# WaterNav vs Canal Maps

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: WaterNav at 15 against Canal Maps's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WaterNav | Canal Maps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waternav/id1554872132/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **6** | — |
| Positive reviews | 12.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 74 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [River Canal Rescue](https://appshunter.io/developer/1166619647) | [DAVID ANTHONY FLOYD](https://appshunter.io/developer/6771507735) |

## 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


### Canal Maps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canal-maps/id6773006169)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WaterNav free?

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

### Is Canal Maps free?

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

### Do WaterNav or Canal Maps have ads?

Neither WaterNav nor Canal Maps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WaterNav or Canal Maps?

WaterNav ships an update fortnightly, and Canal Maps fortnightly. Most recently, WaterNav was updated on September 19, 2026 and Canal Maps on September 6, 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.*