Skippers Log vs Ocean Tools
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Skippers Log
This app serves as a digital logbook for yachts, allowing users to record navigational data, weather observations, and trip details. It offers features like automatic log entries, map plotting, and fuel consumption tracking. A premium version unlocks advanced features and extended capabilities.
- Multiple ship and trip creation
- Daily navigational and weather recording
- Automatic log entries
- Trip plotting on maps
- Crew list management
- Fuel and consumption tracking
- Photo and weather forecast integration (Premium)
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Skippers Log is your digital logbook for your yacht. Everything you can do in a good old fashioned paper logbook you can do here: - Create multiple trips for multiple ships - Record daily navigational data and weather observations - Include navigational live data from a wireless NMEA server - Automatic log entries based on the specifications you make (course change, wind change, ...) - Plot your trip on Apple map or Navionics map (active Navionics subscription required) - Print your trip with maps as a PDF - Create crew lists and print them - AIS targets shown on map (data from AIS receiver required) - Synchronize between you devices through iCloud - Display various data fields from NMEA data as overlay on your map - Fuel, water, cooking gas and outboard fuel consumption can be recorded - Take and add pictures to any day in the logbook (Premium version only) - Automatic geotag your position like e.g. "1.6 nm NW of Cape Finisterre" - Automatic download GMDSS and DWD weather forecasts (Euriope only, premium only) - Handling daily checklist (premium only) The free version of this app is limited to 1 ship, 1 trip and 40 manual log entries. Enough for a one or two week charter trip. No NMEA data are processed in the free app. In app purchase for the premium version and a 14-day free trial of the premium version. Please note, that the app will principally run on WiFi only iPads, but it is quite limited on these devices. Even if you use NMEA as your location source, automatic logging and track recording will likely reliably only happen while the app is in the foreground. You can still do manual entries, of course. To unleash the full potential you need a device with a gps receiver. Icons by Icons8
Ocean Tools
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The electronic logbook for the skipper. The logbook is fully customisable and allows you to easily log events. With a fantastic light mode for daytime logging and the ingenious dark mode for night-time logging, you have your log under control at all times. The logbook is based on the two-phase model familiar from the paper form. First, the events are logged as they occur (on a notepad). At the end of the day, the collected log entries are then transferred to the logbook. This procedure has great advantages when keeping the logbook, especially on long voyages when a trip lasts several days. Almost everything about Ocean-Tools is unlimited, the number of logbooks, stages, log entries, crew, destinations and sails, to name just a few examples. This provides the best conditions for going on a long voyage. Ocean-Tools is also suitable for charter skippers who often change boats and crews. Try it out, it is currently the best logbook app for skippers on the market. We are working on making Ocean-Tools even better.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Skippers Log at Free against Ocean Tools's $39.99. Skippers Log also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). Ocean Tools's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). On ads and device support 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
Skippers Log is free to download; Ocean Tools costs $39.99 up front. Skippers Log sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Ocean Tools asks for nothing beyond the download.
Skippers Log ships an update every 5 weeks, Ocean Tools fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Skippers Log | Ocean Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $39.99 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 96 MB | 89 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Dieter Konz | Erwin Staedler |
In-app purchases
Skippers Log
- 14-day free trialFree
- Unlimited full version$9.99
Ocean Tools
No in-app purchases









