# Boat Instruments vs NavLink HD

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Boat Instruments at 80% against NavLink HD's 0%. Boat Instruments also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). NavLink HD's advantage is price (Free vs $6.99). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

NavLink HD is free to download; Boat Instruments costs $6.99 up front. NavLink HD sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $8.49 per year. Boat Instruments asks for nothing beyond the download.

Boat Instruments ships an update every 2 months, NavLink HD every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Boat Instruments | NavLink HD |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.2 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/navlink-hd/id1183848518/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **11** |
| Positive reviews | **80.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 5 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 19 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [FB Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871410394) | [DigitalYacht Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/394667310) |

## What reviewers say

### Boat Instruments

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/boat-instruments/id594170910)

This app provides AIS, GPS, and instrument data for boats, acting as a companion to onboard systems or a standalone GPS tool. It displays real-time data like depth, speed, and wind, and shows the position and course of nearby vessels with collision warnings.

**Highlights:** AIS and GPS data display, Real-time instrument readings, Collision detection warnings, Configurable instrument pages, NMEA bridge connectivity via WiFi, Target position and course tracking

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### NavLink HD

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/navlink-hd/id1183848518)

Transform your Apple device into a comprehensive chart plotter for marine navigation. Access real-time GPS, AIS overlays, and route planning tools. Unlock advanced features like live internet AIS feeds and augmented reality through in-app purchases.

**Highlights:** Real-time GPS plotting, Live AIS ship overlay, Waypoint and route planning, NMEA instrument gauges, Augmented Reality HorizonView, S57 digital mapping

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weather charts | $8.49 | per year |
| Pro Features | $16.49 | per year |
| German Charts | $16.99 | per year |
| NL & BE Charts | $17.99 | per year |
| US & Great Lakes | $19.99 | per year |
| Portuguese charts | $19.99 | per year |
| French Charts | $22.99 | per year |
| Spanish Charts | $24.99 | per year |
| Croatia charts | $28.99 | per year |
| Canadian Charts | $30.99 | per year |
| Danish Charts | $36.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Boat Instruments free?

Boat Instruments costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NavLink HD free?

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

### Do Boat Instruments or NavLink HD have ads?

Neither Boat Instruments nor NavLink HD shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Boat Instruments or NavLink HD?

Boat Instruments ships an update every 2 months, and NavLink HD every 5 months. Most recently, Boat Instruments was updated on October 13, 2026 and NavLink HD on October 3, 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.*