# Marinus vs Master

The clearest difference is price: Marinus at Free against Master's $1.99. Marinus also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Master's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Marinus is free to download; Master costs $1.99 up front. Marinus sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. Master asks for nothing beyond the download.

Master holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 215 and 94 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Marinus's written reviews are positive against 97% of Master's.

Marinus ships an update every 5 weeks, Master fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Marinus | Master |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $1.99 |
| Rating | [4.4 (215 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marinus-maritime-rules/id536108872/reviews) | **[4.7 (94 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/master-nav/id1602390396/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **215** | 94 |
| Positive reviews | 65.3% of reviews | **96.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#100** |
| Size | 113 MB | 117 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Alejandro](https://appshunter.io/developer/476976572) | [Peterjohn Chisholm](https://appshunter.io/developer/1602390398) |

## 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


### Master

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/master-nav/id1602390396)

**Currently charting:** #100 Top Paid · Education (US App Store)

Learn maritime navigation rules with an interactive system designed for effective retention. This app breaks down complex regulations into manageable sections with visual aids and mnemonics. It revisits incorrect answers and provides instant graphical feedback, making the learning process intuitive and efficient.

**Highlights:** Interactive learning system, Step-by-step rule guidance, Mnemonics and memory aids, Interactive visuals, Graphical feedback on answers, Practice section with progress tracking

**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 Master free?

Master costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Marinus or Master?

Master is rated higher. Marinus averages 4.4 out of 5 from 215 ratings, while Master averages 4.7 from 94 ratings.

### Do Marinus or Master have ads?

Marinus shows ads; Master does not.

### Which is updated more often, Marinus or Master?

Marinus ships an update every 5 weeks, and Master fortnightly. Most recently, Marinus was updated on September 21, 2026 and Master on September 22, 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.*