# WatchMate vs PyNav

The clearest difference is review sentiment: PyNav at 100% against WatchMate's 44%. WatchMate's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PyNav sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. WatchMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

WatchMate ships an update every 2 months, PyNav every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WatchMate | PyNav |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.5 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchmate/id557485481/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **11** | — |
| Positive reviews | 44.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 14 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 13.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin New Zealand Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/557485484) | [CL Consulting](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779253059) |

## What reviewers say

### WatchMate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchmate/id557485481)

This app provides remote control and situational awareness for your Vesper Marine AIS Transponder. View AIS targets, manage alarms, and control transponder settings directly from your mobile device.

**Highlights:** View AIS targets, Manage collision prevention alarms, Control Anchor Watch alarm, View GPS position, course, and speed, Remote control transponder settings, Configure vessel AIS static data, Perform firmware upgrades

**In-app purchases:** none


### PyNav

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pynav/id6779253057)

This app provides NMEA instrument data and remote control for a pypilot autopilot. It can function as a standalone navigation hub, displaying wind, engine, and GPS data with customizable panels and configurable alarms.

**Highlights:** Pypilot autopilot control, NMEA instrument display, Customizable dashboard panels, Wind and engine data, GPS and waypoint navigation, Configurable alarms

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PyNav Pro | $7.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WatchMate free?

WatchMate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PyNav free?

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

### Do WatchMate or PyNav have ads?

Neither WatchMate nor PyNav shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WatchMate or PyNav?

WatchMate ships an update every 2 months, and PyNav every 5 weeks. Most recently, WatchMate was updated on June 1, 2026 and PyNav on September 7, 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.*