# PRO CHARTS vs AV Assistant

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AV Assistant at none against PRO CHARTS's 4. AV Assistant also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (12.4 vs 15.6). PRO CHARTS's advantage is ratings volume (8.5K vs 4) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PRO CHARTS sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. AV Assistant asks for nothing beyond the download.

AV Assistant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PRO CHARTS has 8.5K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PRO CHARTS | AV Assistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (8.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-charts-marine-navigation/id451093694/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-assistant/id1381484046/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8.5K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 27.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#198** | — |
| Size | 48 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **12.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [MiraTrex, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/814855898) | [Clint O'Connor](https://appshunter.io/developer/1381484045) |

## What reviewers say

### PRO CHARTS

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pro-charts-marine-navigation/id451093694)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

Navigate marine environments with detailed nautical charts and route planning. Track your location, find friends on the water, and share your trip details for safety. Offline chart access ensures reliable navigation even without an internet connection.

**Highlights:** High-resolution NOAA nautical charts, Offline chart access, Waypoint and route creation, Buddy tracking, Float plan sharing, Point-and-steer navigation, Track recording

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Year Auto Renewing Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| 1 Year Auto Renewing Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Brazil - Nautical Charts | $4.99 | one-time |
| 1 Year Subscription | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great for navigation
- 🗺️ Helpful for coastal areas
- 👍 Useful app overall

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- ⚠️ Subscription issues and hidden costs
- 🌐 Lacks coverage for non-US regions
- 🔒 Poor account management and support

**Reported bugs**

- Charts not loading or disappearing
- Subscription not recognized
- Login/account issues

**Requested features**

- Offline map downloads
- Depth and hazard data
- Better route planning tools


### AV Assistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/av-assistant/id1381484046)

This app provides U.S. waters navigation information, displaying your location and details of surrounding aids like buoys and lights. It downloads weekly U.S. Coast Guard Light List data and includes relevant Local Notice for Mariners information. It also allows users to report discrepancies in navigation aids to the U.S. Coast Guard.

**Highlights:** Location-based aid display, U.S. Coast Guard Light List data, Local Notice for Mariners integration, Discrepancy reporting to USCG, Informational aid for U.S. waters

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PRO CHARTS free?

PRO CHARTS is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is AV Assistant free?

AV Assistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, PRO CHARTS or AV Assistant?

AV Assistant is rated higher. PRO CHARTS averages 4.5 out of 5 from 8.5K ratings, while AV Assistant averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do PRO CHARTS or AV Assistant have ads?

Neither PRO CHARTS nor AV Assistant shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PRO CHARTS or AV Assistant?

PRO CHARTS ships an update every 2 months, and AV Assistant every 2 months. Most recently, PRO CHARTS was updated on November 2, 2026 and AV Assistant on October 26, 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.*