Comparison

iNavX vs Shore Watch

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

Shore Watch

Read full description

Nobody on shore knows where your boat is right now. You tell someone you'll be back around five. Then the wind picks up, or the motor doesn't, and five turns into seven — and the one person who could do something about it has no idea anything is wrong. Shore Watch closes that gap. HOW IT WORKS Start a trip and put your phone away. Your Safety Circle — your wife, a friend, whoever you choose — watches your boat move in real time on a map. Screen locked, app closed, phone in a dry bag: tracking keeps running. If something goes wrong, hit SOS. Everyone in your circle gets a text, an email, and a push notification with your exact coordinates and a live tracking link. WHAT YOU GET - Live position sharing during an active trip - One-tap SOS with coordinates sent to your whole circle - Background tracking that survives a locked screen - Departure and arrival alerts so shore knows when you left and when you're back - Automatic check-in prompts if you stop moving - Signal-loss alerts if your phone drops off the network - Trip history with route, speed, and duration - Two-way messages between captain and watchers during an emergency BUILT FOR REAL BOATING This was built by a boater in South Florida, tested off Black Point Marina, and broken on purpose until it stopped breaking. The hard part was never the map — it was making the boring parts hold when your phone is in a pocket six hours into a run. Shore Watch is not a replacement for a VHF radio, an EPIRB, or filing a float plan. It's the layer between "I'll text you when I'm back" and calling the Coast Guard. LOCATION AND PRIVACY Shore Watch uses your location only during a trip you start, and shares it only with the people you add to your Safety Circle. Background location is required so tracking continues when your screen is off — that's the entire point. End the trip and sharing stops. Free while in early access.

Screenshots

iNavX4 screens
Shore Watch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shore Watch at none against iNavX's 11. Shore Watch also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 5 weeks). iNavX's advantage is chart position (#109 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price 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. Shore Watch asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, Shore Watch every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
iNavX versus Shore Watch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriNavXShore Watch
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (22K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews43.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings22K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#109 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size298 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNavX Studios LLCBoat Video Productions LLC

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

Shore Watch

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 Weather$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

Shore Watch

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iNavX free?
iNavX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shore Watch free?
Shore Watch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do iNavX or Shore Watch have ads?
iNavX shows ads; Shore Watch does not.
Which is updated more often, iNavX or Shore Watch?
iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, and Shore Watch every 2 days. Most recently, iNavX was updated on October 21, 2026 and Shore Watch on October 15, 2026.

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