Comparison

SEAiq Pilot vs Nautical Rules

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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.

About

Nautical Rules

Master USCG Navigation Rules with a comprehensive question bank and smart study features. Track your progress, practice for exams, and study offline to navigate with confidence.

Highlights
  • 1,200+ practice questions
  • Inland and International waters coverage
  • Detailed explanations
  • Customizable tests
  • Offline study capability
  • Progress tracking dashboard
  • Accuracy by rule statistics
Read full description

Nautical Rules is the ultimate study companion for mastering the USCG Navigation Rules (COLREGS). Whether you're preparing for your captain's license exam or refreshing your maritime knowledge, this app provides everything you need to succeed. COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION BANK - Over 1,200 practice questions covering all Navigation Rules - Questions for both Inland and International waters - Covers Steering & Sailing Rules, Lights & Shapes, Sound Signals, and more - Detailed explanations SMART STUDY FEATURES - Take customizable tests with 10, 25, 50, or 100 questions - Practice mode with immediate feedback and explanations - Focus Area suggestions to target your weakest rules - Bookmark questions for later review - Review your mistakes to reinforce learning TRACK YOUR PROGRESS - Activity dashboard with test history and statistics - See your accuracy by rule (Rule 1, Rule 2, etc.) - Track your study streak and mastery level - View detailed results for each completed test DESIGNED FOR MARINERS - Clean, intuitive interface optimized for study sessions - No internet connection required - study anywhere - All questions based on official USCG Navigation Rules - Perfect for captains, SWO, sailors, and maritime professionals Whether you're studying for the USCG license exam, improving your seamanship skills, or just want to stay sharp on the water, Nautical Rules gives you the tools to succeed. Download now and navigate with confidence! --- Note: This app is an educational study aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. For official rules and regulations, consult the official USCG Navigation Rules publications.

Screenshots

SEAiq Pilot2 screens
Nautical Rules4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nautical Rules at none against SEAiq Pilot's 3. Nautical Rules also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). SEAiq Pilot's advantage is ratings volume (453 vs 12) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. SEAiq Pilot sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $179.99 per year. Nautical Rules asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for SEAiq Pilot against 5.0 for Nautical Rules. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SEAiq Pilot has 453 ratings behind it against 12, 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 Nautical Rules's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
SEAiq Pilot versus Nautical Rules: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSEAiq PilotNautical Rules
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (453 ratings)5.0 (12 ratings) — better
Positive reviews93.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings453 — better12
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSakhalinJoseph Kim

Customer experience

SEAiq Pilot

All ratings453 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral0.7%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive93.5%
Neutral1.1%
Negative5.4%

Nautical Rules

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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
Show 1 more
  • 🐛 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

Nautical Rules

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SEAiq Pilot

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Annual1 Month trial$179.991 Year
  • Enterprise Annual1 Month trial$359.991 Year
One-time1
  • Upgrade for Premium Features$399.99
None

Nautical Rules

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SEAiq Pilot free?
SEAiq Pilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nautical Rules free?
Nautical Rules is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SEAiq Pilot or Nautical Rules?
Nautical Rules is rated higher. SEAiq Pilot averages 4.9 out of 5 from 453 ratings, while Nautical Rules averages 5.0 from 12 ratings.
Do SEAiq Pilot or Nautical Rules have ads?
Neither SEAiq Pilot nor Nautical Rules shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SEAiq Pilot or Nautical Rules?
SEAiq Pilot ships an update every 2 months, and Nautical Rules every 3 weeks. Most recently, SEAiq Pilot was updated on November 1, 2026 and Nautical Rules on October 24, 2026.

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