Comparison

First Mate vs Boat Calculator

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

Head to head
About

First Mate

This app uses advanced marine engineering calculations to provide boat owners with real-time estimates of vessel range, fuel consumption, and engine performance. It helps plan trips and make adjustments on the go, offering a more affordable alternative to expensive integrated systems.

Highlights
  • Real-time range and fuel calculations
  • Engine output estimation (RPM, BHP, burn rate)
  • Accounts for drag, weight, and environmental factors
  • Customizable vessel and engine specifications
  • Trip planning and on-the-go updates
  • Estimates displacement and fuel capacity
Features
Read full description

First Mate is the app every boat owner needs for a reliable and enjoyable boating excursion. First Mate is the first app using advanced Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering calculations and tow tank test data to provide you with vessel duration, range, and engine output without the need for expensive integrated management systems. This app compliments your navigation equipment and gauges to calculate the information needed to plan or update the journey in real time. Input the fuel and vessel speed; First Mate will calculate:  • Hours to empty • Distance to empty • Estimated engine RPM, fuel burn rate, brake horsepower All calculations update when user updates the app. Typically trip planning is done using rough estimates using data from the vessel manufacturer. Integrated management systems can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, require installation, and only provide basic information about engine performance and maintenance. First Mate is a robust app that accounts for drag, weight, and engine performance to accurately plan excursions and spontaneously change plans while underway. The user interface is designed to allow anyone, regardless of boating knowledge, to easily set up and use the app. Because this app covers all planing monohulls, information about the vessel must be input under the “Vessel” tab. Information about the vessel is available at the manufacturer’s website. It is very simple to use for beginner or advance users. Once the Vessel tab is filled out, print it as a backup and keep a copy in the vessel log book. The “Dashboard” tab provides the user with all the information to estimate range based on the speed, weight, and current fuel readings. Other important information is displayed on this tab includes: engine RPM, fuel burn rate, and brake horsepower (BHP). The environmental input is used to calculate the seastate and the effect it will have on the range. Departure fluid levels and weights are used to estimate the total vessels displacement. There are several reference tables on the “Tables” tab to help estimate the remaining fluid levels based on gauge readings and seastate based on Beaufort Wind Scale. The app can be updated when the engine or propeller is upgraded without the need to buy anything. If you want to know how an engine or propeller upgrade will change the performance of the vessel, the app can do the calculations for you. If you are in the market for a boat, want to build a custom boat, or modify an existing hull, use the app to estimate displacement, range, required fuel capacity, and horsepower. App Features: • User inputs the vessel and engine specifications. • During trip or for trip planning, user only inputs wind speed, fuel, and vessel speed. Update these values throughout the trip to update range and engine calculations. • User can customize or update output after making changes to vessel or propulsion system. • User can update app with new vessel specifications after buying a new boat. Only purchase the app once. • Calculations are only updated with new input from user (saves battery life). • User input is saved on device but make a printout for backup and keep in vessel log. • Take screen shots to share. • Does not have maps or speedometer. Other devices or gauges can provide this information without draining your device’s battery. Find the tutorial and more information here: https://poseidonvesselmanagement.com/first-mate Why is this app not free?? • NO in app purchases, NO subscriptions, NO ads, NO data collection, NO locked features. • Rely on word-of-mouth advertising. • Provide a high-quality product to the customer at the lowest price. Poseidon Vessel Management does NOT collect any of your information, but feel free to tell your friends about our app!

