Comparison

Memory vs NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS

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

Head to head
About

Memory

Transform your device into an outdoor GPS or marine chart plotter with detailed offline maps. Track your location even without a signal, plan routes on your computer, and analyze your adventures. Trusted by professionals for various outdoor activities.

Highlights
  • Offline Topo and Marine Charts
  • GPS Location Tracking
  • Route Planning & Measurement
  • GPX File Import/Export
  • Tracklog Recording & Analysis
  • NMEA/AIS Instrument Connectivity
  • Coordinate System Support
Features
Read full description

Turn your iPhone or iPad into an outdoor GPS or marine chart plotter, with the detailed Topo maps or NOAA marine charts needed for your activity. Maps are stored on the device for offline use, when you don't have any network connection. The GPS will show your location even where you have no mobile phone signal. The app can be used standalone, but the maps and overlay data may also be used on your home PC or Mac for planning, and for printing maps on paper. Then upload everything to your phone or tablet and enjoy navigating outdoors with high quality maps. When you get home you can transfer your tracklog and points of interest back onto your computer, to see where you actually went, analyze your speed and elevation profile, and so on. Whether you are fishing, paddling, backpacking, mountain biking or sailing, enjoy your time in the wilderness with Memory-Map. We have been developing mobile navigation apps since year 2000, and our products are trusted by mountain rescue teams, police and coast guard stations around the world. Features: + Fast scrolling and zooming + Import and export GPX files + Screen lock to prevent accidental screen touches while recording a track + Shows speed and direction of travel, even while walking slowly + Support for GPS and Compass sensors, where available. + Placename index, works offline + Moving map, lock GPS position and automatically scroll the map + Records tracklogs with app running in the background + Create and edit marks, which may be linked to a web URL + Plan routes, measure distance and bearings + Routes snap to roads or trails, optimized for walking, cycling, or driving + Shows Altitude + Lat/Long, UTM, British National Grid and MGRS coordinate systems + Share position marks or tracklogs with other apps using GPX files + Connect to NMEA instruments and AIS via a WiFi gateway + AIS collision alarms, Anchor alarms and proximity alarms use notifications. Battery Use Disclaimer: "Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life."

About

NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS

This app provides digital nautical charts and navigation tools for safe boating. It offers offline chart downloads, real-time AIS tracking, and community-shared points of interest. Plan and share your routes with ease.

Highlights
  • Digital nautical charts
  • Offline chart downloads
  • Real-time AIS tracking
  • Community points of interest
  • Auto-routing
  • GPX file export
Features
Read full description

Enhance your navigation experience with a seamless navigation solution that provides up-to-date digital nautical charts, comprehensive harbour information, and a full suite of navigation features. The charts can be downloaded for offline use and offer exceptional compatibility with the NV Charts paper charts with a similar chart design. All currently valid editions of the NV Verlag / NV Charts nautical charts or inland charts | North Sea | Baltic Sea | Netherlands | Wadden Sea | Ijsselmeer | Sweden | Denmark | Germany | Norway | France | USA | Caribbean | Bahamas areas are compatible with the NV Charts App. Enjoy the best of both worlds - paper and digital: A perfect match is our popular combination package of high-quality digital charts and cleverly designed paper charts. Alternatively, you can also purchase digital nautical charts directly via the app with a convenient annual subscription that renews automatically. The integrated update service keeps the charts up to date. If it is not yet clear where the journey should go or no offline charts are activated, free online charts can be displayed for all NV Charts chart areas, even without a currently valid chart licence. Detailed and relevant information is essential for navigating safely on the water. With the NV Charts App, you are part of the BoatView community yourself. You can mark harbours, anchorages and navigation warnings on the digital nautical chart and also add pictures of interesting places that go beyond navigation, such as restaurants or popular attractions, and share them with the community. Others can respond directly with comments. The continuously edited content can be downloaded directly to be available offline. To make all the information easily accessible, the app offers a search function. You can explore the surroundings and search directly for place names as well as anchorages, harbours, ramps, waypoints, cranes, fuel stations or tide stations. The app also offers fast and flexible auto-routing, allowing you to navigate directly to your destination and edit a route manually. Navigation on board is even more fun together! You can share your tracks with friends or use the data outside the app and export it as a GPX file. You can easily share your favourite harbours and anchorages from the app via a link and coordinate your trip planning even better with everyone. The AIS function in the NV Charts App allows you to keep an eye on AIS signals in real time. A WiFi AIS receiver can be connected to the NV Charts App for this purpose. The AIS Class A and B targets and aids to navigation (ATON), as well as MOB AIS SART transponder emergency transmitters, are displayed, and the traffic situation can be better assessed. The NV Charts App can be installed and synchronized on multiple devices. NV Charts App - Features: + Search function + Autorouting for all distances and regions + Velocity Made Good (VMG) + Community Layer / Points of Interest(POI) + Free online boating charts preview for planning + In App Purchases of digital offline charts + Community Layer / Points of Interest(POI) + Reads all NV Chart chart areas + Easy download of the maps + Always the latest data + Seamless zoom and panning functions + Tide Forecast + Online weather + AIS Wifi Support + AIS Sart Beacon + AIS CPA function + Night mode + Anchor alarm + Position with GPS + Intuitive route planning + Course markings, markings, bearing ruler + Port information + Display of instruments + Synchronizing devices + Live Position Sharing + Social sharing of routes, tracks, positions Note: Continued use of GPS in the background can significantly reduce battery life.

