Comparison

iRegatta Pro vs ESA Instruments

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

Head to head
About

iRegatta Pro

This app provides tactical regatta and cruising navigation for sailors. It offers detailed sailing data, wind direction analysis, start line countdowns, and waypoint navigation. It also supports NMEA0183 instrument data and AIS information over WiFi.

Highlights
  • Real-time sailing data display
  • Wind direction and shift indicator
  • Regatta start line countdown
  • Waypoint navigation with camera assist
  • Track recording and export
  • NMEA0183 and AIS data integration
  • Apple Watch app for data viewing and tracking
Features
Read full description

iRegatta is a tactical Regatta application as well as a crusing navigation application for the iPhone. The PRO version automatically includes the basic, NMEA0183 and AIS in-app-purchases that are available in the regular version, and offers additional in-app-purchases. The build-in GPS unit and the unique graphical possibilities of the iPhone, makes it ideal for such an application. If you have a iPhone anyway, this is a cheap way to introduce you to the benefits of a GPS device, to help you leverage your regatta sailing performance. A downside is of cause the fact that your iPhone/iPad is not waterproof! But there are products out there, where you can put your iDevice into, to make it waterproof and still be able to operate it. In this way you can either mount it near your other instruments on your keelboat or strap it to your arm if you are sailing a dinghy. Features: Main View. Here you can see your 4 most important readouts, fore instance Heading, Speed, VMG and Performance. There also is a lift indicator, showing you if you have been lifted by a wind shift, and graphs showing the development in your speed and VMG over a configurable amount of time and a permormance bar. Wind direction. Set your wind direction by storing your heading while sailing on upwind on starboard and port tack, or simply type it in. Start view. Here you have your count down (including sync), and you can mark your starting line and iRegatta will calculate the distance to the line and indicate the favorite line end, if wind direction is set. Statistics view. View your current position and trip odometer and max speed since last reset. You'll also see a polar diagram with your speed and VMG (wind speed dependent). Waypoints. Navigate to your favorite pre-stored waypoints, or create a new temporary waypoint by cross bearing using the iPhone internal camera, or by distance/bearing. Tracking. Record your track and view it on the map or export it for further analysis to your computer. Instead of internal GPS you can get instrument information over WiFi from NMEA0183 instruments. AIS data received over WiFi will be displayed in a Radar-like view. iRegatta also comes with a watch app, which will allow you to view data on your watch as well as operate the start line features. Besides that, the watch app will track your sailing as an activity and help you close your activity circles using HealthKit.. Read more detailed information on the apps web page.

About

ESA Instruments

Features
Read full description

ESA Instruments is the new App from Astra Yacht that transform your iPhone/iPad in a full function marine display. Connect ESA Instruments to an Astra Yacht GAMP (http://www.astrayacht.com/wp/en/shop/multiplexer-gamp-nmea-0183-esa/) and you can visualize every information coming from the boat instruments. Moreover, if you haven't any electronic instruments on board, you can use ESA Instruments App combined with the Astra Yacht box EBI. EBI has an internal GPS at high speed, and it's able to receive wind data directly from the most popular wind sensors both wired and wireless, and it can be connected to 4 other NMEA 0183 sensors (such as speed-depth sensor, electronic compass, AIS, wind sensor). Data from various sensors can be displayed via Wi-Fi directly on Apple devices through the App ESA Instruments that, in addition to the visualization of data in a very light and flexible way, allows you to easily calibrate your sensors thanks to a user friendly settings procedure. With ESA Instruments you can visualize data in various format: - page with a single data ; - page with two data; - page with tree data; - page with four data; - page with analog wind indicator; - page with GPS data; - page with graphic wind history (5', 10', 20' or 60' time period). in every page you can select the data you want to display in a very simple way.

Screenshots

iRegatta Pro4 screens
ESA Instruments4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ESA Instruments at Free against iRegatta Pro's $19.99. ESA Instruments also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). iRegatta Pro's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 6 months). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

ESA Instruments is free to download; iRegatta Pro costs $19.99 up front. iRegatta Pro sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. ESA Instruments asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iRegatta Pro ships an update every 5 weeks, ESA Instruments every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
iRegatta Pro versus ESA Instruments: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriRegatta ProESA Instruments
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating4.1 (8 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews55.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings8 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.6
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperZifigoASTRA Yacht srl

In-app purchases

5 purchases

iRegatta Pro

One-time5
  • iRegatta Pro Sailplan$1.99
  • eyeRegatta sync$1.99
  • iRegatta Pro Pebble$2.99
Show 2 more
  • Apple Watch integration$2.99
  • iRegatta Pro Race Analysis$3.99
None

ESA Instruments

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is iRegatta Pro free?
iRegatta Pro costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is ESA Instruments free?
ESA Instruments is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do iRegatta Pro or ESA Instruments have ads?
Neither iRegatta Pro nor ESA Instruments shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iRegatta Pro or ESA Instruments?
iRegatta Pro ships an update every 5 weeks, and ESA Instruments every 6 months. Most recently, iRegatta Pro was updated on September 21, 2026 and ESA Instruments on September 11, 2026.

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