Comparison

Nearest Light vs Argo Navigation

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

Head to head
About

Nearest Light

This app provides U.S. water navigation information, displaying your location and details on nearby aids like buoys and lights. It downloads weekly U.S. Coast Guard Light List data and includes relevant Local Notice for Mariners information.

Highlights
  • Displays user location
  • Shows surrounding aids to navigation
  • Downloads weekly U.S. Coast Guard Light List
  • Includes Local Notice for Mariners
  • Supports multiple U.S. Coast Guard districts
Features
Read full description

Nearest Light is a informational aid for U.S. waters that shows your location and details on all surrounding aids to navigation (buoys, lights, etc) within your Area of Interest. The app downloads the weekly U.S. Coast Guard Light List for your district, and then shows the aids within your Area of Interest and their details. Any applicable Local Notice for Mariners information is also shown with the light data. Refer to the User Manual (url in Settings) for additional information. Districts: D1, D5, D7, D8, D8WR, D9, D11, D13, D14, D17 (ref: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=lightLists) Warning: Nearest Light, which provides Light List data, is not intended to be used in place of charts or Coast Pilots. Charts should be consulted for the location of all aids to navigation. It may be dangerous to use aids to navigation without reference to charts.

About

Argo Navigation

This app provides comprehensive navigation and planning tools for boaters, offering features like chart plotting, route planning, and weather forecasts. It aims to be user-friendly for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced cruisers, with a focus on safety and connectivity on the water.

Highlights
  • Web/Desktop planning with auto-sync
  • Autorouting for multi-stop trips
  • 7-day marine weather forecast
  • Unlimited nautical charts (NOAA/USEACE)
  • Record and save tracks
  • Real-time NMEA/AIS data
  • Location and route sharing with groups
Features
Read full description

Argo is a boat navigation app you can actually use for free. Not a trial. You get NOAA charts and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depth surveys for US waters, 500,000+ marinas, anchorages and fuel docks, hazards reported by other boaters, and routes you plot yourself, with ETA and fuel use. On your first trip, open the map to see how deep it is and read what other boaters say about the anchorage before you drop the hook. A hundred trips in, you're checking how old the Army Corps survey is before you run a shoaling inlet, or laying out a few route options and picking one underway. Think of Argo as the boating buddy who knows every good dock bar and never asks for gas money. FREE FOR EVERY BOATER Navigate • Up-to-date NOAA charts plus Army Corps (USACE) surveys you can filter by survey date • Shoal areas, dredged channels, restricted areas and recommended tracks on the coast and inland rivers • See your GPS position and speed on the chart • Search buoys, beacons, lights, wrecks and mile markers • Record your track and use Return to follow it back • Depth shading presets, including two built for bright sun glare Plan • Search 500,000+ places, from boat ramps and moorings to non-ethanol fuel and dock bars • Read reviews from boaters who've been there • Plot your own route on the map and see distance, ETA and fuel use • A trip log of everywhere you've been Connect • See other Argo boaters on the water and share your live location with family ashore • Join your boat club, marina or rally group • Share routes, places and trips, and post photos and video • Report hazards and see the ones other boaters have reported • Keep fishing spots private or share them with your group One account works on every phone and tablet you own, free. ARGO PREMIUM, WHEN YOU WANT MORE Smarter routes • Autoroute plans around shallow water, hazards and restricted areas based on your boat's draft, height and safety buffer • Run inside or outside, or set Autoroute to stay in the marked channel • Save several routes to your chart, start a track, and choose between them underway • Have a sailboat and a powerboat? Save both, each with its own draft and height Marine weather and tides • 7-day marine forecast: weather, wind, wave height and period, tides and currents • Wind, rain and lightning overlays on your chart • 6,000+ tide and current stations on your chart, with predictions as far ahead as you want • Tide variance right next to your depth gauge On the water • Offline charts download automatically around your location and home port, for when you lose signal • Connect over NMEA (Wi-Fi gateway) for depth, speed and heading from your electronics, plus AIS targets • Custom depth shading and contours, so shallow water and fishing drop-offs stand out • Distance, time, bearing and course to your next turn, always in view Logbook and planning tools • Import and export GPX routes and tracks between Argo and your chartplotter • Download a PDF trip report to document sea time toward your captain's license Coverage: US coastal waters, the ICW, inland lakes and rivers, Canada and the Caribbean. WHO'S BEHIND ARGO Argo is family-owned. Our founder, Captain Jeff, grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay. He built Argo so the local knowledge usually shared between friends at the dock is on the map for everyone. Many of our features started as boater requests. Send yours to support@argonav.io. Argo is a navigation aid. Always check official charts and conditions, and use your own judgment on the water. Plan. Navigate. Connect. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.argonav.io/privacy/

Screenshots

Nearest Light4 screens
Argo Navigation4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Argo Navigation at 4.9 against Nearest Light's 3.7. Argo Navigation also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (6.2K vs 6). Nearest Light's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). 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. Argo Navigation sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Nearest Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Argo Navigation holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Argo Navigation has 6.2K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Nearest Light's written reviews are positive against 84% of Argo Navigation's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nearest Light ships an update every 3 months, Argo Navigation every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Nearest Light versus Argo Navigation: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNearest LightArgo Navigation
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (6 ratings)4.9 (6.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews84.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings66.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#94 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB138 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperClint O'ConnorARGO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC

Customer experience

Nearest Light

All ratings6 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative33.3%

Argo Navigation

All ratings6,197 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.7%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews219 reviews
Positive84.5%
Neutral2.3%
Negative13.2%

Bugs and requests

Nearest Light

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Argo Navigation

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Login/account creation issues
  • Slow map loading times

Requested features

3 requests
  • Improved offline map capabilities
  • Integration with marine weather data
  • Enhanced route planning tools

In-app purchases

None

Nearest Light

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Argo Navigation

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly Canada Charts14 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Argo Premium Monthly14 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Argo Canada Charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Argo Premium14 Days trial$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Nearest Light free?
Nearest Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Argo Navigation free?
Argo Navigation is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Nearest Light or Argo Navigation?
Argo Navigation is rated higher. Nearest Light averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Argo Navigation averages 4.9 from 6.2K ratings.
Do Nearest Light or Argo Navigation have ads?
Neither Nearest Light nor Argo Navigation shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nearest Light or Argo Navigation?
Nearest Light ships an update every 3 months, and Argo Navigation every 4 days. Most recently, Nearest Light was updated on September 28, 2026 and Argo Navigation on October 19, 2026.

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