Comparison

Top Sailor vs SailSim

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

Head to head
About

Top Sailor

Experience realistic sailing and motorboat simulation. Learn sailing basics, understand wind effects, and compete against AI opponents in races. Master sail trimming, navigation, and race strategy in various beautiful locations and adjustable weather conditions.

Highlights
  • Realistic sailboat and motorboat simulation
  • AI opponents of varying skill levels
  • Multiple scenic locations
  • Procedural race track generator
  • Adjustable weather conditions
  • Apparent wind and telltale indicators
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Top Sailor is a highly realistic sailing and motorboat simulator. Take Top Sailor with you and learn basics of sailing! See how wind force affects the sail and test your skills against AI opponents in a yacht race. Learn how to trim the sails to make the most use of wind energy. Discover when there is a risk of capsizing. Practise sailing downwind and upwind, tacking and gybing. Improve navigation skills, sail race strategy and tactics. • Realistic simulation of sailboat and motorboat • Six AI opponents, from newbies to experienced sailors • Several beautiful locations to explore • Never-ending supply of race tracks: the built-in track generator • Adjustable weather conditions (wind strength, direction and variation) • Apparent wind and telltale indicators • Islands, shoals and dangerous areas • Comparative sailing skill estimate • Record and replay your games • 3D stereo rendering for anaglyph glasses • Winner of the bada Global Developer Challenge 2010!

About

SailSim

Learn and experience sailing with a realistic physics-based simulator. Explore the seas, challenge yourself with exams and adventures, and play with others in multiplayer sessions. Features detailed sailing mechanics and marine terminology.

Highlights
  • Realistic physics simulation
  • Multi-player sessions
  • Exams and challenges
  • Learn sailing terminology
  • Multiple sailing vessels
  • Keyboard and controller support
Features
Read full description

As a Live-Aboard I wanted to create something anyone could use for learning, as well as for those rainy days when going out to sea is difficult but you still want to sail. The sailing simulator was created to provide sailing knowledge in a fun and intuitive way. The main goal is to have fun and learn something along the way. Hopefully that goal is being achieved with every update i make to the simulator. * Play with others in a Multi-Player session * Collect Stats and share them with others * Test your self through Exams * Try out different sailing vessels * Learn different parts of a sailboat * Learn sailing through simple yet instructive courses * Check out marine terminology and sailing equipment * Explore Adventures and Solve Challenges * Use Keyboard or Game Controller Currently available vessels are * Laser - Olympic * Catalina 22 - Classic (Fin Keel) * Sabre Spirit 37 - (Fin Keel) Current Sailing Features * Keel Control * Keel vs Vessel velocity & mass effect * Boom Direction * Boom Jibe & Tack forces * Boom Vang Control * Main Sail Folding & Unfolding * Jib Folding & Unfolding * Jib Sheet tension & Winch Control * Spinnaker Control * Sail Reefing * Rudder vs Velocity control * Rudder & Turning circle based on vessel mass * Rudder reverse control * Engine Fuel Capacity and Refueling Systems * Outboard engine control * Outboard engine Prop Walk effect * Sail Drive Prop Walk effect * Dynamic Wind * Level Interaction * Drift effect vs Sail direction * Vessel Heel & Potential Capsize effects * Jib and Main Sail "Rudder Pull" when used separately * Wind dynamics based on vessel velocity and direction * Much more... SailSim applies actual physics to simulate the behavior of a sailing vessel. This means you can actually capsize or sink a vessel if you are not careful. In some cases the sailing simulator can even reproduce unpredictable results based on your actions, selected parameters and conditions. The visuals are meant not to be too serious where it doesn't matter as much (Environment in specific) but playful and fun. I spend a great deal of time on the physics of the simulator where a vessel can receive up to 30 or more forces dynamically at the same time, so the vessels are not just bumbling around but are actually getting the forces you would get in real life (mostly since nothing is perfect). Although by no means this should be considered as an exact replication of the actual sailing process, it does provide things you shall encounter when you step on any boat. If learning is not your thing, it is very addictive to just play with a sailboat and physics applied to it when the wind is howling outside and you have nothing better to do. Some controls and reactions of the sailing vessels in this simulator have been set intentionally in an awkward way and not as a typical Sailing Game would do it. This is done to try and replicate what you shall encounter when controlling a sailboat by yourself. I am having a blast developing this as an ongoing project. Spend lots of sleepless nights just because the specific environment or function is just too fun to stop making. Hopefully others will appreciate the work that is made by just one man on a small boat at sea :) * Make sure you update to the latest available version as i fix bugs and release fixes and new functions as i go. Please note that i designed the simulator with good graphics and physics in mind. Since i do not have the resources to check the simulator on older devices, if your device is older than 2 - 3 years, the simulator might not work properly. Unsupported older devices may manifest faults as broken texturing or in general the look of the simulator will not be as in the description screenshots. * If you find faults (bugs) not related to graphics but based on general behavior, please don't hesitate to mention it by sending me an E-mail and i should have it fixed in no time. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Top Sailor4 screens
SailSim4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SailSim at Free against Top Sailor's $3.99. SailSim also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 months). Top Sailor's advantage is rating (3.9 vs 3.4) and ads (none vs shown). On ratings volume, 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

