Comparison

WaterNav vs Float

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

WaterNav

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
Read full description

WaterNav is unique in that it has been developed so that you can access all date even without an active internet connection. (It works offline once the maps are downloaded) It monitors you location using the phones inbuilt GPS, giving your precise location on the map. The maps display thousands of continually updated points of interest (such as pubs, shops, vets, diesel, moorings, etc), as well as all the waterway information such as locks, bridges, turning points, etc, and canal closures. It is the essential towpath companions for boaters, ramblers, cyclists, or anyone else enjoying the waterways. The route planning options and enhanced options are available once you create an account (no charges or obligations) and with options of picking location, searching for a location or using your own current position it provides lots of flexibility. You can also chose journey times, lock delays and speed. River Canal Rescue members will automatically be granted access to a special RCR interface that will offer exclusive features. RCR members will be able to access their membership details, see their RCR history, log callouts, book services, and request additional works. They will also be able to utilise a new arrival aid system which will allow them to track their engineer in real time. The WaterNav App is in ongoing development (our inhouse developers will respond to all requests or issues - just remember it can take time to get issues updated). There are new updates and development of new features and we are resolving issues continually. ( so make sure you regularly update, and let us know if we can make things easier for you)

About

Float

Log your canal and river journeys with this open-source app. Track mooring locations, calculate miles traveled, and record your stops throughout the year. All data is securely saved and can be exported for proof of your travels.

Highlights
  • Track mooring locations
  • Log journey stops
  • Calculate miles covered
  • Set current location as Home
  • Secure data saving
  • Export travel data
Features
Read full description

Float is a free, open-source app for canal boaters. Track every mooring along your journey, see exactly how long you've been at your current spot, get notified before the 14-day CRT limit runs out, and keep an eye on waterway closures ahead. Built with continuous cruisers in mind. What you can do with Float • See where you are and how long you've been there. The 14-day tracker shows days remaining at a glance — green when you have time, amber as you approach the limit, red when it's time to move. • Get reminders before time runs out. Push notifications arrive 4, 2, 1, and 0 days before the 14-day deadline so you can plan your move calmly instead of in a rush. • Log every mooring along the way. Each stop captures the date, GPS coordinates, name, and any notes you want to add — your full journey, on a map. • Set a home mooring you can always navigate back to. • Review your travels. Total miles covered, number of stops, and date ranges — useful as evidence of continuous cruising for CRT compliance. • Use the map. Every mooring you've logged appears on the map, with dark mode for late-night planning. • See waterway closures ahead. The Notices tab pulls CRT stoppages, restrictions and advisories directly into the app — filter to what's near you, on a live map, updated hourly. Privacy • Your data is yours. Float stores your moorings in your own private account — no one else can see them. • No ads. No tracking. No selling your location to anyone. • Open source. Every line of code is public on GitHub. Built by boaters, for boaters.

Screenshots

WaterNav4 screens
Float3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Float at 75% against WaterNav's 13%. WaterNav's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

WaterNav ships an update fortnightly, Float monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
WaterNav versus Float: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWaterNavFloat
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.2 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews12.9% of reviews75.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRiver Canal RescueALESSANDRO BORELLI

Customer experience

WaterNav

All ratings6 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive12.9%
Neutral21.0%
Negative66.1%

Float

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

In-app purchases

None

WaterNav

No in-app purchases

None

Float

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is WaterNav free?
WaterNav is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Float free?
Float is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do WaterNav or Float have ads?
Neither WaterNav nor Float shows ads.
Which is updated more often, WaterNav or Float?
WaterNav ships an update fortnightly, and Float monthly. Most recently, WaterNav was updated on October 25, 2026 and Float on October 17, 2026.

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