# Boat Beacon vs Pass Checker

The clearest difference is price: Pass Checker at Free against Boat Beacon's $14.99. Pass Checker also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 61%) and update cadence (every 2 days vs every 2 months). Boat Beacon's advantage is ratings volume (868 vs 8) and chart position (#144 vs unranked). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Pass Checker 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 Pass Checker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Pass Checker 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 8, 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 Pass Checker's.

Boat Beacon ships an update every 2 months, Pass Checker every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boat Beacon | Pass Checker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.6 (868 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-beacon/id494877039/reviews) | **[5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pass-checker/id6764229547/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **868** | 8 |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#144** | — |
| Size | 152 MB | 7 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket Mariner Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/719592131) | [Mountain Media Digital LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1895448538) |

## What reviewers say

### Boat Beacon

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

**Currently charting:** #144 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


### Pass Checker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pass-checker/id6764229547)

Instantly check mountain pass conditions across North America with real-time road status, live camera feeds, and weather alerts. Access Washington and British Columbia passes for free, or unlock all regions with a one-time purchase.

**Highlights:** Real-time road status (open, restricted, closed), Live DOT camera feeds, Summit temperatures, Weather alerts and restrictions, Unlock all regions with one-time purchase, Premium collectible themes

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boat Beacon free?

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

### Is Pass Checker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Boat Beacon or Pass Checker?

Pass Checker is rated higher. Boat Beacon averages 4.6 out of 5 from 868 ratings, while Pass Checker averages 5.0 from 8 ratings.

### Do Boat Beacon or Pass Checker have ads?

Neither Boat Beacon nor Pass Checker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boat Beacon or Pass Checker?

Boat Beacon ships an update every 2 months, and Pass Checker every 2 days. Most recently, Boat Beacon was updated on October 23, 2026 and Pass Checker on October 12, 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.*