# RayControl vs WatchMate

The clearest difference is update cadence: WatchMate at every 2 months against RayControl's every 16 months. WatchMate also leads on rating (3.5 vs 3.3) and device support (3 vs 1). RayControl's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

WatchMate holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 3.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 11 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of RayControl's written reviews are positive against 44% of WatchMate's.

RayControl ships an update every 16 months, WatchMate every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RayControl | WatchMate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raycontrol/id523576941/reviews) | **[3.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchmate/id557485481/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 7 | **11** |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **44.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Raymarine UK Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/456592425) | [Garmin New Zealand Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/557485484) |

## What reviewers say

### RayControl

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raycontrol/id523576941)

View and remotely control your Raymarine e, c, ES, and Axiom Multi-Functional Displays from your iPad. Access electronic charting, sonar, radar, and thermal night vision with touch screen interaction and a virtual keypad.

**Highlights:** Remote viewing of MFDs, Touch screen control, Virtual slide-out keypad, Control charting, sonar, radar, and thermal vision, Wi-Fi connectivity

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### WatchMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchmate/id557485481)

This app provides remote control and situational awareness for your Vesper Marine AIS Transponder. View AIS targets, manage alarms, and control transponder settings directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** View AIS targets, Manage collision prevention alarms, Control Anchor Watch alarm, View GPS position, course, and speed, Remote control transponder settings, Configure vessel AIS static data, Perform firmware upgrades

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is RayControl free?

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

### Is WatchMate free?

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

### Which has better reviews, RayControl or WatchMate?

WatchMate is rated higher. RayControl averages 3.3 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while WatchMate averages 3.5 from 11 ratings.

### Do RayControl or WatchMate have ads?

Neither RayControl nor WatchMate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RayControl or WatchMate?

RayControl ships an update every 16 months, and WatchMate every 2 months. Most recently, RayControl was updated on September 30, 2026 and WatchMate on October 8, 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.*