SEAiq Pilot vs NavLink HD
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SEAiq Pilot
This navigation app provides advanced charting and real-time vessel data for professional marine pilots. It supports various chart formats and external NMEA/AIS devices, offering features like predicted vessel display and docking aids. A free trial is available, with an in-app purchase for permanent access.
- S-57, S-63, iENC, BSB/KAP chart support
- External NMEA/AIS over WiFi
- Predicted vessel display
- Docking aids
- Vessel catalog
- NMEA/AIS record and playback
- Mariners tools
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SEAiq Pilot is designed especially for use by river, channel, and harbor pilots. It includes support for charts in the S-57, S-63, iENC and BSB/KAP formats and use of external NMEA/AIS over WiFi. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ IMPORTANT: For non-pilots, we recommend SEAiq and SEAiq USA. This app is free to download. All features are available during a 7-day evaluation period. An in-app purchase is required to permanently upgrade the app, otherwise after the evaluation period only basic chart viewing is supported. Enterprise Subscriptions purchased through the iOS App Store are for iOS only. Access on other platforms is not included. SEAiq Pilot and SEAiq Pilot VPP are the exact same app and differ only in how they are purchased. Features unique to SEAiq Pilot include: * Support for official HO S-57/S-63 marine charts * Adheres to IHO S-52 chart display standards * Predicted vessel display (with ROT) * Docking aids displaying distance/velocity to wharf fenders * Vessel catalog * Supports WiFi based AIS plugs and Portable Pilot Units * NMEA/AIS record and playback * Waypoints, routes, ETA, XTD, speed limits * Route Meeting Point * Visual CPA * AIS "virtual boarding" * Mariners tools: VRM, EBL, Mariners Notes, Clearing Lines Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.
NavLink HD
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.
- Real-time GPS plotting
- Live AIS ship overlay
- Waypoint and route planning
- NMEA instrument gauges
- Augmented Reality HorizonView
- S57 digital mapping
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Marine Navigation App that turns your Apple Device in to a full function chart plotter. Includes all our navigation, AIS and NMEA instrument and trip planning tools. A catalog of high resolution vector charts providing coverage across US including US Great Lakes, CA, UK & Ireland, Germany, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, Croatia and Spain are available via separate In App Purchases. Free features include: · Realtime GPS position plotted on the map · Live AIS ship overlay when connected to compatible wireless AIS system via a wireless NMEA link with CPA and TCPA alarms · NMEA Wind Speed and Direction gauges · Waypoints and routes with full route editing and planning function · Position, COG, SOG, VMG, bearing, distance and ETA displays · Weather buoy data · A-B chart ruler for quick and easy bearing and distance measurement · Favourite Place markers (POIs). Additional features available via In App Purchase subscription · Marine Charts - Yearly subscriptions for charts using the latest Hydrographic Office data including automatic updates for a year. · NavLink Pro - provides live internet AIS feeds for your area and an Augmented Reality HorizonView showing course, route, navaids, AIS targets, POIs and Air Draught on the camera display that makes Nav-Aid and vessel identification simple and reliable. Plan and sail routes Instant route and waypoint creation by tapping on screen. Route reverse function and route overview with inter-leg bearing and distance. Share your routes via dropbox and email with other users NavLink Charting NavLink utilises the latest S57 based digital mapping and features automatic updates for each year's subscription. With vector mapping, you can manage your layers of data to de-clutter the screen or maximise information. NavLink supports all key charting feature such as buoys, lights, bridges, depth contours, spot depths, depth contours, anchorage and military areas etc. Interfacing NavLink is compatible with all Digital Yacht's wireless NMEA devices such as the iAIS, WLN10, WLN10HS, NavLink, iNavHub and PilotLink that stream wireless AIS data to your Apple device If you have a WiFi-only iPad you will need an external Bluetooth GPS receiver to enable navigation. 3rd Party units are available such as the Garmin Glo. Please note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life Subscriptions Our in-app purchases are 1 year subscriptions, which automatically renew at the end of the subscription period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase, and will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the iTunes account holder and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. Our privacy policy and terms and conditions may be viewed here:- http://seanav.net/digitalyacht/privacy.php and here :- http://seanav.net/dyiostsandcs.php Safety Notice NavLink (including the NOAA charts) is intended to be used as an aid to navigation. Only official government charts and notice to mariners contain all of the current information needed for safe navigation. This product's features cannot be relied on to be complete or accurate and may vary locally. It is the Captain's or Boat Owner's responsibility to use official government charts, notice to mariners, caution, sound judgement and proper navigational skill when operating their vessel and using this or any other Digital Yacht product. By purchasing this App, you are accepting the limitations of this app and the charts.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: SEAiq Pilot at 93% against NavLink HD's 0%. SEAiq Pilot also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (453 vs 11). NavLink HD's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. SEAiq Pilot sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $179.99 per year and NavLink HD sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $8.49 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SEAiq Pilot holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SEAiq Pilot has 453 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of SEAiq Pilot's written reviews are positive against 0% of NavLink HD's.
SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, NavLink HD every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SEAiq Pilot | NavLink HD |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (453 ratings) — better | 4.2 (11 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 93.5% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 453 — better | 11 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 52 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sakhalin | DigitalYacht Ltd. |
Customer experience
SEAiq Pilot
NavLink HD
Bugs and requests
SEAiq Pilot
Reported bugs
6 issues- 🐛 Graphics are poor
- 🐛 Hard to see own ship AIS for boarding
- 🐛 iOS 14 position acquisition issues with AIS pilot plug Wifi
- 🐛 Waypoints can be accidentally deleted
- 🐛 Chartworld map loading issues
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- 🐛 AIS target display issues
Requested features
5 requests- Add Vietnamese to language section
- Allow waypoints to be locked
- Make active tools (EBL, VRM) a different color than orange
- Ability to use voice record through Bluetooth for VDR functionality
- Dark mode option
NavLink HD
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SEAiq Pilot
- Premium Annual1 Month trial$179.991 Year
- Enterprise Annual1 Month trial$359.991 Year
- Upgrade for Premium Features$399.99
NavLink HD
- Weather charts$8.491 Year
- Pro Features$16.491 Year
- German Charts$16.991 Year
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- NL & BE Charts$17.991 Year
- US & Great Lakes$19.991 Year
- Portuguese charts$19.991 Year
- French Charts$22.991 Year
- Spanish Charts$24.991 Year
- Canadian Charts$30.991 Year
- Danish Charts$36.991 Year
Questions
Is SEAiq Pilot free?
Is NavLink HD free?
Which has better reviews, SEAiq Pilot or NavLink HD?
Do SEAiq Pilot or NavLink HD have ads?
Which is updated more often, SEAiq Pilot or NavLink HD?
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