# WaterNav vs Canals.UK

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Canals.UK at 65% against WaterNav's 13%. Canals.UK also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.2) and ratings volume (53 vs 6). WaterNav's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Canals.UK sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. WaterNav asks for nothing beyond the download.

Canals.UK holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Canals.UK has 53 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 13% of WaterNav's written reviews are positive against 65% of Canals.UK's.

WaterNav ships an update fortnightly, Canals.UK weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WaterNav | Canals.UK |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waternav/id1554872132/reviews) | **[4.8 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canalsuk/id1588058538/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 6 | **53** |
| Positive reviews | 12.9% of reviews | **65.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 74 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [River Canal Rescue](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166619647) | [MARK MANSER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1378563905) |

## What reviewers say

### WaterNav

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waternav/id1554872132)

This app provides offline waterway maps and navigation tools, displaying points of interest, locks, bridges, and closures. It offers route planning with customizable journey times and speed, and includes special features for River Canal Rescue members.

**Highlights:** Offline map access, Real-time GPS location tracking, Points of interest display, Waterway information (locks, bridges, closures), Route planning with customizable options, Exclusive RCR member features

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Canals.UK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canalsuk/id1588058538)

This app is a comprehensive guide for navigating over 2,000 miles of UK canals. It provides detailed information on locks, bridges, facilities, and points of interest for boaters and walkers. An optional upgrade offers advanced features like route planning and boat tracking.

**Highlights:** 2000+ miles of UK canals mapped, Locks, bridges, and facilities information, Mile markers and linear canal diagrams, Canal & River Trust notices, Boat details and tracking, Route planning and points of interest

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Go Pro | $17.99 | one-time |
| Enormous Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Go-to app for canal needs
- 👍 Excellent features for planning
- 👍 Simple to use interface
- 👍 Pro upgrade well worth it
- 👍 Helpful for estimating travel time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Paid version needed for planning
- 👎 Unreliable CRT notice information
- 👎 Saved plans glitching
- 👎 Distance calculation errors
- 👎 Pro version not activating

**Reported bugs**

- Saved plans glitching
- Route planner dropdown won't drop down
- Search bar won't search
- Location not working
- Purchasing Pro problems

**Requested features**

- Add 'via' points to journey plans
- Option to choose shortest/quickest routes
- Add a speed display
- More logical and relevant logging feature
- Better background map


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WaterNav free?

WaterNav is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Canals.UK free?

Canals.UK is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, WaterNav or Canals.UK?

Canals.UK is rated higher. WaterNav averages 3.2 out of 5 from 6 ratings, while Canals.UK averages 4.8 from 53 ratings.

### Do WaterNav or Canals.UK have ads?

Neither WaterNav nor Canals.UK shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WaterNav or Canals.UK?

WaterNav ships an update fortnightly, and Canals.UK weekly. Most recently, WaterNav was updated on September 19, 2026 and Canals.UK on September 21, 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.*