SailSim is free to download; Top Sailor costs $3.99 up front. Top Sailor sells 15 one-off in-app purchases and SailSim sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Top Sailor holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Top Sailor's written reviews are positive against 38% of SailSim's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Top Sailor ships an update every 3 months, SailSim every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Top Sailor versus SailSim: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTop SailorSailSim
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating3.9 (35 ratings) — better3.4 (22 ratings)
Positive reviews69.6% of reviews — better38.5% of reviews
Number of ratings35 — better22
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 8 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#176 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB390 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTOYSPRINGDimitris Rouslan Zavorotnitsienko

Customer experience

Top Sailor

All ratings35 ratings
Positive60.0%
Neutral22.9%
Negative17.1%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive69.6%
Neutral13.7%
Negative16.7%

SailSim

All ratings22 ratings
Positive63.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative36.4%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive38.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative61.5%

Bugs and requests

Top Sailor

Reported bugs

34 issues
  • App crashes on startup
  • Game won't save progress
  • Camera perspective changes at bad times
  • Main sheet unresponsive
  • App freezes and requires reinstallation
Show 29 more
  • Water color changed to black after update
  • Rudder fails to control boat
  • Sail disappears
  • Accidental camera movement causing capsizes
  • Wind shifts too drastically
  • Capsize happens too quickly
  • Incompatible with iOS 11 (older versions)
  • 32-bit only app (older versions)
  • Control on iPad almost unusable
  • Boats don't follow normal sailing rules
  • Penalties for being hit by other boats
  • Starting races aground or in irons
  • Wind sound too extreme
  • Camera button placement issue
  • Tiller issue (resolved by advanced settings)
  • Wind direction changes unrealistically
  • Wind speed too variable
  • Camera view issues
  • Capsize is too weak
  • Graphics are just okay
  • Game crashes and displays last app open
  • Requires social media login to open (older versions)
  • Erratic movement at times
  • Player view control mode after tipping
  • Screen tilts at sharp angle sometimes
  • Landscape orientation issues on iPad
  • Home button on right causes issues
  • Volume button pressed accidentally
  • Speaker covered by hand

Requested features

33 requests
  • More boat variety
  • First-person view
  • Ability to change sails
  • More courses/scenery
  • Multiplayer mode
Show 28 more
  • Free sailing mode
  • Customizable controls (rudder position)
  • Add jib and spinnaker
  • More advanced dinghy classes
  • Random weather across courses
  • French language option
  • Relocate camera button
  • Option to move rudder to left side
  • Add icebergs
  • More realistic wind changes
  • Add catamaran option
  • Lockable camera view
  • Smoother boat movement
  • More detailed player boat graphics
  • Retina support
  • Actual free ride mode
  • More obstacles in free sail
  • Different sized boats
  • Old sailing ships
  • More tabs for larger ships
  • Landscape mode with home button on right
  • Jib sail for version up
  • More parameters on screen and customizable display
  • More levels
  • Exploring mode
  • Internet multiplayer
  • More realistic capsize animation
  • More realistic wind speed options

SailSim

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

15 purchases

Top Sailor

One-time15
  • Basic Tip$0.99
  • Green hull$0.99
  • Yellow hull$0.99
Show 12 more
  • Pink hull$0.99
  • Red hull$0.99
  • 4 colorful sails$1.99
  • Set of 4 decorative hulls$1.99
  • Boat name on hull$1.99
  • Appreciative Tip$2.99
  • Pirate-style sail and hull$2.99
  • Add any text to your sail$4.99
  • Generous Tip$6.99
  • Golden sail$9.99
  • Awesome Tip$19.99
  • Amazing Tip$54.99
12 purchases

SailSim

Subscriptions1
  • SailSim Subscription$0.991 Month
One-time11
  • No Ads Today$0.29
  • SailSim 200xp$0.29
  • Extended Test Purchase$0.29
Show 8 more
  • Hints$0.29
  • Show Wind$0.29
  • Show Map$0.29
  • Boost Sails$0.29
  • Boost Engine Purchase$0.29
  • Flags$0.29
  • God Mode$1.99
  • SailSim Unlock$3.99

Questions

Is Top Sailor free?
Top Sailor costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is SailSim free?
SailSim is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Top Sailor or SailSim?
Top Sailor is rated higher. Top Sailor averages 3.9 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while SailSim averages 3.4 from 22 ratings.
Do Top Sailor or SailSim have ads?
SailSim shows ads; Top Sailor does not.
Which is updated more often, Top Sailor or SailSim?
Top Sailor ships an update every 3 months, and SailSim every 8 days. Most recently, Top Sailor was updated on September 25, 2026 and SailSim on September 19, 2026.

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