About

Boat Calculator

Features
Read full description

Boat & Marine Engine Toolkit is a professional calculator suite for boat owners, marine engineers, naval architects, ship captains, and offshore platform crews. Run every calculation fully offline — at the dock, at anchor, or miles from the nearest cell tower. No ads, no accounts, no subscription. From sizing ground tackle for a blow to checking prop shaft torque before sea trials, the toolkit puts trusted marine engineering formulas in your pocket and keeps them there. WHAT'S INCLUDED: Fuel Burn & Range, Bollard Spacing, and the CG-719S reference are free. The other six calculators and five reference tables open with the one-time unlock below. Navigation & Anchoring - Hull Speed Calculator — compute theoretical hull speed and speed/length (S/L) ratio from waterline length for sailboats, trawlers, and displacement craft. - Anchor Rode Scope — plan rode length from water depth, bow height, and tide for safe overnight holding. - Concrete Anchor — allowable tension and shear for dock and pier fittings bolted into concrete, from anchor type, bolt diameter, embed depth, concrete f'c, and edge distance (ACI 318-19 Ch. 17). Propulsion & Drivetrain - Prop Shaft Torque — calculate shaft torque from engine horsepower and shaft RPM for gearbox and coupling sizing. - Hydraulic Cylinder Force — push and pull force from bore, rod diameter, and system pressure for steering, hatch, and deck gear. - Fuel Burn & Range — project burn rate in GPH, cruising range in nautical miles, and fuel cost per hour from engine power, engine load, tank capacity, and cruise speed in knots. Safety & Compliance - Bilge Pump Sizer — size pump capacity against hull volume with ABYC-aware guidance for peace of mind. - Bollard Spacing — lay out vehicle-barrier bollards to ASTM F2656 K4/K8/K12: bollard count, maximum on-center spacing, and impact energy and force from vehicle weight, speed, and protected width. Reference Tables - Beaufort wind scale, anchor type comparison, ABYC bilge pump standards, shaft material properties, hydraulic cylinder sizes, and CG-719S return reasons — the numbers you actually reach for on deck. WHO IS IT FOR: - Boat owners planning passages, provisioning, and ground tackle - Marine engineers sizing drivetrains, hydraulics, and auxiliaries - Naval architects sanity-checking hull displacement and S/L figures - Ship captains and mates running quick bridge calculations - Offshore platform crews and workboat operators on deck - Marine surveyors documenting condition and compliance notes WHY MARINE PROS LOVE IT: - 100% offline — every calculator runs on-device, so you never lose a tool when you lose signal offshore. - No ads and no tracking — clean, focused screens built for use at sea. - No subscription — pay once, own it, use it on every trip. - Instant results — type values, get answers, move on to the next job on the checklist. - Professional formulas — ABYC-aware guidance, standard naval architecture equations, and clear unit handling (knots, feet, inches, psi, bar, gallons, HP). ONE-TIME UNLOCK: Unlock All Calculators is a single $12.99 USD in-app purchase. It is a one-time, non-consumable unlock — not a subscription. One payment opens every Pro calculator and every reference table, forever, on your Apple ID. Prop pitch planning, shaft torque, bilge pump sizing, hydraulic cylinder force, Beaufort references — all in. Stow it in your pocket, keep it on the bridge, or pin it to the engine room iPad. Boat & Marine Engine Toolkit is built to be the quick, quiet answer to the everyday marine engine and offshore questions that keep boats running and crews safe.

Screenshots

First Mate4 screens
Boat Calculator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Boat Calculator at Free against First Mate's $19.99. First Mate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.5 vs 17.0). On update cadence, 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

Boat Calculator is free to download; First Mate costs $19.99 up front. Boat Calculator sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. First Mate asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

First Mate ships an update every 3 weeks, Boat Calculator every 4 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
First Mate versus Boat Calculator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFirst MateBoat Calculator
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 4 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.5 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew RicciardoShanghai Sheyuan Network Technology Co., Ltd.

In-app purchases

None

First Mate

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Boat Calculator

One-time1
  • Unlock All Calculators$12.99

Questions

Is First Mate free?
First Mate costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Boat Calculator free?
Boat Calculator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do First Mate or Boat Calculator have ads?
Neither First Mate nor Boat Calculator shows ads.
Which is updated more often, First Mate or Boat Calculator?
First Mate ships an update every 3 weeks, and Boat Calculator every 4 weeks. Most recently, First Mate was updated on November 3, 2026 and Boat Calculator on October 31, 2026.

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