Master vs Onboard Maritime
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Interactive learning system
- Step-by-step rule guidance
- Mnemonics and memory aids
- Interactive visuals
- Graphical feedback on answers
- Practice section with progress tracking
Read full descriptionHide 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.
Onboard Maritime
Read full descriptionHide full description
Enhance your learning experience and go mobile! • You can easily access your courses on your mobile at your own pace. • Watch your educational videos, read content, and test your knowledge when and where you want to. • Switch between desktop to mobile without losing your course progress.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Onboard Maritime at Free against Master's $1.99. Master's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Onboard Maritime is free to download; Master costs $1.99 up front. Onboard Maritime sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Master asks for nothing beyond the download.
Master ships an update fortnightly, Onboard Maritime every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.
| Parameter | Master | Onboard Maritime |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (100 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 96.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 100 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 117 MB | 110 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Peterjohn Chisholm | Onboard Maritime Limited |
In-app purchases
Master
No in-app purchases
Onboard Maritime
- OOW Group SessionsFree
- Deck OfficerFree









