# SEAiq Pilot vs Coastal Explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SEAiq Pilot at 93% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. SEAiq Pilot also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (453 vs 16). Coastal Explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SEAiq Pilot sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $179.99 per year and Coastal Explorer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SEAiq Pilot holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SEAiq Pilot has 453 ratings behind it against 16, 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 11% of Coastal Explorer's.

SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SEAiq Pilot | Coastal Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (453 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seaiq-pilot/id595198842/reviews)** | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **453** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **93.5% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 54 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sakhalin](https://appshunter.io/developer/517213477) | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) |

## What reviewers say

### SEAiq Pilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seaiq-pilot/id595198842)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Annual | $179.99 | per year |
| Enterprise Annual | $359.99 | per year |
| Upgrade for Premium Features | $399.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and intuitive
- 🚀 Fast and efficient performance
- 🌟 Comprehensive functionalities
- 💡 Innovative features
- ✅ Reliable and dependable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 📉 Increasing cost
- ❓ Chart loading can be tedious
- ⚠️ Waypoints can be accidentally deleted
- 🤔 Difficulty in purchasing subscriptions
- 🎨 Graphics could be improved

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 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

**Requested features**

- 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


### Coastal Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231)

Plan and log your cruises with detailed nautical charts and weather forecasts. Enhance your experience with a subscription for offline access, real-time navigation, and integration with marine electronics.

**Highlights:** View NOAA and USACE nautical charts, Create routes and waypoints, Cloud synchronization, ActiveCaptain points of interest, US Coast Pilot information, Marine weather forecasts, Tide and current predictions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SEAiq Pilot free?

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

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SEAiq Pilot or Coastal Explorer?

SEAiq Pilot is rated higher. SEAiq Pilot averages 4.9 out of 5 from 453 ratings, while Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 from 16 ratings.

### Do SEAiq Pilot or Coastal Explorer have ads?

Neither SEAiq Pilot nor Coastal Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SEAiq Pilot or Coastal Explorer?

SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, and Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, SEAiq Pilot was updated on November 1, 2026 and Coastal Explorer on October 24, 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.*