Comparison

SeaNav US vs Navionics® Boating

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

Head to head
About

SeaNav US

Navigate boating trips with high-resolution NOAA marine charts for the USA and Great Lakes. Features include live AIS, augmented reality views, route planning, and offline chart access. Integrates with ActiveCaptain and external devices.

Highlights
  • High-resolution NOAA marine charts
  • Live AIS ship targets and collision alerts
  • Augmented Reality camera view
  • Route planning and tracking
  • Offline charts
  • ActiveCaptain integration
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Explore, Plan and Navigate your boating trips in real time and outstanding high-resolution with the latest NOAA Marine charts covering the USA and US Great Lakes. - Includes all US Coastal, ICW, Inland (USACE) and Great Lakes Digital Vector Charts - Buoys, lights etc. are tappable with bearing and distance - Free Apple Watch app - Live AIS Ship targets and collision alerts (requires Boat Beacon) - Seamless panning and zooming across charts - Unique live Augmented Reality camera view - Route Planning and tracking with Waypoints, ETA, XTE, etc. plus SeaNav autorouting - Offline charts - Route export and import to MFDs and other apps via gpx - ActiveCaptain Marinas, Anchorage, Hazards and reviews - US NOAA Raster charts available via IAP - Canadian charts via IAP - British Virgin Islands & Bermuda charts via IAP - External NMEA over Wifi SeaNav uses Digital Vector charts providing a wealth of benefits and advantages. Buoys, Lights, Bridges, Depth Contours, Depth Soundings, Rocks, Anchorage areas, NOAA Weather Buoys etc. are all selectable and have real time distance, bearing and detail information. Turn off layers to de-clutter the display and only show what is important at the time. Tides, moon and sun times and weather are also all available at your fingertips. SeaNav’s unique AR view mode allows you to view buoys, lights, ships, waypoints and track overlaid on your iPhone or iPad live camera view. With "AR LockOn" you can select a target on the chart and then be guided to it in the AR camera view. SeaNav lets you measure distances and bearings and record waypoints on routes. When at sea, the app’s Sailing HUD shows your position, Course over ground (COG), Speed over ground (SOG), Vector Made Good (VMG), Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA), Distance and bearing to next Waypoint. Waypoint reached alerts, auto-routing to the next waypoint and collision alerts. SeaNav comes with a free Apple Watch companion app . Lowrance, Simrad and B&G GoFree support included. Your purchase of SeaNav includes 12 months of free updates to the included US chart set. Further chart updates are then available via an in-app purchase. Charts for other regions including Canada may also be added to your product via optional in-app purchase. 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. Pricing for our 1 year US Charts update subscription is US$9.99. 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 may be accessed via http://seanav.net/privacy.php Requires iPhone or iPad. GPS only required for real time route navigation. Optional Real time AIS, Tides and Weather information require an active internet connection. iPhone devices and iPads with a cellular modem already have a built-in GPS, even if they do not have an active service plan. If you have a WiFi-only iPad you will need an external GPS receiver or GPS feed to enable navigation. Please note that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. NOT FOR NAVIGATION This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful. SeaNav should only be used for basic navigation reference and should not be solely relied upon to determine precise locations, proximity, distance, or direction. Terms of Use: http://seanav.net/termsofuse.php Privacy Policy: http://seanav.net/privacy.php Support: help@pocketmariner.com Third Party Licenses and Notices NOTICE: US Marine Charts are derived from official NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts.

About

Navionics® Boating

Access detailed nautical charts and advanced boating features offline on your mobile device. Plan trips with dock-to-dock guidance, check weather and tides, and connect with a community of boaters. Ideal for cruising, fishing, sailing, and diving.

Highlights
  • Offline nautical charts
  • HD bathymetry maps
  • Dock-to-dock route planning
  • Weather and tide forecasts
  • Community edits and recommendations
  • Track recording and sharing
Features
Read full description

