Comparison

Master vs Vessel Lights

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

Head to head
About

Master

Learn maritime navigation rules with an interactive system designed for effective retention. This app breaks down complex regulations into manageable sections with visual aids and mnemonics. It revisits incorrect answers and provides instant graphical feedback, making the learning process intuitive and efficient.

Highlights
  • Interactive learning system
  • Step-by-step rule guidance
  • Mnemonics and memory aids
  • Interactive visuals
  • Graphical feedback on answers
  • Practice section with progress tracking
Features
Read full description

Master-Nav is a progressive COLREGS learning system developed by a Master Mariner. The COLREGS are notoriously difficult to learn and retain — Master-Nav makes it significantly easier through an interactive system built around how your brain actually works. Instead of guessing through random question banks, Master-Nav guides you step by step through every rule from start to finish. Wrong answers are revisited until the rules stick — properly. Complex regulations are broken down into learnable chunks — bite-sized sections supported by mnemonics, memory aids and interactive visuals designed around how the brain actually retains information. Every incorrect answer is shown graphically alongside the correct one — immediately clear, no confusion. And with a single tap, the relevant COLREGS rule is accessible from any question at any time. Master-Nav covers COLREGS Parts A to D — General, Steering & Sailing, Lights & Shapes and Sound & Light Signals — plus Annex IV Distress Signals. Over 1000 questions in multiple formats, with a dedicated Practice Section that tracks right, wrong and unanswered so you always know where to focus. COLREGS — the easy way.

About

Vessel Lights

Test your knowledge of maritime navigation lights. Match descriptions to the correct visual representation of vessel lights to improve your understanding and memorization. Achieve high scores to master night and low-visibility signaling.

Highlights
  • Match descriptions to navigation light images
  • Score points for correct answers
  • Learn from mistake explanations
  • Track running score total
  • Master night and low-visibility signaling
Features
Read full description

Match the right image to the title description. Points are scored for correct answers and lost for mistakes.An explanation of the mistake is made thus helping with the learning. Anyone who can consistently score 75% or more will have mastered recognising and memorising the main lights displayed by shipping at night or in poor visibility.The app shows a running total of points scored.

Screenshots

Master4 screens
Vessel Lights4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Master at 97% against Vessel Lights's 0%. Master also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 8 months) and price ($1.99 vs $2.99). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

Master costs $1.99 and Vessel Lights $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Master ships an update fortnightly, Vessel Lights every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Master versus Vessel Lights: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMasterVessel Lights
Price$1.99 — better$2.99
Rating4.8 (100 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews96.9% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings100 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.5
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPeterjohn ChisholmEdmund Broadbent

Customer experience

Master

All ratings94 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.1%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive96.9%
Neutral3.1%
Negative0.0%

Vessel Lights

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Master

No in-app purchases

None

Vessel Lights

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Master free?
Master costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vessel Lights free?
Vessel Lights costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Master or Vessel Lights have ads?
Neither Master nor Vessel Lights shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Master or Vessel Lights?
Master ships an update fortnightly, and Vessel Lights every 8 months. Most recently, Master was updated on November 3, 2026 and Vessel Lights on October 25, 2026.

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