Comparison

GPS 2 IP vs EZ Sextant

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

Head to head
About

GPS 2 IP

Stream real-time GPS NMEA location data from your iPhone or iPad to other devices. Ideal for advanced navigation software and enthusiasts who need external GPS capabilities.

Highlights
  • Stream NMEA GPS data wirelessly
  • Connect via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth LE
  • Push data to online servers (TCP/UDP)
  • Supports TAIP protocol
  • Unique device identifiers
  • Automatic restart after device reboot
  • Selectable NMEA messages
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Do you need GPS NMEA location data for your computer or other device - maybe to use some mapping or navigation software? Until now, you couldn't get external access to the GPS inside your iPhone or iPad, but now with GPS2IP you can stream the information in realtime to solve your requirements. BEWARE - GPS2IP is *not* able to be used for the Apple turn-by-turn navigation app, or Google Maps, or most car navigation programs. It is designed for enthusiasts, or more sophisticated navigation software that can use an external wireless GPS unit. If you aren't sure what NMEA is, please check the website before buying. This is a rather special piece of software, and must be used in the right system. PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE: www.capsicumdreams.com/iPhone/gps2ip/ We have a free version "GPS2IP Lite" that has most of the same features, so that you can try it out for free. Have a look on our website: http://capsicumdreams.com/gps2ip/differences.php Try it for free, and only buy this full-featured version if it does what you need! The iPhone becomes a GPS server, and to get the information, you just connect to your iPhone using either wifi or Bluetooth LE. Alternatively, you can also push the NMEA data to any online server, using either TCP or UDP and process the information however you want.The TAIP protocol is also supported. Each device running GPS2IP can send a unique identifier, so that if you have multiple devices you can determine which device is sending what messages. GPS2IP now can be configured to restart automatically after your iOS device restarts, so you'll always keep track of your position. Apart from navigation software, other methods for connection include telnet or netcat, or many terminal programs. Some navigation software such as MacEnc can read from an IP address natively. Setting up a connection between MacEnc and GPS2IP is easy. Just have a look at the capsicumDreams website! http://capsicumdreams.com/gps2ip/ Different NMEA messages can be selected for transmission according to your requirements. One non-standard message that GPS2IP transmits that is very useful for sailing is $PASHR. GPS 2 IP can run when the iPhone sleeps to support constant location reporting, but be aware that continued use of the GPS when running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. If your device dies or you turn it off when it was running, GPS2IP now automatically resumes sending the location. Beware that this will decrease battery life - we recommend keeping it charging if possible. GPS2IP can also be configured to output data at a selectable frequency (for example once every minute). You can lock the settings, so that no unauthorised people can change the settings. Lots more information and instructions on usage can be found on our website. Enjoy!

About

EZ Sextant

Navigate open waters using your phone's camera to sight celestial bodies. This app plots lines of position and combines them for an estimated location on a lat/lon grid. It's a powerful tool for offshore navigation without relying on GPS.

Highlights
  • GPS-free navigation
  • Camera-based celestial sightings
  • Automatic position plotting
  • Built-in almanac
  • Running fix calculations
  • Lat/lon grid display
Features
Read full description

Navigate in open waters without a GPS. The phone's camera is used to make sightings of the sun, moon, Venus, or Mars. The sighting results are plotted as lines of position with multiple sightings combined into a running fix. Your estimated position is displayed on a lat/lon grid. You can also use your sextant and take advantage of the built-in almanac and plotting tools.

Screenshots

GPS 2 IP4 screens
EZ Sextant4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: GPS 2 IP at $7.99 against EZ Sextant's $24.99. GPS 2 IP also leads on chart position (#40 vs unranked) and ratings volume (15 vs 4). EZ Sextant's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and review sentiment (100% vs 58%). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model 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

GPS 2 IP costs $7.99 and EZ Sextant $24.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EZ Sextant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of GPS 2 IP's written reviews are positive against 100% of EZ Sextant's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

GPS 2 IP ships an update every 3 months, EZ Sextant monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
GPS 2 IP versus EZ Sextant: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGPS 2 IPEZ Sextant
Price$7.99 — better$24.99
Rating4.2 (15 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews58.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings15 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#40 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size13 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAngus OliverThird Reef Software LLC

Customer experience

GPS 2 IP

All ratings15 ratings
Positive80.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative20.0%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral1.7%
Negative40.0%

EZ Sextant

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

GPS 2 IP

No in-app purchases

None

EZ Sextant

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is GPS 2 IP free?
GPS 2 IP costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is EZ Sextant free?
EZ Sextant costs $24.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, GPS 2 IP or EZ Sextant?
EZ Sextant is rated higher. GPS 2 IP averages 4.2 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while EZ Sextant averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do GPS 2 IP or EZ Sextant have ads?
Neither GPS 2 IP nor EZ Sextant shows ads.
Which is updated more often, GPS 2 IP or EZ Sextant?
GPS 2 IP ships an update every 3 months, and EZ Sextant monthly. Most recently, GPS 2 IP was updated on November 6, 2026 and EZ Sextant on November 4, 2026.

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