Comparison

SEAiq vs NMEA GPS Tether

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SEAiq

This marine navigation app offers comprehensive charting tools, allowing users to load various chart formats and automatically download NOAA charts for the US. It includes features like waypoints, routes, tracks, weather overlays, and NMEA/AIS integration for enhanced seafaring.

Highlights
  • Load custom charts (S-57, S-63, BSB, KAP)
  • Automatic NOAA chart downloads (US)
  • Waypoint and route planning
  • Track recording and display
  • Night color modes
  • Anchor alarm
  • Weather overlays (wind & isobar)
  • NMEA and AIS integration
Read full description

SEAiq is a full-featured marine navigation app. It lets you load your own charts in standard formats, including S-57, S-63, iENC, BSB, and KAP. It also automatically downloads charts from NOAA for the United States. Features include: * Waypoints * Routes * Tracks * Night color modes * Anchor alarm * Automatic download and display of weather (wind & isobar) * Chart measuring tools (EBL/VRM) * Wi-Fi-based NMEA and AIS No purchase is required to view charts. Premium navigation features are enabled during a 7-day evaluation period. After that, an annual subscription is required. Existing one-time purchases retain the features they unlocked. Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

NMEA GPS Tether

Share GPS data from another device to your iPad over WiFi. Ideal for devices lacking built-in GPS, allowing you to view location information on a map. Offers customizable runtime and update frequency.

Highlights
  • Receive GPS data from other devices
  • View location on map
  • Customizable runtime
  • Adjust map update frequency
  • Auto-center map with history trail
Features
Read full description

This app (receiver) connects to another device (sender, which will provide GPS coordinates data). Useful on devices where GPS is unavailable. To use, you will need to a server app, NMEA device or a telnet connection to send the GPS data. If you need support or having issues with NMEA, contact us at support@bricatta.com or visit us at gpstether.bricatta.com Summary : To share and tether NMEA GPS data between other compatible devices, over WiFi network to your iPad, and view it on the map. Useful for those iPads without GPS. Want to share and tether GPS infomation from other devices like NMEA server or from another device, to your iPad using WiFi ? This solution is made for you... plain and simple. Check out the video at www.bricatta.com Just key in the IP address and port number, and you are all set to view the location on the map. *The location shown is based on the other device's GPS location (NMEA server/talker) * Trial version will only run for 5 minutes. Purchase full version in here (app's Settings page) using the in-app feature. Feature Details : - Able to receive GPS data from another device using Bricatta's server app, and view the location on your iPad using this app. - Able to receive NMEA GPS data from a NMEA compatible talker/server, and view the location on your iPad using this app. This feature is still under final-beta testing. - Set how many minutes you want this app to run (runtime), with 0 as unlimited runtime - Set how frequent to update the map with pointers, to save battery power. - Auto-center the map at the latest location with history trail. Requirements : - WiFi - Location info (optional, used locally on device only to show device location on map. Data is not shared or sent to other devices) Note : This app solution is not meant to tether GPS from iPhone. Please read the FAQ at gpstether.bricatta.com for more info.

Screenshots

SEAiq2 screens
NMEA GPS Tether3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SEAiq at 61% against NMEA GPS Tether's 25%. SEAiq also leads on ratings volume (194 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). NMEA GPS Tether's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SEAiq sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per year and NMEA GPS Tether sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

NMEA GPS Tether holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SEAiq has 194 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 61% of SEAiq's written reviews are positive against 25% of NMEA GPS Tether's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SEAiq ships an update every 2 weeks, NMEA GPS Tether every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SEAiq versus NMEA GPS Tether: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSEAiqNMEA GPS Tether
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (194 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews61.3% of reviews — better25.0% of reviews
Number of ratings194 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB39 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSakhalinLee Kien Yeong

Customer experience

SEAiq

All ratings194 ratings
Positive91.8%
Neutral3.6%
Negative4.6%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive61.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative32.0%

NMEA GPS Tether

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

SEAiq

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • No access to premium features after payment
  • Chart downloads fail if app is not on screen
  • App freezes when trying to delete
  • App crashes

Requested features

13 requests
  • Simplify course plotting
  • Add support for .MBTiles
  • Add VMG feature
  • Add support for .MBTiles
  • Add support for .MBTiles
Show 8 more
  • Allow selection of discreet chart areas
  • Add GPS data from TCP/IP source
  • Allow disabling internal GPS
  • Provide good integration/complement to OpenCpn
  • Provide TCP/IP support for NMEA data
  • Broadcast waypoint and NMEA data to external systems
  • Lower price for waypoints creation
  • Allow using purchased charts across devices

NMEA GPS Tether

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

SEAiq

Subscriptions1
  • Premium Annual$15.001 Year
One-time1
  • Upgrade for Premium Features$49.99
1 purchases

NMEA GPS Tether

One-time1
  • Purchase Full Version$3.99

Questions

Is SEAiq free?
SEAiq is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is NMEA GPS Tether free?
NMEA GPS Tether is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SEAiq or NMEA GPS Tether?
NMEA GPS Tether is rated higher. SEAiq averages 4.7 out of 5 from 194 ratings, while NMEA GPS Tether averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SEAiq or NMEA GPS Tether have ads?
Neither SEAiq nor NMEA GPS Tether shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SEAiq or NMEA GPS Tether?
SEAiq ships an update every 2 weeks, and NMEA GPS Tether every 2 months. Most recently, SEAiq was updated on November 1, 2026 and NMEA GPS Tether on November 1, 2026.

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