Comparison

iNavX vs Hip Charts

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

Head to head
About

iNavX

This app provides comprehensive marine navigation tools, including worldwide chart coverage, weather forecasts, and AIS integration. It allows users to plan routes, track their position, and connect with onboard instruments for a complete boating experience.

Highlights
  • Worldwide marine chart access
  • Real-time GPS plotting
  • Waypoint and route management
  • GRIB weather forecasts
  • AIS integration
  • Nautical instrument connectivity
Features
Read full description

Marine navigation is made easy with iNavX - the world's #1 handheld Chartplotter. Access marine charts, maps, weather, AIS and more! iNavX is the only app to give you complete worldwide chart coverage, from all your favorite charts providers, including the ALL NEW iNavX Professional+ Chart series! Fully enabled with one-touch access, iNavX gives users access to the broadest set of marine charts and maps from multiple providers including: • iNavX Professional+ Charts • Blue Latitude • CHS • Explorer • Theyr Weather • Waterway Guide • … and more How does iNavX take handheld marine navigation to the next level? • Sailors - Plan sailing routes with waypoint and route management. Get proactive sail management with GRIB weather forecasts and then keep watch with AIS overlays and integration with your onboard systems. Plus, you can remember your great sailing locations by geotagging photos. • Boaters - Stay up to date on boating conditions with forecasts that include currents, winds, and swells. Manage your boating equipment with nautical instrument integration and then save great boating routes to share with the track log. • Anglers - Discover new fishing spots by scouting out holes and inlets. Locate the best fishing conditions by identifying cold fronts and save your best fishing spots with unlimited markers. Advanced features - iNavX is the most feature rich app available for all sailing and boating needs at a great price: Advanced Chart Plotter • Plot your position in real-time using your device's built-in GPS • Pan, zoom, and rotate charts (including course up) • Print detailed charts to use in combination with the app Advanced Navigation • Create waypoints and plan routes to navigate between them • Track log allows you to record your route • Import/export data in KML (Google Earth) or GPX format Advanced Instrumentation • Supports NMEA data over TCP/IP (using Wifi) • Integrates with external GPS, AIS receivers & transponders • Connect nautical instruments: Depth, Speed, Wind, Engine, Batteries, etc. Essential Toolkit • GRIB weather forecast • Tides/currents • Anchor alarm • AIS integration • Port/navaid search Download iNavX TODAY and automatically receive a complimentary copy of the official and up-to-date high-resolution NOAA RNC United States marine raster charts. REVIEWS “iNavX is the original and still one of the best navigation apps.” – Practical Sailor “The most full-featured navigation app around and viewed by many as the standard” – Sail Magazine "The #1 recommended marine charting app" - iMarineApps iNavX is Compatible with: Theyr Weather, Waterway Guide, AIS, Brookhouse, DigitalYacht, ShipModul, vYacht, Vesper Marine, NMEA 2000, Chetco and more. NEW CHART STORE Purchase all your favorite charts. Chart subscriptions vary by chart and provider from $9.99 to $199.99 annually, charged to your iTunes Account, which will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Auto-renew can be turned off anytime by going to your Account Settings in iTunes after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. NOTE: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. MORE INFO Website: http://inavx.com/ User's Guide: http://inavx.com/help/ Terms of Use: http://inavx.com/terms Privacy Policy: http://inavx.com/privacy

About

Hip Charts

Access NOAA nautical charts for free on your mobile devices. View charts online and download single areas for offline use. Additional features like multiple offline downloads and custom boundaries require a purchase.

Highlights
  • Unlimited online NOAA chart viewing
  • Download single chart areas for offline use
  • Automatic chart loading
  • Cellular and WiFi chart downloads
  • Custom download boundaries (paid)
Features
Read full description

Hip Charts brings NOAA ENC nautical charts to your iPhone—completely free. Pan and zoom the map and official NOAA charts load automatically over Wi‑Fi or cellular. Download chart areas ahead of time for offline use on the water, including custom polygon boundaries. Measure distances right on the chart. Choose how charts look: • Default — NOAA’s standard chart tiles; fast and simple • Customized — adjust depth units, text size, harbor/shoreline structures (breakwaters, piers, docks), routes and marina info, and sharper rendering Need help reading symbols? Open Settings → Chart Legend for NOAA’s official U.S. Chart No. 1. Everything in the app is free. No subscriptions, no paywall. This app does not fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vessels under Titles 33 and 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Screenshots

iNavX4 screens
Hip Charts4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: iNavX at 4.8 against Hip Charts's 3.3. iNavX also leads on ratings volume (22K vs 7) and review sentiment (44% vs 25%). Hip Charts's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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

Both are free to download. iNavX sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Hip Charts asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iNavX holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNavX has 22K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of iNavX's written reviews are positive against 25% of Hip Charts's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, Hip Charts every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
iNavX versus Hip Charts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriNavXHip Charts
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (22K ratings) — better3.3 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews43.7% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings22K — better7
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#123 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size298 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNavX Studios LLCWalk About Apps

Customer experience

iNavX

All ratings21,564 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews460 reviews
Positive43.7%
Neutral6.1%
Negative50.2%

Hip Charts

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative42.9%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative75.0%

Bugs and requests

iNavX

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Inability to remove waypoints
  • Inconsistent behavior when transitioning International Date Line
  • Disappearing or missing chart data

Requested features

5 requests
  • Seamless chart switching and panning
  • Integrated tidal and current data
  • Support for more chart types and providers
  • Improved route planning and editing tools
  • Automatic chart updates and management

Hip Charts

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

iNavX

Subscriptions11
  • Theyr Premium - Mobile (Monthly) for iOS$9.991 Month
  • iNavX Professional+ USA$29.991 Year
  • Navionics+ USA/Canada (iPhone)$29.991 Year
Show 8 more
  • Navionics+ Caribbean (iPhone)$44.991 Year
  • Theyr Premium Weather1 Year trial$49.991 Year
  • iNavX Professional+ USA Canada$59.991 Year
  • C-MAP World Chart$59.991 Year
  • Explorer Chartbooks - Bahamas$69.991 Year
  • Navionics+ USA/Canada (iPad)$79.991 Year
  • Navionics+ Caribbean (iPad)$79.991 Year
  • AIS Live$99.991 Year
None

Hip Charts

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iNavX free?
iNavX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hip Charts free?
Hip Charts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iNavX or Hip Charts?
iNavX is rated higher. iNavX averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while Hip Charts averages 3.3 from 7 ratings.
Do iNavX or Hip Charts have ads?
iNavX shows ads; Hip Charts does not.
Which is updated more often, iNavX or Hip Charts?
iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, and Hip Charts every 3 weeks. Most recently, iNavX was updated on September 24, 2026 and Hip Charts on September 5, 2026.

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