# AyeTides XL vs Coastal Explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: AyeTides XL at 76% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. AyeTides XL also leads on rating (4.8 vs 2.8) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). Coastal Explorer's advantage is price (Free vs $7.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 weeks). On ads there is nothing between them.

Coastal Explorer is free to download; AyeTides XL costs $7.99 up front. Coastal Explorer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. AyeTides XL asks for nothing beyond the download.

AyeTides XL holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: AyeTides XL has 1.3K ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of AyeTides XL's written reviews are positive against 11% of Coastal Explorer's.

AyeTides XL ships an update every 3 weeks, Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | AyeTides XL | Coastal Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $7.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ayetides-xl/id383466582/reviews)** | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **1.3K** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **76.2% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 81 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Hahn Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/287316437) | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) |

## What reviewers say

### AyeTides XL

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ayetides-xl/id383466582)

Access tide and current data for over 12,500 global locations without an internet connection. View daily events in tabular or graphical formats, find stations by map or name, and save favorites. Designed for iPad, it offers accurate, ad-free planning for marine activities.

**Highlights:** Offline tide and current data, 12,500+ global locations, Interactive tide graphs, Calendar view, Station search by map, name, or location, Favorite stations

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Necessary app for sailing in Pacific NW
- 👍 Excellent app, easy to use
- 👍 Love the app, can't live without it
- 👍 Easy to use, great support
- 👍 Reliable essential for coastal sailors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Tide data inaccurate for some areas
- 🐛 Difficult to find stations when traveling
- 🐛 Buggy, locks out for no reason

**Reported bugs**

- Scrambled date display when scrolling calendar
- Fewer tide stations than advertised

**Requested features**

- Display lunar phases on tidal calendar
- Improve navigation and menus
- Display current direction and speed arrows on chart
- Add more European/UK tide and current data


### Coastal Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231)

Plan and log your cruises with detailed nautical charts and weather forecasts. Enhance your experience with a subscription for offline access, real-time navigation, and integration with marine electronics.

**Highlights:** View NOAA and USACE nautical charts, Create routes and waypoints, Cloud synchronization, ActiveCaptain points of interest, US Coast Pilot information, Marine weather forecasts, Tide and current predictions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is AyeTides XL free?

AyeTides XL costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

Coastal Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, AyeTides XL or Coastal Explorer?

AyeTides XL is rated higher. AyeTides XL averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.3K ratings, while Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 from 16 ratings.

### Do AyeTides XL or Coastal Explorer have ads?

Neither AyeTides XL nor Coastal Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, AyeTides XL or Coastal Explorer?

AyeTides XL ships an update every 3 weeks, and Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, AyeTides XL was updated on October 24, 2026 and Coastal Explorer on October 24, 2026.

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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.*