Tides US vs NESW
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tides US
Plan your outdoor activities with real-time tide information. Discover the best times for boating, swimming, or beach walks. Access data for over 1870 stations across the US and Canada, even offline.
- Live tide information
- Moon phase tracking
- Sunrise and sunset times
- Sun position estimate
- Offline tide data
- Map view of tide stations
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Want to know the best time to launch your boat? The best time to go swimming, or even for a walk at your local beach? Not a problem! With Tides US you can see all live tide information you need to plan that perfect time. Now Free! View all the ports on a handy map so you can easily see which tide stations/ports are nearby using your current location; or search for a specific location in the port list. No need now to browse a massive list of ~1870 ports or navigate on a map to find one of your favorite locations; all recently viewed ports are added to the side menu for quick and easy access. Want to go out fishing during a full moon? With the new moon phase icon, you can see what phase the moon is any day. -- Features -- ** Tide Graph ** Moon Phases ** Sunrise and Sunset times ** 12 Hour or 24 Hour time ** Live estimate of sun position relative to the horizon ** 1870 Stations all over the US and Canada! ** No internet required, perfect for remote locations at sea! (The map view is the only exception, unless the maps have been cached) And just cause we have to: Disclaimer: All precautions have been taken to ensure the data is as accurate as possible. We give no warranty in relation to the material shown including its accuracy, reliability and suitability and accept no liability to any loss, damage or other costs incurred relating to the use of any material shown.
NESW
A simple, easy-to-read compass app showing heading, cardinal direction, and magnetic north. It also features a flashlight toggle for convenience during outdoor activities.
- Heading and cardinal direction indicator
- Magnetic North pointer
- Large font degree heading
- Rotating compass rose
- Background color change for North
- Integrated flashlight toggle
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NESW is a clean, fast compass app built for hikers, campers, travelers, and anyone who needs reliable direction at a glance. Get a live compass with large heading readouts, cardinal direction, and a smooth rotating dial designed for quick outdoor use. Switch between true north and magnetic north, monitor heading accuracy, and stay oriented with a minimal interface that keeps the essentials front and center. NESW goes beyond a simple compass: - Save objectives and lock onto a destination bearing - Share your current location quickly - View altitude, speed, and magnetic declination - Track direction with clear turn guidance Whether you're hiking, camping, backpacking, overlanding, boating, traveling, or navigating unfamiliar places, NESW helps you keep your bearings with less clutter and more confidence. Key features: - Large degree heading and clear cardinal direction - True north and magnetic north support - Smooth rotating compass dial - Objective pinning and bearing lock - Live location sharing - Altitude, speed, and declination readouts - Calibration and heading status guidance - Minimal design built for fast readability Great for: - Hiking and trail navigation - Camping and backpacking - Road trips and travel - Orienteering and outdoor exploration - Marine and land navigation Notes: - For best accuracy, avoid strong magnetic interference, metallic objects, and magnetic phone cases - True north accuracy may improve after location access and GPS lock are available If you have questions, feedback, or ideas for future updates, we'd love to hear from you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: NESW at 5.0 against Tides US's 2.8. Tides US's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 months vs every 57 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
NESW holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tides US has 20 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Tides US's written reviews are positive against 25% of NESW's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Tides US ships an update every 8 months, NESW every 57 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tides US | NESW |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (20 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 37.5% of reviews — better | 25.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 20 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months — better | Every 57 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 8 MB | 8 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Loft Labs Interactive Inc | Solaz Dazen srl |
Customer experience
Tides US
NESW
In-app purchases
Tides US
No in-app purchases
NESW
No in-app purchases