Get up-to-date, detailed charts you can use offline plus a boatload of features on your mobile device, so they’re on hand wherever you go. The Boating app is a must-have for cruising, fishing, sailing, diving and all your activities on the water. Try it free for a limited time. To continue using charts and advanced features, you can purchase a yearly auto-renewable subscription*. A COMPLETE PACKAGE • INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED NAVIONICS® CHARTS: Use them offline along with multiple overlays, so you can be more aware of what’s above and below the water. - NAUTICAL CHART: Use this premier marine reference to study port plans, anchorages and safety depth contours, locate navaids, marine services and more. - SONARCHART™ HD BATHYMETRY MAPS: Extraordinary 1’ (0.5 meter) HD bottom contour detail is the ideal tool for locating new fishing areas. - U.S. GOVERNMENT CHARTS (NOAA): These are available within the following coverages: U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil. - OVERLAYS: The relief shading overlay allows you to have a better understanding of bottom topography for improved fishing and diving. Sonar imagery reveals bottom hardness clearly and in vivid color on select lakes. Want more? Display satellite imagery on land and water. - MAP OPTIONS: Change chart-overlay combinations to customize chart views, activate night mode, highlight shallow areas, target multiple fishing ranges and more. - DAILY UPDATES: Benefit of thousands of daily updates worldwide. • TOOLS FOR PLANNING AND ENJOYING YOUR DAY - AUTO GUIDANCE+TM TECHNOLOGY**: Easily plan your trip with a suggested dock-to-dock path based on chart data and navigation aids. Get ETA, distance to arrival, heading to waypoint, fuel consumption and more. - WEATHER AND TIDES: Knowing conditions before heading out is crucial. Access real-time weather data, daily and hourly forecasts as well as wind, weather buoys, tides and currents. - MARKERS, TRACKS, DISTANCE: Place a marker on a good anchorage spot or where you reeled in a big fish. Record your track, take photos and videos within the app, and look back at your day anytime. Easily check distance among two points. • AN ACTIVE AND HELPFUL COMMUNITY - COMMUNITY EDITS and the ACTIVECAPTAIN® COMMUNITY: Obtain and contribute useful local knowledge along with thousands of fellow boaters, such as points of interest, navigation aids and valuable recommendations from people with firsthand experience of the local environment. - CONNECTIONS: Stay in touch with your friends and fellow boaters by sharing your live location, tracks, routes and markers to easily meet on the water or let them check out your adventures. - GPX IMPORT/EXPORT: Share your saved data outside the app or transfer it to your chartplotter. - SHARE MAP OBJECTS: Share a marina, repair shop or any other location outside the app. • EXTERNAL DEVICE-FRIENDLY FOR MORE FEATURES - PLOTTER SYNC: If you own a compatible chartplotter, sync it with the app to transfer routes and markers, activate, update or renew your Navionics chartplotter card subscription. - SONARCHART LIVE MAPPING FEATURE***: Connect with a compatible sonar/plotter, and create your own maps in real time while navigating. - AIS: Connect to a compatible AIS receiver with Wi-Fi® connectivity to see nearby marine traffic. Set a safe range, and receive visual and aural alerts to signal potential collisions. NOTES: *You can manage your subscription anytime, and you can turn auto-renewal off. **Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations ***Free features A tablet device with Wi-Fi connectivity locates your approximate position if it is connected to Wi-Fi. A tablet Wi-Fi + 3G model operates similarly to a phone device with GPS. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. iOS is a trademark licensed to Apple, Inc.

Screenshots

SeaNav US4 screens
Navionics® Boating4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Navionics® Boating at Free against SeaNav US's $19.99. Navionics® Boating also leads on ratings volume (2.3K vs 100) and chart position (#6 vs #191). SeaNav US's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 2.9) and review sentiment (48% vs 22%). On 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Navionics® Boating is free to download; SeaNav US costs $19.99 up front. SeaNav US sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $7.49 per year and Navionics® Boating sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SeaNav US holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Navionics® Boating has 2.3K ratings behind it against 100, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 48% of SeaNav US's written reviews are positive against 22% of Navionics® Boating's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SeaNav US ships an update every 4 months, Navionics® Boating every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
SeaNav US versus Navionics® Boating: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSeaNav USNavionics® Boating
Price$19.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (100 ratings) — better2.9 (2.3K ratings)
Positive reviews48.5% of reviews — better22.3% of reviews
Number of ratings1002.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#191#6 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size76 MB153 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPocket Mariner Ltd.Garmin

Customer experience

SeaNav US

All ratings100 ratings
Positive85.0%
Neutral3.0%
Negative12.0%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive48.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative51.5%

Navionics® Boating

All ratings2,349 ratings
Positive41.9%
Neutral11.1%
Negative47.0%
Written reviews1,108 reviews
Positive22.3%
Neutral12.1%
Negative65.6%

Bugs and requests

SeaNav US

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Navionics® Boating

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • GPS signal loss and position tracking issues
  • Inability to download or access previously purchased maps
  • Constant requirement to log in, even offline

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add anchor alarm feature
  • Improve route planning and waypoint functionality
  • Provide better support for multiple devices
  • Enhance user interface and customization options

In-app purchases

7 purchases

SeaNav US

Subscriptions6
  • Weather charts$7.491 Year
  • NOAA US Raster charts1 Month trial$9.991 Year
  • Bermuda and BVI Charts$12.991 Year
Show 3 more
  • UK Charts$13.991 Year
  • US Chart Updates$19.991 Year
  • Canada Charts$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Man Overboard & Anchor Watch$4.99
15 purchases

Navionics® Boating

Subscriptions15
  • Norway$49.991 Year
  • Baltic Sea3 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Australia & New Zealand7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Show 12 more
  • Africa & Middle East7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Indian Ocean and South China7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Pacific Islands7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • US & Canada7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • UK, Ireland & Holland7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Chile, Argentina&Easter Island$49.991 Year
  • China Sea & Japan$49.991 Year
  • Central and West Europe7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Mediterranean & Black Sea7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Adriatic & Ionian Seas7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Scandinavia S. & Germany N.$99.991 Year

Questions

Is SeaNav US free?
SeaNav US costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Navionics® Boating free?
Navionics® Boating is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, SeaNav US or Navionics® Boating?
SeaNav US is rated higher. SeaNav US averages 4.3 out of 5 from 100 ratings, while Navionics® Boating averages 2.9 from 2.3K ratings.
Do SeaNav US or Navionics® Boating have ads?
Neither SeaNav US nor Navionics® Boating shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SeaNav US or Navionics® Boating?
SeaNav US ships an update every 4 months, and Navionics® Boating every 6 weeks. Most recently, SeaNav US was updated on October 16, 2026 and Navionics® Boating on October 19, 2026.
Which is more popular, SeaNav US or Navionics® Boating?
SeaNav US currently peaks at #191 in the App Store charts, and Navionics® Boating at #6. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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