SailboatData vs BilgeBuddy
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SailboatData
Access a comprehensive database of production sailboat specifications offline. Compare models, search by detailed criteria, and save favorites with personal remarks. Ideal for buyers and marine professionals alike.
- Offline sailboat database access
- Side-by-side model comparison
- Search by detailed specifications
- Save favorite sailboats and designers
- Add personal remarks to models
- Sync favorites and remarks via iCloud
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The world’s most recognized database for production sailboat specifications. This is the must-have app for those looking to purchase a sailboat as well as for DIYers, sailmakers, yacht brokers, marinas, riggers, and all other marine professionals. Unlike our website, the app allows access to our database without the need for an internet connection. After downloading, you can experience the full app functionality for the first 2 hours. After that, continue on with the free basic version or subscribe to keep full access. This costs as little as a good coffee (for a yearly subscription, our cheapest option) and supports us adding more useful features and extend the database. The current features include: • Scrollable list containing over 9,200 sailboat models. • Side-by-side sailboat model compare. • Scrollable lists with all designers, builders, and associations. • The scrollable lists have an alphabetic index for quick access. • Each list has a name search bar which updates the list as you type. • Ability to select sailboats, designers, builders, and associations as your favorite. • Toggle button to quickly switch between showing all or only your favorites. • Ability to add your personal remarks for each sailboat model. • Favorites and remarks are shared between all your devices using Apple iCloud. • Refined search by LOA, LWL, Hull type, Keel type, Displacement, Beam, Draft, Rig type, Years Built and all our Ratios. • Ability to sort the refined search results on any of the search parameters. • Settings to personalize displayed units and other features. As you scroll through the sailboat list and look at sailboat and designer details, the corresponding images are downloaded via internet. Once an image has been downloaded it is stored on your device; the maximum storage used is about 500MB.
BilgeBuddy
This app allows you to remotely monitor your boat's bilge system, battery health, and location. Receive instant notifications for potential issues like flooding, system malfunctions, or unexpected movement, ensuring peace of mind and proactive problem-solving.
- Remote bilge system monitoring
- Flooding detection and sinking prevention
- Battery system health monitoring
- Break-away alerts and location services
- Impact detection
- Easy installation with common pumps
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Remotely Monitor Your Boat - Connect your boat with the BilgeBuddy device, making it a smart boat that can be monitored remotely on the app. - Have peace-of-mind in the palm of your hand, where ever you are. - Notifications let you fix problems before they arise. Easy Installation - BilgeBuddy pairs with all common 12V bilge pumps & floats. - Our patent pending technology allows for an easy installation with a few simple connections. - Our instructions get most DIYers & all professionals up and running in minutes. All you need are wire strippers and a lighter. We provide the rest. How BilgeBuddy keeps your boat safe: Flooding Detection & Sinking Prevention - Detect moderate & extreme water levels. - Automatically purge high water when auto-float fails. - Analyze frequency & reason for bilge cycles. Bilge System Health Monitoring - Ensure functioning bilge pump. - Proactive pump electronic health monitoring. - Detect Auto-float malfunction. - Alert of helm switch accidentally left on. Battery System Health Monitoring - Remotely check if enough voltage to start engines. - Battery discharge & charging trends. - Detect alternator & shore power system malfunction. Break-away Alerts & Location Services - Alert when your boat leaves its home base unexpectedly. - Remotely monitor when others use your boat. - Cloud backup of trips and usage. - Back-up navigation system. Impact Detection & Damage Prevention - Detect impacts with dock. - Detect major collisions. Freeze Damage Prevention & Storm Monitoring - Prevent damage during quick freezes. - Storm warnings & monitoring. (coming soon)
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BilgeBuddy at none against SailboatData's 4. BilgeBuddy also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 89%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.5). SailboatData's advantage is ratings volume (284 vs 14). On price, rating, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. SailboatData sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. BilgeBuddy asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for SailboatData against 4.9 for BilgeBuddy. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SailboatData has 284 ratings behind it against 14, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of SailboatData's written reviews are positive against 100% of BilgeBuddy's.
SailboatData ships an update every 4 weeks, BilgeBuddy every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and August 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SailboatData | BilgeBuddy |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (284 ratings) | 4.9 (14 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 284 — better | 14 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 36 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | VMG Media, LLC | BilgeBuddy |
Customer experience
SailboatData
BilgeBuddy
In-app purchases
SailboatData
- 1 Monthly Access$0.991 Month
- 3 Monthly Access$1.993 Months
- 6 Monthly Access$2.996 Months
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- 12 Monthly Access$3.991 Year
BilgeBuddy
No in-app purchases







