# iNavX vs Hip Charts

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | iNavX | Hip Charts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (22K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inavx-marine-navigation/id286616280/reviews)** | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hip-charts/id6443591337/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **22K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | **43.7% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#127** | — |
| Size | 298 MB | 1 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NavX Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/286616283) | [Walk About Apps](https://appshunter.io/developer/480229755) |

## What reviewers say

### iNavX

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/inavx-marine-navigation/id286616280)

**Currently charting:** #127 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Theyr Premium - Mobile (Monthly) for iOS | $9.99 | per month |
| iNavX Professional+ USA | $29.99 | per year |
| Navionics+ USA/Canada (iPhone) | $29.99 | per year |
| Navionics+ Caribbean (iPhone) | $44.99 | per year |
| Theyr Premium Weather | $49.99 | per year |
| iNavX Professional+ USA Canada | $59.99 | per year |
| C-MAP World Chart | $59.99 | per year |
| Explorer Chartbooks - Bahamas | $69.99 | per year |
| Navionics+ USA/Canada (iPad) | $79.99 | per year |
| Navionics+ Caribbean (iPad) | $79.99 | per year |
| AIS Live | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and precise navigation
- 📊 Comprehensive charting and navigation features
- 🛠️ Customizable instrument settings
- 🔄 Redundancy across devices
- 💨 Reliable performance over many years

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
- 🗺️ Cumbersome chart management and downloading
- 🔋 Battery drain issues
- 💰 Expensive subscription model for charts
- 🐛 Stability issues and crashes

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hip-charts/id6443591337)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*