Comparison

Lock Status vs Ditch

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

Head to head
About

Lock Status

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
Read full description

Canoeing down the Mississippi? Pushing a tow up the Ohio? Crossing Florida on the Okeechobee Waterway, or spending a year on the Great Loop? Sooner or later you'll reach a lock. Lock Status shows what's happening at every U.S. Army Corps of Engineers navigation lock, so you know what's ahead before you get there. SEE EVERY LOCK • Delays, stoppages and the vessels waiting and locking through, colored by how busy each lock is • Pool and tailwater levels, chamber sizes, lock hours and navigation notices • Browse by river, search by name, find the locks closest to you, or use the map • Favorite the locks you pass most often HAIL THE LOCK • Each lock's VHF channel and phone number, one tap to call • Towboats: see whether the tow fits the chamber, or how many cuts it needs • Pleasure boaters: what to say on the radio, plus tips for locking through PLAN YOUR TRIP • Build a route lock by lock, and see the next lock, how far it is and what's waiting there • Great Loop planning, with the Loop's route choices MADE FOR THE WATER • Night mode in red on black protects your night vision in the pilothouse; Sun mode adds contrast for bright days • In a dead spot, the app shows the last data it loaded and when it's from, and refreshes when you're back in range • Widgets for your Home Screen, Lock Screen, Mac desktop and menu bar • In English, Spanish, French, Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Filipino and Haitian Creole • Full VoiceOver support and larger text sizes LOCK STATUS PREMIUM Free: lock status, delays, stoppages, queues, the map, VHF channels and phone numbers, what to say on the radio, one trip, widgets, and Night and Sun modes. Premium adds: • Alerts when a stoppage starts or clears, a delay passes your limit, or a navigation notice is posted, even when the app is closed • Live Activities that keep a lock updated on your Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island • The full trip planner: more than one trip, Great Loop planning, arrival times and the delays ahead • 30 days of traffic and monthly cargo tonnage at every lock Premium is $1.99 a month or $9.99 a year, with a free first week. It's billed to your Apple Account and renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel it anytime in your Apple Account settings. Lock information comes from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' public Lock Performance Monitoring System and is provided on a best-effort basis. Lock Status isn't affiliated with the Corps of Engineers. Always follow the lockmaster's instructions. Terms of Use: https://lockstatus.ajthom.dev/terms/ Privacy Policy: https://lockstatus.ajthom.dev/privacy/

About

Ditch

Enhance your boating experience with intelligent routing and accurate arrival time predictions. Visualize historical vessel traffic and customize charts for a personalized view of waterways, ensuring safer and more confident journeys on the water.

Highlights
  • AI-powered smart routing
  • Accurate ETA predictions
  • Historical AIS data visualization
  • Customizable marine charts
  • Live navigation view
  • Up-to-date waterway information
Features
Read full description

Ditch: Boat Navigation Reimagined. Ditch empowers captains with smarter, safer routes and unparalleled confidence on the water. Try it free for two weeks! SMART PATH™ Our unique routing algorithm analyzes billions of data points, including historical AIS data, to create the safest, most efficient path for your boat. It's like having years of local knowledge distilled into every journey. SMART ETA No more guessing arrival times. Ditch factors in the slower no-wake zones, and your cruising speed, to provide more accurate ETAs, taking the guesswork out of your journey. Ditch is not designed to replace your existing navigation tools, but to enhance them. Think of it as your trusted second opinion, providing an extra layer of confidence so you can focus on enjoying your time on the water. Additional Key Features AIS DATA See where other boats have traveled. Visualize historical AIS data directly on your charts to identify popular and safe routes. CUSTOMIZABLE CHARTS Tailor your charts to your needs. Filter data based on local captains, recency, and boat length, to get a personalized view of the waterways. LIVE NAVIGATION VIEW See real-time updates on route distance, time to arrival, and SOG while underway. UP-TO-DATE DATA We prioritize the freshest most recent information. CONSTANTLY EVOLVING Our routing AI algorithm is always learning and improving. UNPARALLELED DETAIL Combining NOAA charts, USACE surveys, and historical AIS. AI POWERED Our cutting-edge technology analyzes millions of miles of real-world boating data. SIMPLE & INTUITIVE Our uncluttered interface puts the focus on your route, making navigation effortless and enjoyable. EFFORTLESS EXPLORATION Focus on the joy of boating, not just navigation. After your free trial, enjoy a full year of Ditch for only $29.99. Download Ditch today and experience the boat navigation reimagined! Terms of Use: https://ditchnavigation.com/ditch-terms-of-use/ Privacy Policy: https://ditchnavigation.com/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

Lock Status4 screens
Ditch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Lock Status at 4.4 against Ditch's 4.0. Lock Status also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Ditch's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 4 months) and review sentiment (64% vs 50%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Lock Status sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Ditch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Lock Status holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 23 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 50% of Lock Status's written reviews are positive against 64% of Ditch's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lock Status ships an update every 4 months, Ditch monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Lock Status versus Ditch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLock StatusDitch
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (7 ratings) — better4.0 (23 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews64.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings723 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB72 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAndrew ThomExtent Devices LLC

Customer experience

Lock Status

All ratings7 ratings
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Ditch

All ratings22 ratings
Positive72.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative27.3%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative35.7%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Lock Status

Subscriptions2
  • Lock Status Premium (1 Month)7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Lock Status Premium (1 Year)7 Days trial$9.991 Year
2 purchases

Ditch

Subscriptions2
  • Ditch Student Subscription14 Days trial$24.991 Year
  • Ditch Annual iOS Subscription14 Days trial$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Lock Status free?
Lock Status is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Ditch free?
Ditch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lock Status or Ditch?
Lock Status is rated higher. Lock Status averages 4.4 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Ditch averages 4.0 from 23 ratings.
Do Lock Status or Ditch have ads?
Neither Lock Status nor Ditch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lock Status or Ditch?
Lock Status ships an update every 4 months, and Ditch monthly. Most recently, Lock Status was updated on October 21, 2026 and Ditch on October 22, 2026.

Other comparisons