# Nearest Light vs Waterway Guide

The clearest difference is rating: Waterway Guide at 4.7 against Nearest Light's 3.7. Waterway Guide also leads on ratings volume (2.9K vs 6) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Nearest Light's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 43) and review sentiment (67% vs 51%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Waterway Guide sells 43 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Nearest Light asks for nothing beyond the download.

Waterway Guide holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Waterway Guide has 2.9K ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Nearest Light's written reviews are positive against 51% of Waterway Guide's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Nearest Light ships an update every 3 months, Waterway Guide every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Nearest Light | Waterway Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.7 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearest-light/id1393531030/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **2.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 51.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Clint O'Connor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381484045) | [Waterway Guide](https://appshunter.io/developer/958617198) |

## What reviewers say

### Nearest Light

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nearest-light/id1393531030)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Waterway Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976)

This app provides a comprehensive boating resource with a verified database of marinas, anchorages, and navigation alerts. Users can access real-time hazard information, plan trips with a digital handbook, and utilize detailed content optimized for mobile devices. Engage with a community of boaters through comments and reviews.

**Highlights:** Verified points of interest database, Real-time navigation alerts, Community comments and reviews, Skipper's Handbook for trip planning, Offline content access, Marina filtering by amenities

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (43)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chesapeake Bay Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.2 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.6 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.6 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Bridges & Locks | $4.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Cruising Guide | $4.99 | per year |
| Florida Keys Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Gulf IWW Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.10 | $4.99 | per year |
| Gulf IWW Ch.1 | $4.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW East Coast Inlets | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.12 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.7 | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.11 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.1 Ch.7 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.9 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.1 Ch.2 | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.1 | $14.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.8 | $14.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.6 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.13 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.10 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.12 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.3 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.11 | $14.99 | per year |
| Anchorages Along the ICW | $20.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Bound | $20.99 | per year |
| ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423 | $29.99 | per year |
| Northern Edition | $49.99 | per year |
| 1st Ed. Bahamas Land and Sea | $49.99 | per year |
| Chesapeake Bay Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Southern Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Florida Keys Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Volume 1 Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Volume 2 Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Cuba Edition | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent integration with Aqua Map
- 👍 Useful resource for boating
- 👍 Great information and details
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 👍 Invaluable for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🐛 Outdated information and images
- 🐛 Subscription and access issues

**Reported bugs**

- App not working with latest iOS version
- Subscription purchases not working properly
- Unable to access purchased content
- Frequent crashes and errors

**Requested features**

- Provide vertical bridge clearances
- Improve offline functionality
- Enhance search and filtering options
- Implement dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Nearest Light free?

Nearest Light is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Waterway Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Nearest Light or Waterway Guide?

Waterway Guide is rated higher. Nearest Light averages 3.7 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Waterway Guide averages 4.7 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Nearest Light or Waterway Guide have ads?

Neither Nearest Light nor Waterway Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Nearest Light or Waterway Guide?

Nearest Light ships an update every 3 months, and Waterway Guide every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nearest Light was updated on September 28, 2026 and Waterway Guide on October 18, 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.*