# Coastal Explorer vs TZ First Mate

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TZ First Mate at 100% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. TZ First Mate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Coastal Explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (16 vs 3). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Coastal Explorer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. TZ First Mate asks for nothing beyond the download.

TZ First Mate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Coastal Explorer has 16 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of Coastal Explorer's written reviews are positive against 100% of TZ First Mate's.

Coastal Explorer ships an update every 2 weeks, TZ First Mate every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Coastal Explorer | TZ First Mate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tz-first-mate/id1498838385/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | 11.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 54 MB | 70 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) | [株式会社フルノソフテック](https://appshunter.io/developer/1015812767) |

## What reviewers say

### Coastal Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231)

Plan and log your cruises with detailed nautical charts and weather forecasts. Enhance your experience with a subscription for offline access, real-time navigation, and integration with marine electronics.

**Highlights:** View NOAA and USACE nautical charts, Create routes and waypoints, Cloud synchronization, ActiveCaptain points of interest, US Coast Pilot information, Marine weather forecasts, Tide and current predictions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


### TZ First Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tz-first-mate/id1498838385)

Easily log fishing catches and photos directly from your phone while on the water. Data syncs wirelessly to your compatible Furuno MFD and backs up to the cloud. Access MFD system details and report issues.

**Highlights:** Create catches and photos, Wireless synchronization to MFDs, Cloud backup of user objects, View MFD system details, Report issues via log

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

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

### Is TZ First Mate free?

TZ First Mate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Coastal Explorer or TZ First Mate?

TZ First Mate is rated higher. Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while TZ First Mate averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Coastal Explorer or TZ First Mate have ads?

Neither Coastal Explorer nor TZ First Mate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Coastal Explorer or TZ First Mate?

Coastal Explorer ships an update every 2 weeks, and TZ First Mate every 3 months. Most recently, Coastal Explorer was updated on September 21, 2026 and TZ First Mate on October 12, 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.*