Radar Plotting vs VMGPolar
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Radar Plotting
This app offers advanced radar plotting for maritime navigation. It allows users to calculate critical encounter data, plan maneuvers, and analyze complex scenarios with interactive visualizations. Designed for training and decision support, it aids in understanding vessel interactions.
- Kinematic calculations (CPA/TCPA, aspect)
- True and relative speed estimation
- Evasive maneuver planning with COLREG guidance
- Rescue and escape scenario planning
- Double-target analysis
- Current and drift estimation
- Interactive radar canvas with playback
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Radar Plotting provides advanced radar-plotting capabilities for iPhone and iPad. Compute CPA/TCPA, estimate true motion, plan evasive/rescue/escape manoeuvres, and analyse two-target encounters — all visualised on an interactive radar sheet. Highlights: - Precise kinematic calculations (CPA/TCPA, aspect, true & relative speed) - Evasive manoeuvres with COLREG guidance - Rescue & escape planning, including scenarios with faster vessels - Double-target handling - Current/drift estimation - Interactive canvas with adjustable scales and animated trajectory playback - Import/export via QR code and PDF report generation Safety note: This app is for training and decision support. It does not replace certified navigational equipment or official procedures. Always follow COLREG and local/company rules.
VMGPolar
Calculate sailing wind and boat speed with this tool. Input three values to determine the rest and log your data for export. It helps build and validate polar graphs for sailing performance.
- Sailing wind and boat speed calculation
- Input three values to calculate others
- Save data into a log
- Export log data
- Build and validate polar graphs
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Sailing wind and boat speed calculator. Enter 3 values to calculate the rest, then save the data into a log that can be exported later. The input fields are highlighted, with the least intensive highlight marking the next field to become a calculated value when a new input is entered. BSP = Boat Speed TWS = True Wind Speed TWA = True Wind Angle AWS = Apparent Wind Speed AWA = Apparent Wind Angle VMG = Velocity Made Good (calculated only) Save and export data to build and validate polar graphs.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: VMGPolar at 100% against Radar Plotting's 50%. VMGPolar also leads on price (Free vs $7.99) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 months). Radar Plotting's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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
VMGPolar is free to download; Radar Plotting costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Radar Plotting holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Radar Plotting's written reviews are positive against 100% of VMGPolar's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Radar Plotting ships an update every 5 months, VMGPolar fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Radar Plotting | VMGPolar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 17 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Giacomo Gabriele | Andrei Skobtsov |
Customer experience
Radar Plotting
VMGPolar
In-app purchases
Radar Plotting
No in-app purchases
VMGPolar
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Radar Plotting free?
Is VMGPolar free?
Which has better reviews, Radar Plotting or VMGPolar?
Do Radar Plotting or VMGPolar have ads?
Which is updated more often, Radar Plotting or VMGPolar?
Other comparisons
