Cortex Onboard vs SEA.AI
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cortex Onboard
Configure and update your marine electronics, and monitor vital boat data remotely. Receive alerts, view AIS information, and manage anchor watch from your mobile device.
- Configure and update Cortex devices
- View AIS information and alerts
- Manage Anchor Watch remotely
- Monitor boat sensors and NMEA 2000 instruments
- View battery, pressure, and position data
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Cortex Onboard is free with your Cortex. Use it to configure your Cortex Hub and download updates to your Cortex devices with new features and improvements. You can also use Cortex Onboard to receive and manage alerts, view AIS information and instrument data anywhere on board your boat. View out-of-the-box sensors or NMEA 2000 networked instruments. - Setup is easy and free. - Use Cortex Onboard to configure and update your Cortex devices easily. - View AIS information and receive alerts on board direct to your device. - Manage Anchor Watch from the palm of your hand anywhere on board. - Use the Cortex Hub’s built-in sensors for battery level, barometric pressure and boat position. - Connect your Cortex Hub to NMEA 2000, or an external sensor, to add monitoring for wind, depth, bilge high water, temperature, shore power or security. - The Cortex Hub supports up to 10 WiFi devices (includes Handsets).
SEA.AI
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Increase your vigilance and improve your safety at sea with the SEA.AI application, the user interface of a marine optical system based on artificial vision. SEA.AI increases your vigilance and detects floating objects early, using thermal and optical cameras to catch even objects that escape conventional systems such as Radar or AIS, reducing the risk of a marine collision. Compatibility: SEA.AI Sentry, SEA.AI Watchkeeper, SEA.AI Brain, SEA.AI Offshore & Competition Disclaimer: This application is to be used as navigation assistance only. It is the sole responsibility of the captain and all crew members to comply with navigation rules and to ensure that all safety instructions and procedures comply with local regulations.
Screenshots
Verdict
Cortex Onboard and SEA.AI are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cortex Onboard | SEA.AI |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (12 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 55.6% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 12 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 22 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Garmin New Zealand Ltd | SEA.AI SAS |
In-app purchases
Cortex Onboard
No in-app purchases
SEA.AI
No in-app purchases







