# TZ First Mate vs Waterway Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: TZ First Mate at 100% against Waterway Guide's 52%. TZ First Mate also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 43) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Waterway Guide's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 3) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Waterway Guide sells 43 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. TZ First Mate asks for nothing beyond the download.

TZ First Mate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Waterway Guide has 2.9K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of TZ First Mate's written reviews are positive against 52% of Waterway Guide's.

TZ First Mate ships an update every 3 months, Waterway Guide every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TZ First Mate | Waterway Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tz-first-mate/id1498838385/reviews)** | [4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **2.9K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 52.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 70 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [株式会社フルノソフテック](https://appshunter.io/developer/1015812767) | [Waterway Guide](https://appshunter.io/developer/958617198) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Waterway Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976)

This app provides a comprehensive boating resource with a verified database of marinas, anchorages, and navigation alerts. Users can access real-time hazard information, plan trips with a digital handbook, and utilize detailed content optimized for mobile devices. Engage with a community of boaters through comments and reviews.

**Highlights:** Verified points of interest database, Real-time navigation alerts, Community comments and reviews, Skipper's Handbook for trip planning, Offline content access, Marina filtering by amenities

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (43)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chesapeake Bay Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.2 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.6 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.6 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Bridges & Locks | $4.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Cruising Guide | $4.99 | per year |
| Florida Keys Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Gulf IWW Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.10 | $4.99 | per year |
| Gulf IWW Ch.1 | $4.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.4 | $4.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Ch.3 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW East Coast Inlets | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.12 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.7 | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.11 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.1 Ch.7 | $4.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Ch.9 | $4.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.1 Ch.2 | $4.99 | per year |
| Northern Ch.1 | $14.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.8 | $14.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.6 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.13 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.10 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.12 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.3 | $14.99 | per year |
| Southern Ch.11 | $14.99 | per year |
| Anchorages Along the ICW | $20.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Bound | $20.99 | per year |
| ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423 | $29.99 | per year |
| Northern Edition | $49.99 | per year |
| 1st Ed. Bahamas Land and Sea | $49.99 | per year |
| Chesapeake Bay Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Southern Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Bahamas Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Florida Keys Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Volume 1 Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Great Lakes Volume 2 Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Cuba Edition | $59.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent integration with Aqua Map
- 👍 Useful resource for boating
- 👍 Great information and details
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 👍 Invaluable for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🐛 Outdated information and images
- 🐛 Subscription and access issues

**Reported bugs**

- App not working with latest iOS version
- Subscription purchases not working properly
- Unable to access purchased content
- Frequent crashes and errors

**Requested features**

- Provide vertical bridge clearances
- Improve offline functionality
- Enhance search and filtering options
- Implement dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TZ First Mate free?

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

### Is Waterway Guide free?

Waterway Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, TZ First Mate or Waterway Guide?

TZ First Mate is rated higher. TZ First Mate averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Waterway Guide averages 4.7 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do TZ First Mate or Waterway Guide have ads?

Neither TZ First Mate nor Waterway Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TZ First Mate or Waterway Guide?

TZ First Mate ships an update every 3 months, and Waterway Guide every 2 weeks. Most recently, TZ First Mate was updated on October 12, 2026 and Waterway Guide on October 29, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*