# Boat Beacon vs Pilot Dispatch

The clearest difference is price: Pilot Dispatch at Free against Boat Beacon's $14.99. Pilot Dispatch also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 61%) and in-app purchases (none vs 6). Boat Beacon's advantage is ratings volume (868 vs 4) and chart position (#118 vs unranked). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Pilot Dispatch is free to download; Boat Beacon costs $14.99 up front. Boat Beacon sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Pilot Dispatch asks for nothing beyond the download.

Pilot Dispatch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boat Beacon has 868 ratings behind it against 4, 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 100% of Pilot Dispatch's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boat Beacon | Pilot Dispatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (868 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-dispatch/id1496238884/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **868** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **100.0% 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 | **#118** | — |
| Size | 152 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket Mariner Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/719592131) | [Coe & Company, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496238883) |

## What reviewers say

### Boat Beacon

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

**Currently charting:** #118 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


### Pilot Dispatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pilot-dispatch/id1496238884)

This software streamlines pilot dispatching with 24/7 reliability. It's designed with pilot input for maximum flexibility and customization, currently serving over 400 pilots across 12 organizations.

**Highlights:** 24/7/365 uptime, Streamlined dispatching process, Pilot-involved design, Flexible and customizable, Used by over 400 pilots

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boat Beacon free?

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

### Is Pilot Dispatch free?

Pilot Dispatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Boat Beacon or Pilot Dispatch?

Pilot Dispatch is rated higher. Boat Beacon averages 4.6 out of 5 from 868 ratings, while Pilot Dispatch averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Boat Beacon or Pilot Dispatch have ads?

Neither Boat Beacon nor Pilot Dispatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boat Beacon or Pilot Dispatch?

Boat Beacon ships an update every 2 months, and Pilot Dispatch every 2 months. Most recently, Boat Beacon was updated on September 30, 2026 and Pilot Dispatch on September 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.*