Comparison

HIN Search vs CDL Mastery

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

Head to head
About

HIN Search

Instantly decode US boat HINs offline with a comprehensive database of manufacturers and build dates. Detect suspicious HINs and access builder information, even without an internet connection. Ideal for marine professionals and boat buyers.

Highlights
  • Offline HIN decoding
  • Suspicious HIN detection
  • Manufacturer and build date lookup
  • Search by company or brand name
  • Favorites list with notes
  • Share/Print/Save results
Features
Read full description

We've compressed and optimized the complete US Coast Guard's boat manufacturer database of over 16,000 boat builders, and over 30,000 brands to fit on your iOS device, so you can have lightning fast results wherever you are, with NO Internet access needed! No more wondering "Who made that boat?" Important HIN Search features include: • Decoding of US 12 digit and 14/15 digit HINs • Detection of suspicious or possibly altered HINs - an important first step to make sure a boat is not stolen! • Boat manufacturer and build date information. • Print, copy or share your results. • Searching for manufacturers by their company or brand names • No Internet access needed, so you can use this app no matter where you are. • Favorites List, including your own personal notes. • Share/Print/Save results as an Image. • Developed by someone who knows and understands boats. Nearly all boats (including fishing boats, power boats, sail boats, jet skis, kayaks, and canoes) imported or built in the US since 1972 are required to have a HIN by the federal government. The HIN will include when the boat was built, and by who. With the included Manufacturer database, HIN Search can also tell you a little bit about the builder, such as if they are still in business, their address, and sometimes even a website. What this app DOES NOT do: • Retrieve boat model information other than year. This information is NOT encoded universally in the HIN. If the boat manufacturer is still in business, please contact them directly with your HIN. • Tell you if the boat is stolen. We can tell you if the boat HIN looks suspicious and warrants a closer look, but that's it. • Decode boat identification numbers for boat built before 1972. • Retrieve boat's past or current owners or sale information. Please contact your local vehicle registration authority. Please don't leave a negative review with regards to what is clearly stated above! This app only decodes HINs for boats which were built or imported legally in the USA since 1972. Some older (1970s) boat manufacturers "in business" dates may be incorrect. The USCG records are sometimes inaccurate. This is a great tool for both marine professionals and boat shoppers! No limits on number of HINs you can decode, or manufacturers you can look up. No hidden or extra fees. Buy once, use forever. Ad free, and will relieve you of scratching your head wondering, "Who made that boat?"

About

CDL Mastery

Prepare for your Commercial Driver's License (CDL) exam with a comprehensive practice test simulator. Access over 550 questions based on official test material, covering all essential CDL categories. Get immediate feedback on your answers to reinforce learning and improve your chances of passing on the first attempt.

Highlights
  • Over 550 practice questions
  • Official test question basis
  • Practice test simulator
  • Immediate feedback on answers
  • Covers all CDL categories
  • No registration required
Features
Read full description

If you want to pass your CDL Exam on your first attempt, then look no further. Our CDL Practice Test and Prep provides you with 500+ questions covering every part of the CDL Exam. Our Practice Test Simulator is also available to give you a feel for the actual test, right down to the randomization of the questions. As they say Practice makes perfect and we provide you with a way to prepare for your CDL Exam by providing you with practice questions in sets of 10. This keeps it simple without overloading you with too many questions at once. Remember repetition is key to studying for the CDL Exam. Practicing for the CDL test isn't difficult, it just takes a little time and effort. This app includes CDL Practice Test (CDL study guide) for the following categories: • General Knowledge • Hazardous Materials • Passenger Vehicles • Air Brake • Combination Vehicles • Doubles/ Triples Trailers • Tanker Vehicles Features: • Over 550 questions to practice with. • The questions are just like the actual test, using official test questions as the basis for our tests. • Immediate results: If you answer a question incorrectly, it will highlight the answer in red and allow you to try again. • No registration required • This app is applicable for the following state exams: Alabama (AL), Alaska (AK), Arizona (AZ), Arkansas (AR), California (CA), Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Delaware (DE), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Hawaii (HI), Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), Indiana (IN), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Maine (ME), Maryland (MD), Massachusetts (MA), Michigan (MI), Minnesota (MN), Mississippi (MS), Missouri (MO), Montana (MT), Nebraska (NE), Nevada (NV), New Hampshire (NH), New Jersey (NJ), New Mexico (NM), New York (NY), North Carolina (NC), North Dakota (ND), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Oregon (OR), Pennsylvania (PA), Rhode Island (RI), South Carolina (SC), South Dakota (SD), Tennessee (TN), Texas (TX), Utah (UT), Vermont (VT), Virginia (VA), Washington (WA), West Virginia (WV), Wisconsin (WI), Wyoming (WY). Please send your feedback to support@palmeacres.com

Screenshots

HIN Search4 screens
CDL Mastery4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: CDL Mastery at 100% against HIN Search's 41%. CDL Mastery also leads on price (Free vs $8.99) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). HIN Search's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support 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

CDL Mastery is free to download; HIN Search costs $8.99 up front. CDL Mastery sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. HIN Search asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

CDL Mastery holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 363 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 41% of HIN Search's written reviews are positive against 100% of CDL Mastery's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HIN Search ships an update every 8 months, CDL Mastery every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
HIN Search versus CDL Mastery: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHIN SearchCDL Mastery
Price$8.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (74 ratings)4.9 (363 ratings) — better
Positive reviews41.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings74363 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJuggernaut Technology, Inc.The PATG Group, Inc.

Customer experience

HIN Search

All ratings73 ratings
Positive89.0%
Neutral1.4%
Negative9.6%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive41.2%
Neutral5.9%
Negative52.9%

CDL Mastery

All ratings363 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HIN Search

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

CDL Mastery

Subscriptions1
  • Weekly Exams$4.997 Days

Questions

Is HIN Search free?
HIN Search costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is CDL Mastery free?
CDL Mastery is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HIN Search or CDL Mastery?
CDL Mastery is rated higher. HIN Search averages 4.6 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while CDL Mastery averages 4.9 from 363 ratings.
Do HIN Search or CDL Mastery have ads?
CDL Mastery shows ads; HIN Search does not.
Which is updated more often, HIN Search or CDL Mastery?
HIN Search ships an update every 8 months, and CDL Mastery every 2 months. Most recently, HIN Search was updated on October 22, 2026 and CDL Mastery on October 20, 2026.

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