# Tide Graph vs Boat Beacon

The clearest difference is price: Tide Graph at $1.99 against Boat Beacon's $14.99. Tide Graph also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (70% vs 61%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Tide Graph costs $1.99 and Boat Beacon $14.99 up front. Tide Graph sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Boat Beacon sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tide Graph holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 868 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Tide Graph's written reviews are positive against 61% of Boat Beacon's.

Tide Graph ships an update every 6 weeks, Boat Beacon every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 30, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide Graph | Boat Beacon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $14.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-graph/id288420737/reviews)** | [4.6 (868 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.6K** | 868 |
| Positive reviews | **70.3% of reviews** | 61.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#32** | #59 |
| Size | 29 MB | 152 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Brainware LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/288420740) | [Pocket Mariner Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/719592131) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide Graph

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-graph/id288420737)

**Currently charting:** #32 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides interactive tide graphs with over 10 billion predictions for US coastal stations. It also displays sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and moon phases. Save locations and graphs for easy access.

**Highlights:** Interactive tide graphs, Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset tracking, Moon phase display, Save recent locations, GPS location finder, Save graphs for later

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 2015 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2016 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2017 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2018 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2019 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2020 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2021 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2022 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2023 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2024 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |
| 2026 Tides and Currents | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ⭐ Accurate tide data
- 📊 Excellent visual representation of tides
- 🗓️ Detailed tide information including moon phases
- 🔍 Reliable for many locations
- 💰 Good value for the price

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🌐 Requires internet connection to function
- 🗺️ Limited to US and Alaska locations only
- 🔍 Difficult to find desired location
- 🕰️ Slow loading times in some cases
- 🔧 Compatibility issues with newer devices

**Reported bugs**

- Tide data inaccuracies reported in some locations
- Crashes and freezes when switching between stations
- Date/time display issues in certain cases

**Requested features**

- Offline mode for tide data
- Ability to save favorite locations
- Larger tide graph for better visibility
- Option to switch between metric and imperial units
- Automatic updates to latest tide information


### Boat Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039)

**Currently charting:** #59 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

This marine navigation app provides real-time AIS data for collision avoidance and position sharing. It offers over-the-horizon warnings, background operation, and a user-friendly interface for boaters.

**Highlights:** Collision warnings with CPA calculations, Real-time AIS ship tracking, Background operation for continuous alerts, Position sharing with other users, Augmented Reality view (IAP), Man Overboard and Anchor Watch alarms (IAP)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AIS Share | $5.99 | per month |
| AIS Share | $16.49 | per year |
| Anchor Watch and Man Overboard | $4.99 | one-time |
| Live View Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| NOAA US Marine Charts | $9.99 | one-time |
| UK & IE Marine Charts | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works great
- 🚀 Excellent app
- 🔒 Fantastic app
- 💡 Useful navigation aid
- 👍 Handy app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes constantly
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🐛 Useless
- 🐛 Clunky UI

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when panning or changing settings
- Phantom ships not disappearing
- Inaccurate position data
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add marine charts
- Improve search functionality
- Offline mode
- Integrate with other navigation apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide Graph free?

Tide Graph costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Boat Beacon free?

Boat Beacon costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Tide Graph or Boat Beacon?

Tide Graph is rated higher. Tide Graph averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Boat Beacon averages 4.6 from 868 ratings.

### Do Tide Graph or Boat Beacon have ads?

Neither Tide Graph nor Boat Beacon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tide Graph or Boat Beacon?

Tide Graph ships an update every 6 weeks, and Boat Beacon every 2 months. Most recently, Tide Graph was updated on September 30, 2026 and Boat Beacon on September 30, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Tide Graph or Boat Beacon?

Tide Graph currently peaks at #32 in the App Store charts, and Boat Beacon at #59. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*