# Coastal Explorer vs Nautical Rules

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Nautical Rules at 100% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. Nautical Rules also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Coastal Explorer's advantage is ratings volume (16 vs 4) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, 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. Nautical Rules asks for nothing beyond the download.

Nautical Rules holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 16 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 11% of Coastal Explorer's written reviews are positive against 100% of Nautical Rules's.

Coastal Explorer ships an update every 2 weeks, Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Coastal Explorer | Nautical Rules |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nautical-rules/id6756220989/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **16** | 4 |
| 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 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 54 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) | [Joseph Kim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1855404156) |

## 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 |


### Nautical Rules

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nautical-rules/id6756220989)

Master USCG Navigation Rules with a comprehensive question bank and smart study features. Track your progress, practice for exams, and study offline to navigate with confidence.

**Highlights:** 1,200+ practice questions, Inland and International waters coverage, Detailed explanations, Customizable tests, Offline study capability, Progress tracking dashboard, Accuracy by rule statistics

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

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

### Is Nautical Rules free?

Nautical Rules is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Coastal Explorer or Nautical Rules?

Nautical Rules is rated higher. Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 out of 5 from 16 ratings, while Nautical Rules averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Coastal Explorer or Nautical Rules have ads?

Neither Coastal Explorer nor Nautical Rules shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Coastal Explorer or Nautical Rules?

Coastal Explorer ships an update every 2 weeks, and Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. Most recently, Coastal Explorer was updated on September 21, 2026 and Nautical Rules on October 6, 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.*