# Boat Lights vs C

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Boat Lights at 89% against C's 51%. Boat Lights also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). C's advantage is rating (4.5 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (2.3K vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. C sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Boat Lights asks for nothing beyond the download.

C holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: C has 2.3K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 89% of Boat Lights's written reviews are positive against 51% of C's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Boat Lights ships an update every 2 months, C every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boat Lights | C |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-lights/id464656024/reviews) | **[4.5 (2.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c-map-boating/id967289980/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **2.3K** |
| Positive reviews | **88.9% of reviews** | 51.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#118** |
| Size | 8 MB | 169 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Glenn Ludlow](https://appshunter.io/developer/464656027) | [Navico Norway AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/842162153) |

## What reviewers say

### Boat Lights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-lights/id464656024)

This app helps boat operators understand navigation lights, shapes, and sounds. It features a unique drawing-based search and a visual browser for quick reference. Offline access to a comprehensive database makes it ideal for on-water use and classroom instruction.

**Highlights:** Draw-What-You-See search engine, Visual browser, Flash cards for self-testing, Boat navigation lights, shapes, and sounds, Navigation rules and regulations, Offline data storage, Support for multiple rule sets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### C

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c-map-boating/id967289980)

**Currently charting:** #118 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

Access up-to-date nautical charts for global exploration and planning. Save points of interest and routes, record tracks, and view marine weather. Upgrade for offline maps, GPS, and advanced features like shaded relief and AIS.

**Highlights:** Free chart viewer, Autorouting, Personal waypoints, Track recording, Marine weather forecasts, Offline map downloads, High-resolution bathymetry

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Embark Advanced Weather | $1.99 | per month |
| Embark Offline Maps USA | $2.49 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $14.99 | per year |
| Region | $18.99 | per year |
| North America | $23.49 | per year |
| Maps Lakes South East USA | $25.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Caribbean | $32.99 | per year |
| Maps USA East Coast & Bahamas | $39.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate maps and charts
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 📍 Helpful for planning trips and routes
- 🛳️ Useful for both professionals and beginners
- ⚙️ Detailed features like shaded relief and weather info

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- ⚠️ Unreliable GPS tracking and location updates
- 🔌 Offline maps and features not working as expected
- 🤔 Confusing or missing functionality (e.g. route editing)
- 💸 Expensive subscription, not worth the cost

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to save tracks or routes
- Offline maps fail to download or disappear
- Depth/contour data inaccurate or not displaying properly
- Login and authentication issues preventing access

**Requested features**

- Add mast height/clearance feature
- Improve AIS integration and functionality
- Allow more customization of map views and data
- Provide better customer support and communication


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boat Lights free?

Boat Lights is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is C free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Boat Lights or C?

C is rated higher. Boat Lights averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while C averages 4.5 from 2.3K ratings.

### Do Boat Lights or C have ads?

Neither Boat Lights nor C shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boat Lights or C?

Boat Lights ships an update every 2 months, and C every 6 weeks. Most recently, Boat Lights was updated on September 21, 2026 and C on October 15, 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.*
