# WatchMate vs Marine Radar

The clearest difference is rating: WatchMate at 3.3 against Marine Radar's 2.7. WatchMate also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 11 months) and review sentiment (44% vs 31%). Marine Radar's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

WatchMate holds the better App Store score, 3.3 against 2.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 12 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 44% of WatchMate's written reviews are positive against 31% of Marine Radar's.

WatchMate ships an update every 2 months, Marine Radar every 11 months. Both last shipped on October 23, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | WatchMate | Marine Radar |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.3 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watchmate/id557485481/reviews)** | [2.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marine-radar/id834243448/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 12 | 12 |
| Positive reviews | **44.4% of reviews** | 30.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 11 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Garmin New Zealand Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/557485484) | [株式会社フルノソフテック](https://appshunter.io/developer/1015812767) |

## 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


### Marine Radar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/marine-radar/id834243448)

View and control radar images from a compatible wireless radar sensor on your iOS device. This app aids in navigation by displaying radar data, but is not a substitute for fundamental navigation skills.

**Highlights:** View radar images on iOS devices, Control radar images, Connects to Furuno Wireless Radar Sensor DRS4W, Aids in voyage, Requires compatible Furuno hardware

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WatchMate free?

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

### Is Marine Radar free?

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

### Which has better reviews, WatchMate or Marine Radar?

WatchMate is rated higher. WatchMate averages 3.3 out of 5 from 12 ratings, while Marine Radar averages 2.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do WatchMate or Marine Radar have ads?

Neither WatchMate nor Marine Radar shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, WatchMate or Marine Radar?

WatchMate ships an update every 2 months, and Marine Radar every 11 months. Most recently, WatchMate was updated on October 23, 2026 and Marine Radar on October 23, 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.*