Comparison

Rule Master vs Nautical Rules

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

Head to head
About

Rule Master

Master maritime navigation rules with this comprehensive quiz app. It offers extensive question banks, custom filters, and detailed progress tracking for both new and experienced sailors. Generate custom exams and access a digital handbook for efficient learning and exam preparation.

Highlights
  • 10,000+ question-answer combinations
  • Custom question filters
  • Fill-in-the-blank questions
  • Offline capability
  • Exam PDF generation
  • Digital Navigation Rules handbook
  • Progress tracking and statistics
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The most advanced, modern, and competitive Rules of the Road quiz application on the iOS App Store! This Navigation Rules quiz application is a must-have for new and experienced sailors, alike. This complete Rules of the Road toolbox is the most effective way to build and maintain proficiency, so you can spend less time preparing for your next USCG Navigation Rules examination. Track your progress like never before, and use our advanced question filters and rule proficiency statistics for efficient, targeted studying. Are you an instructor? Generate and print beautiful, custom-filtered COLREG examinations in seconds with our advanced exam PDF generation algorithm. Are you an experienced mariner? There is always more to learn! Rule Master provides 100+ hand-selected, fill-in-the-blank questions optimized to refine your mastery of the Rules of the Road. Mastery of these verbatim COLREG excerpts allows for intelligent verbal communication of the rules — especially useful for students undergoing rigorous training at the USN Mariner Skills Training Command. - 10,000+ question-answer combinations - Advanced, custom question filters for targeted studying - 100+ hand-selected, fill-in-the-blank questions for experienced Mariners - Full offline capability - Unlimited exam PDF generation and printing - Full, digital Navigation Rules handbook for quick reference - In-depth progress tracking and statistics This COLREG application's abbreviated question bank -- tediously hand-scrubbed and optimized by an experienced USN Surface Warfare Officer -- is coupled with a custom algorithm that generates 10,000+ unique question-answer combinations specifically designed to more effectively teach and examine student knowledge while simultaneously exposing students to the confusing vernacular commonly found in the infamous USCG Rules of the Road question bank.

About

Nautical Rules

Master USCG Navigation Rules with a comprehensive question bank and smart study features. Track your progress, practice for exams, and study offline to navigate with confidence.

Highlights
  • 1,200+ practice questions
  • Inland and International waters coverage
  • Detailed explanations
  • Customizable tests
  • Offline study capability
  • Progress tracking dashboard
  • Accuracy by rule statistics
Read full description

Master the USCG Navigation Rules with Nautical Rules – the study companion for boaters, sailors, and maritime professionals preparing for their licensing exams. COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION BANK Practice with 1,225 questions covering the International and Inland Navigation Rules, organized the way the Coast Guard publishes them: • Part A: General • Part B: Steering and Sailing Rules • Part C: Lights and Shapes • Part D: Sound and Light Signals • Part E: Exemptions • Annexes MULTIPLE STUDY MODES • Quick Test: 10, 25, 50, or 100 random questions • Practice by Category: Focus on one Part of the Rules, with the explanation shown after each answer • Practice by Rule: Drill a single rule, such as Rule 13 or Rule 34 SMART PROGRESS TRACKING • Track your overall accuracy and test history • See your accuracy broken down by category and by rule • Focus Area suggestions based on your weakest rule • Daily streak tracking to build a consistent study habit HELPFUL STUDY FEATURES • An explanation for every answer, with the rule it comes from • Diagrams for lights, shapes, and vessel-encounter scenarios • Bookmark difficult questions for later review • Review your incorrect answers after each test • Share your test results as a PDF DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS Whether you're preparing for the USCG Captain's License, recreational boating certification, or just want to refresh your knowledge of the Rules of the Road, Nautical Rules gives you everything you need to study effectively. PRIVACY FOCUSED • No account required • No data collection • Works completely offline • Your progress stays on your device Download Nautical Rules today and navigate your way to exam success! --- Note: This app is an educational study aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. For official rules and regulations, consult the official USCG Navigation Rules publications.

Screenshots

Rule Master4 screens
Nautical Rules4 screens

Verdict

The call

Rule Master and Nautical Rules both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Nautical Rules's written reviews are positive against 43% of Rule Master's. Nautical Rules also leads on price (Free vs $9.99) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). Rule Master's advantage is ratings volume (297 vs 12) and chart position (#20 vs unranked). On rating, 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

Nautical Rules is free to download; Rule Master costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nautical Rules holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rule Master has 297 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 43% of Rule Master's written reviews are positive against 100% of Nautical Rules's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Rule Master ships an update every 3 months, Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Rule Master versus Nautical Rules: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRule MasterNautical Rules
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.8 (297 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings297 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#20 — better—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUniversal Queue LLCJoseph Kim

Customer experience

Rule Master

All ratings292 ratings
Positive94.9%
Neutral3.8%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews14 reviews
Positive42.9%
Neutral28.6%
Negative28.6%

Nautical Rules

All ratings12 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Rule Master

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Questions disappear off the bottom of the screen
  • Diagrams are too small to identify vessels
  • Some questions have character limits over the margin
  • App doesn't display quiz and verbatim in a usable manner
  • Incomplete questions showing three dots (...)

Requested features

4 requests
  • Link relevant COLREG rule when answering correctly and incorrectly
  • Expand subjects to include chemistry or history
  • Improvements in tracking missed questions for training
  • Display full question text when it's cut off

Nautical Rules

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Rule Master

No in-app purchases

None

Nautical Rules

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Rule Master free?
Rule Master costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nautical Rules free?
Nautical Rules is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Rule Master or Nautical Rules?
Nautical Rules is rated higher. Rule Master averages 4.8 out of 5 from 297 ratings, while Nautical Rules averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do Rule Master or Nautical Rules have ads?
Neither Rule Master nor Nautical Rules shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Rule Master or Nautical Rules?
Rule Master ships an update every 3 months, and Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. Most recently, Rule Master was updated on November 3, 2026 and Nautical Rules on November 5, 2026.

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