# NOAA CBIBS vs Pilot Charts

The clearest difference is price: NOAA CBIBS at Free against Pilot Charts's $5.99. NOAA CBIBS also leads on update cadence (every 9 months vs every 23 months) and review sentiment (46% vs 33%). Pilot Charts's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

NOAA CBIBS is free to download; Pilot Charts costs $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NOAA CBIBS ships an update every 9 months, Pilot Charts every 23 months. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | NOAA CBIBS | Pilot Charts |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $5.99 |
| Rating | — | **[1.7 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-charts/id1616211846/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| Positive reviews | **46.2% of reviews** | 33.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 months** | Every 23 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 15 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Chesapeake Conservancy](https://appshunter.io/developer/439920951) | [Johannes Wagener](https://appshunter.io/developer/688814588) |

## What reviewers say

### NOAA CBIBS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-cbibs/id439920948)

Access real-time weather and water data collected by smart buoys in the Chesapeake Bay. This information supports the use and management of a healthy bay, improving safety, economy, and environmental protection.

**Highlights:** Real-time weather data, Real-time water data, Chesapeake Bay information, Supports bay management, Improves safety and environment

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Pilot Charts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-charts/id1616211846)

Access historical wind and wave data for oceans worldwide, presented in monthly charts. Explore conditions for the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans, with additional regions available for free download.

**Highlights:** Monthly wind and wave condition charts, Oceanic data for Atlantic, Pacific, Indian Oceans, Historical data from the last century, Free additional chart downloads, Preloaded North Atlantic chart

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is NOAA CBIBS free?

NOAA CBIBS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Pilot Charts free?

Pilot Charts costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do NOAA CBIBS or Pilot Charts have ads?

Neither NOAA CBIBS nor Pilot Charts shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, NOAA CBIBS or Pilot Charts?

NOAA CBIBS ships an update every 9 months, and Pilot Charts every 23 months. Most recently, NOAA CBIBS was updated on October 20, 2026 and Pilot Charts on October 18, 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.*