** Offline charting and navigation, Route building and navigation, Tide and current predictions, 5-day weather forecasts, Live track sharing, Points of Interest (marinas, boat ramps)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sea Drive Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Sea Drive Pro | $34.99 | per year |
| US Charts | Free | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AV Assistant free?

AV Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SeaDrive free?

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

### Which has better reviews, AV Assistant or SeaDrive?

AV Assistant is rated higher. AV Assistant averages 5.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while SeaDrive averages 4.5 from 248 ratings.

### Do AV Assistant or SeaDrive have ads?

Neither AV Assistant nor SeaDrive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AV Assistant or SeaDrive?

AV Assistant ships an update every 2 months, and SeaDrive fortnightly. Most recently, AV Assistant was updated on June 1, 2026 and SeaDrive on September 25, 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.*