Comparison

Sailing timer tactical vs Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

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

Head to head
About

Sailing timer tactical

This app provides a spoken countdown timer for sailing races, displaying distance to the starting line and a track view of covered paths with speed indicators. It utilizes GPS for navigation and can be used with Bluetooth earphones for audio alerts.

Highlights
  • Spoken countdown timer
  • Distance to starting line
  • Track view of covered paths
  • Speed indication
  • GPS tracking
  • Bluetooth earphone support
Features
Read full description

Spoken countdown timer. Distance to starting line Track view of covered paths. Colors indicate the speed. Tips: I advise to extend your screen idle timer. Also set Return to Clock to after 1 hour. Settings->General-> Return to clock You can use bluetooth earphones if the volume is not loud enough. Enable background refresh Settings > General > Background App Refresh This app uses GPS and may impact the battery life. A 10-15% battery drain per hour is normal. Future features: Spoken wind shift messages OCS alarm Manually set Windward and leeward mark Battery optimization (turn off GPS automatically) The following permissions are needed Healthkit: To start a sailing workout. This is also needs to get timer updates and location updates when the screen is off. Location: To plot your route on the map and to calculate the distance to the line

About

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

Features
Read full description

The professional sailing timer trusted by regatta racers worldwide. Astrolabe Countdown delivers split-second precision timing when every second counts at the starting line. CORE RACING FEATURES: Build with sailing and yachting professionals worldwide Crystal-clear edge-to-edge progress display for instant visual feedback Reliable haptic feedback you can feel even in rough conditions Always-active timing sessions that never sleep during critical moments Independent Apple Watch operation - no phone dependency Race history tracker with detailed journal entries ADVANCED RACING TOOLS: ProControl for advanced race timing strategies Instant 5-minute countdown on gun signal Auto-sync countdown to nearest minute for precision starts Real-time distance to starting line measurement Course shift tracking within 30 degrees Speed over ground in precise knots PERFECT FOR: Competitive regatta racing Sailing training sessions Time-critical race starts Professional sailing competitions Yacht club events APPLE WATCH OPTIMIZED: Built natively for Apple Watch with exclusive Apple Watch Ultra features. Works seamlessly across all Apple Watch models with customizable themes to match your sailing team colors. Start winning more races with precision timing. Download Astrolabe Countdown today. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://astrolabe-countdown.apphq.online/privacy

Screenshots

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sailing timer tactical at none against Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)'s 3. Sailing timer tactical also leads on iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.0). Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)'s advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 15 months). On price, ads 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. Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Sailing timer tactical asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sailing timer tactical ships an update every 15 months, Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 15, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Sailing timer tactical versus Astro (Astrolabe Countdown): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSailing timer tacticalAstro (Astrolabe Countdown)
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.8 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews57.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 15 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS16.4 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPieter OskamChikai Lai

In-app purchases

None

Sailing timer tactical

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

Subscriptions2
  • Astrolabe Pro Access (Annual)$7.991 Year
  • Annual Ultra Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ULTRA Tier One-Time Purchase$44.99

Questions

Is Sailing timer tactical free?
Sailing timer tactical is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) free?
Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sailing timer tactical or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) have ads?
Neither Sailing timer tactical nor Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sailing timer tactical or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)?
Sailing timer tactical ships an update every 15 months, and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. Most recently, Sailing timer tactical was updated on August 15, 2026 and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) on September 7, 2026.

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