Comparison

iNavX vs NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

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

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

This app provides a comprehensive reference for nautical chart symbols and abbreviations, including international standards and supplementary national symbols. It's designed for learning, revision, and quick lookups with a searchable index and offline access.

Highlights
  • International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) symbols
  • Supplementary US and UK national symbols
  • Fully searchable index
  • Tap & Enlarge feature
  • Offline access
  • Bonus emergency tips
Features
Read full description

SYMBOLS USED ON NAUTICAL CHARTS SPECIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION (IHO), PLUS INTERNATIONAL ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTARY NATIONAL SYMBOLS USED BY THE U.S. AND U.K. HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICES. >>> FULL APP — AD FREE | NO IN-APP PURCHASES | NO SUBSCRIPTION ************ FEATURES and BENEFITS ************ - Perfect for reference, learning & revision - Hi-res graphics - Tap & Enlarge feature for greater detail - Fully searchable index to all the symbols - Always with you on your iPhone or iPad - No internet connection needed ************ LATEST UPDATE INCLUDES ************ * Updated for current iPhone and iOS versions * Save frequently used chart symbols to My Chart Symbols for quicker reference * Jump back to recently viewed pages, with older pages neatly grouped in one menu * Improved favourite and Home controls for clearer, more consistent navigation * Refined layout and spacing throughout the app ************ Plus FREE Bonus Content from "Safe Skipper" ************ "CHART SYMBOLS & ABBREVIATIONS" provides quick reference to the "INT 1" symbols specified by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) for use on International marine charts. There are five main sections in this app, each with lettered sub-sections organized into categories to guide users through the hundreds of symbols. The main sections are: GENERAL - chart layouts, positions, distances, directions and compass. TOPOGRAPHY - landmarks, ports and coastal land features. HYDROGRAPHY - tides, currents, depths, nature of the seabed, underwater obstructions, tracks, areas, limits and hydrographic terms. NAVIGATION AIDS & SERVICES - lights, buoys, fog signals, radar, radio, services and small craft facilities. INDEX & ABBREVIATIONS - international abbreviations and index to symbols and abbreviations. SUPPLEMENTARY NATIONAL SYMBOLS Supplementary National Symbols for nautical charts used by the United States and United Kingdom are included at the end of each section. ************* FREE Bonus Content from "Safe Skipper" ***************************** A bonus section has tips on how to deal with emergencies including: Abandon ship; Dismasting; Distress Signals; Engine Failure; Fire Fighting; Flares; Getting a tow; Helicopter rescue; Holed hull; Man overboard; Medical emergency; Mayday; Panpan; Securité. INDEX The index is an A-Z of symbols and abbreviations and enables the user to quickly look up the symbols and see them in context with others in the same categories. This app is based on the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office's print publication "Chart 5011 (INT 1) EDITION 2" Admiralty Charts Publication and "Chart No.1 United States of America Nautical Chart Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms". NOTE: ECDIS symbols used to display Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) data on Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) as specified by the IHO are available in our app ELECTRONIC NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS & ABBREVIATIONS. We have an ongoing program of marine navigation and boating safety apps, so please contact us with any ideas or features that you would like to see included. Safe boating!

Screenshots

iNavX4 screens
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: iNavX at Free against NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's $1.99. iNavX also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 80 months). NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment 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

iNavX is free to download; NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE costs $1.99 up front. iNavX sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

iNavX holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: iNavX has 22K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 44% of iNavX's written reviews are positive against 50% of NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE every 80 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
iNavX versus NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriNavXNAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating4.8 (22K ratings) — better3.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews43.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings22K — better2
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 80 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#135 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size298 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNavX Studios LLCThe Other Hat

Customer experience

iNavX

All ratings21,564 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral2.4%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews461 reviews
Positive43.8%
Neutral6.1%
Negative50.1%

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

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

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

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

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iNavX free?
iNavX is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE free?
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, iNavX or NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE?
iNavX is rated higher. iNavX averages 4.8 out of 5 from 22K ratings, while NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE averages 3.5 from 2 ratings.
Do iNavX or NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE have ads?
iNavX shows ads; NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE does not.
Which is updated more often, iNavX or NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE?
iNavX ships an update every 5 weeks, and NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE every 80 months. Most recently, iNavX was updated on October 26, 2026 and NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons