# Waterway Guide vs Lock Status

The clearest difference is monetization model: Lock Status at free against Waterway Guide's free with in-app purchases. Waterway Guide's advantage is ratings volume (2.9K vs 19) and chart position (#194 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Waterway Guide sells 43 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Lock Status sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Waterway Guide against 4.8 for Lock Status. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Waterway Guide has 2.9K ratings behind it against 19, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 52% of Waterway Guide's written reviews are positive against 50% of Lock Status's.

Waterway Guide ships an update every 2 weeks, Lock Status every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Waterway Guide | Lock Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976/reviews) | **[4.8 (19 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-status/id1575387855/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **2.9K** | 19 |
| Positive reviews | **52.4% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#194** | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 17 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Waterway Guide](https://appshunter.io/developer/958617198) | [Andrew Thom](https://appshunter.io/developer/1231883383) |

## What reviewers say

### Waterway Guide

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

**Currently charting:** #194 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

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


### Lock Status

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lock-status/id1575387855)

Provides real-time information on U.S. river locks and dams. Get contact details and see upcoming locks for your waterway journey. Essential for boaters and canoeists navigating rivers.

**Highlights:** Up-to-date lock information, Contact methods for locks, Upcoming lock identification, Supports waterway journeys, River and dam status

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lock Status Premium (1 Month) | $1.99 | per month |
| Lock Status Premium (1 Year) | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Waterway Guide free?

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

### Is Lock Status free?

Lock Status is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Waterway Guide or Lock Status?

Lock Status is rated higher. Waterway Guide averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.9K ratings, while Lock Status averages 4.8 from 19 ratings.

### Do Waterway Guide or Lock Status have ads?

Neither Waterway Guide nor Lock Status shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Waterway Guide or Lock Status?

Waterway Guide ships an update every 2 weeks, and Lock Status every 5 weeks. Most recently, Waterway Guide was updated on October 25, 2026 and Lock Status on October 25, 2026.

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