SEAiq Pilot vs Pilot Dispatch
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. 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. 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.
Pilot Dispatch
This software streamlines pilot dispatching with 24/7 reliability. It's designed with pilot input for maximum flexibility and customization, currently serving over 400 pilots across 12 organizations.
- 24/7/365 uptime
- Streamlined dispatching process
- Pilot-involved design
- Flexible and customizable
- Used by over 400 pilots
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24/7/365...Never Down Technology Currently in use by over 400 pilots across 12 organizations around the country, our Pilot.DISPATCH™ software vastly improves and streamlines the daily dispatching process. We actively involve pilots in the design and functionality of our software to ensure it is the most flexible and customizable solution available.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pilot Dispatch at none against SEAiq Pilot's 3. SEAiq Pilot's advantage is ratings volume (451 vs 4) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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. Pilot Dispatch asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for SEAiq Pilot against 5.0 for Pilot Dispatch. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SEAiq Pilot has 451 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of SEAiq Pilot's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pilot Dispatch's.
SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, Pilot Dispatch every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SEAiq Pilot | Pilot Dispatch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (451 ratings) | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 93.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 451 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 51 MB | 76 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sakhalin | Coe & Company, LLC |
Customer experience
SEAiq Pilot
Pilot Dispatch
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
Pilot Dispatch
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SEAiq Pilot
- Premium Annual$179.991 Year
- Enterprise Annual$359.991 Year
- Upgrade for Premium Features$399.99
Pilot Dispatch
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SEAiq Pilot free?
Is Pilot Dispatch free?
Which has better reviews, SEAiq Pilot or Pilot Dispatch?
Do SEAiq Pilot or Pilot Dispatch have ads?
Which is updated more often, SEAiq Pilot or Pilot Dispatch?
Other comparisons
