Comparison

Marinus vs Sextant Emulator

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

Head to head
About

Marinus

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
Read full description

Not just another app for navigation rules… this is THE app for navigation rules! Created by sailors, for sailors, Marinus COLREGs is designed to provide clear and instant answers to your questions anytime, anywhere. It's the essential app for your sailboat or motorboat. Key Features: • Flags – All maritime flags with their meanings. • Meteo – Beaufort and Douglas scales, plus cloud identification. • Sounds – Navigate safely with sound signal guidance. • Lights – Detailed views of every vessel's navigation lights from all angles. • Day Shapes – Learn and identify the correct day shapes for any situation. • Maneuvers – Clear guidance on safe navigation maneuvers. • Morse – Decode Morse signals with ease. • Buoys (IALA) – Understand the International Buoyage System. • Radio – Key radio communication guidelines. • ColRegs – Full text of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (IRPCS). • Quiz – Test your knowledge with interactive quizzes. • Map – Visualize navigation concepts on an interactive map. Access PRO Features Unlock all PRO features with an affordable annual subscription. Your support helps us maintain and improve the app, keeping it the trusted tool for sailors around the world. Join thousands of sailors who trust Marinus ColRegs every day on their iPhone. Whether you're an experienced seafarer or just starting your nautical journey, this is the app you’ve been looking for! For any questions, feel free to contact us at info@marinus.es.

About

Sextant Emulator

Simulate using a sextant to measure latitude by sighting the sun and horizon. Includes tools for calculating declination, local solar noon, and basic surveying.

Highlights
  • Pocket sextant simulation
  • Measure latitude
  • Sight sun and horizon
  • Declination calculator
  • Local solar noon calculator
  • Basic surveying tools
Features
Read full description

This app lets you carry a Sextant in your pocket. Just like a real/physical sextant, you can swing the index arm, sight the sun and the horizon and measure your latitude. The Sextant Emulator app also includes a calculator for declination, local solar noon and basic surveying.

Screenshots

Marinus4 screens
Sextant Emulator3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Sextant Emulator at none against Marinus's 1. Sextant Emulator also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 65%). On price, device support and iOS requirement 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. Marinus sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. Sextant Emulator asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Marinus versus Sextant Emulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarinusSextant Emulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (215 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews65.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings215 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlejandroTimothy Smith

Customer experience

Marinus

All ratings215 ratings
Positive87.0%
Neutral7.4%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive65.3%
Neutral10.5%
Negative24.2%

Sextant Emulator

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Marinus

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

7 requests
  • Settings for Buoyage A & B & combined
  • Search feature
  • Combine sounds and lights
  • Add tides information
  • More free version functionality
Show 2 more
  • More detail in maneuvers section
  • Lights with silhouette and head-on/stern-on views

Sextant Emulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Marinus

Subscriptions1
  • Marinus PRO3 Days trial$8.991 Year
None

Sextant Emulator

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Marinus free?
Marinus is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sextant Emulator free?
Sextant Emulator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Marinus or Sextant Emulator have ads?
Marinus shows ads; Sextant Emulator does not.

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