# Boat Beacon vs Coastal Explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Boat Beacon at 61% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. Boat Beacon also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (866 vs 16). Coastal Explorer's advantage is price (Free vs $14.99) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Coastal Explorer is free to download; Boat Beacon costs $14.99 up front. Boat Beacon sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Coastal Explorer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Boat Beacon holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boat Beacon has 866 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Boat Beacon's written reviews are positive against 11% of Coastal Explorer's.

Boat Beacon ships an update every 2 months, Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boat Beacon | Coastal Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.6 (866 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039/reviews)** | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **866** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **61.1% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#107** | — |
| Size | 152 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket Mariner Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/719592131) | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) |

## What reviewers say

### Boat Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039)

**Currently charting:** #107 Top Paid · Navigation (US App Store)

This marine navigation app provides real-time AIS data for collision avoidance and position sharing. It offers over-the-horizon warnings, background operation, and a user-friendly interface for boaters.

**Highlights:** Collision warnings with CPA calculations, Real-time AIS ship tracking, Background operation for continuous alerts, Position sharing with other users, Augmented Reality view (IAP), Man Overboard and Anchor Watch alarms (IAP)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AIS Share | $5.99 | per month |
| AIS Share | $16.49 | per year |
| Anchor Watch and Man Overboard | $4.99 | one-time |
| Live View Upgrade | $7.99 | one-time |
| NOAA US Marine Charts | $9.99 | one-time |
| UK & IE Marine Charts | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works great
- 🚀 Excellent app
- 🔒 Fantastic app
- 💡 Useful navigation aid
- 👍 Handy app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes constantly
- 🐛 Unreliable
- 🐛 Doesn't work
- 🐛 Useless
- 🐛 Clunky UI

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes when panning or changing settings
- Phantom ships not disappearing
- Inaccurate position data
- Compatibility issues with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add marine charts
- Improve search functionality
- Offline mode
- Integrate with other navigation apps


### Coastal Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231)

Plan and log your cruises with detailed nautical charts and weather forecasts. Enhance your experience with a subscription for offline access, real-time navigation, and integration with marine electronics.

**Highlights:** View NOAA and USACE nautical charts, Create routes and waypoints, Cloud synchronization, ActiveCaptain points of interest, US Coast Pilot information, Marine weather forecasts, Tide and current predictions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boat Beacon free?

Boat Beacon costs $14.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Boat Beacon or Coastal Explorer?

Boat Beacon is rated higher. Boat Beacon averages 4.6 out of 5 from 866 ratings, while Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 from 16 ratings.

### Do Boat Beacon or Coastal Explorer have ads?

Neither Boat Beacon nor Coastal Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boat Beacon or Coastal Explorer?

Boat Beacon ships an update every 2 months, and Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Boat Beacon was updated on September 24, 2026 and Coastal Explorer on September 6, 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.*