# Marinus vs VHF Trainer Lite

The clearest difference is rating: VHF Trainer Lite at 5.0 against Marinus's 4.4. VHF Trainer Lite also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). Marinus's advantage is ratings volume (215 vs 2) and review sentiment (65% vs 50%). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Marinus sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. VHF Trainer Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

VHF Trainer Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Marinus has 215 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 65% of Marinus's written reviews are positive against 50% of VHF Trainer Lite's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Marinus ships an update every 5 weeks, VHF Trainer Lite monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marinus | VHF Trainer Lite |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (215 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marinus-maritime-rules/id536108872/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vhf-trainer-lite/id1179745183/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **215** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **65.3% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 113 MB | 471 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **7.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alejandro](https://appshunter.io/developer/476976572) | [Advenio Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/1142393703) |

## What reviewers say

### Marinus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marinus-maritime-rules/id536108872)

This app provides comprehensive guidance on maritime navigation rules and signals. It offers detailed information on flags, lights, sounds, and buoyage systems, along with interactive quizzes and a map feature. Designed for sailors, it ensures safe navigation on any vessel.

**Highlights:** Maritime flags and meanings, Weather scales and cloud identification, Sound signal guidance, Vessel navigation light diagrams, Day shape identification, Safe navigation maneuvers, Morse code decoder, IALA Buoyage System, Radio communication guidelines, COLREGs text

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Marinus PRO | $8.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great app for learning
- 👍 Useful study aid
- 👍 Very helpful for mariners
- 👍 Good information provided
- 👍 Easy to use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Swamped with ads
- 👎 Broken app functionality
- 👎 Subscription model is a money grab
- 👎 Lifetime pro withdrawn
- 👎 Scam for changing to subscription

**Reported bugs**

- App not working, ads won't clear
- App crashes frequently
- Mistake with sounds
- App crashes after 10-15 seconds

**Requested features**

- Settings for Buoyage A & B & combined
- Search feature
- Combine sounds and lights
- Add tides information
- More free version functionality


### VHF Trainer Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vhf-trainer-lite/id1179745183)

Learn and practice VHF radio, Digital Selective Calling, and GMDSS with an immersive experience. This app offers learning modules, tests, and 3D simulations to help you master maritime radiocommunication equipment and distress procedures in a safe environment.

**Highlights:** VHF radio, DSC, and GMDSS learning, Interactive tests and quizzes, 3D maritime simulation, Distress alert practice, Progress tracking and scoring

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Marinus free?

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

### Is VHF Trainer Lite free?

VHF Trainer Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Marinus or VHF Trainer Lite?

VHF Trainer Lite is rated higher. Marinus averages 4.4 out of 5 from 215 ratings, while VHF Trainer Lite averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Marinus or VHF Trainer Lite have ads?

Marinus shows ads; VHF Trainer Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Marinus or VHF Trainer Lite?

Marinus ships an update every 5 weeks, and VHF Trainer Lite monthly. Most recently, Marinus was updated on October 24, 2026 and VHF Trainer Lite on October 24, 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.*