Screenshots

Memory4 screens
NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS at every 3 weeks against Memory's every 2 months. Memory's advantage is review sentiment (64% vs 54%) and iOS requirement (11.4 vs 16.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Memory sells 16 one-off in-app purchases and NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS sells 14 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Memory against 4.5 for NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 52 and 114 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 64% of Memory's written reviews are positive against 54% of NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Memory ships an update every 2 months, NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Memory versus NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMemoryNV Charts GPS Navigation AIS
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (52 ratings)4.5 (114 ratings)
Positive reviews64.3% of reviews — better54.2% of reviews
Number of ratings52114 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS11.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB78 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMemory-MapNV Chart Group GmbH

Customer experience

Memory

All ratings52 ratings
Positive92.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.7%
Written reviews230 reviews
Positive64.3%
Neutral8.7%
Negative27.0%

NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS

All ratings114 ratings
Positive86.0%
Neutral4.4%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews59 reviews
Positive54.2%
Neutral11.9%
Negative33.9%

Bugs and requests

Memory

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Tracking stops when app is in background
  • Map sections disappear after device upgrades
  • Unresponsive UI elements on newer iOS devices

Requested features

6 requests
  • Automatic map updates
  • Easier map licensing and management across devices
  • Improved route planning and tracking features
  • Compass and heading orientation
  • Apple CarPlay integration
Show 1 more
  • Ability to share routes and tracks

NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

16 purchases

Memory

One-time16
  • USGS Topo NY$9.99
  • USGS Topo AK$9.99
  • USGS Topo Atlantic$9.99
Show 13 more
  • USGS Topo CA$9.99
  • USGS Topo New England$9.99
  • USGS Topo TX$9.99
  • USGS Topo WA$9.99
  • USGS Topo WV$9.99
  • USGS Topo AZ$9.99
  • USGS Topo WY$9.99
  • USGS Topo FL$9.99
  • USGS Topo GA$9.99
  • Import 3rd Party maps$12.99
  • DeLorme Topo Map CA$19.99
  • DeLorme Topo Map ME$19.99
  • Professional Features$49.99
14 purchases

NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS

Subscriptions14
  • Baltic Sea and Kattegat$49.991 Year
  • Norway$49.991 Year
  • Netherlands$49.991 Year
Show 11 more
  • Mediterranean West$49.991 Year
  • Mediterranean East$49.991 Year
  • France Atlantik$49.991 Year
  • Cuba$49.991 Year
  • Croatia$49.991 Year
  • Caribbean and Bermuda$49.991 Year
  • Atlantic Islands$49.991 Year
  • Florida and Bahamas$49.991 Year
  • German Inland Waters$49.991 Year
  • UK South$49.991 Year
  • Northsea$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Memory free?
Memory is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS free?
NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Memory or NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS?
Memory and NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 52 and 114 ratings respectively.
Do Memory or NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS have ads?
Neither Memory nor NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Memory or NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS?
Memory ships an update every 2 months, and NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS every 3 weeks. Most recently, Memory was updated on October 16, 2026 and NV Charts GPS Navigation AIS on October 17, 2026.

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