Hip Charts vs Nautical Rules
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hip Charts
Access NOAA nautical charts for free on your mobile devices. View charts online and download single areas for offline use. Additional features like multiple offline downloads and custom boundaries require a purchase.
- Unlimited online NOAA chart viewing
- Download single chart areas for offline use
- Automatic chart loading
- Cellular and WiFi chart downloads
- Custom download boundaries (paid)
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Hip Charts brings NOAA ENC nautical charts to your iPhone—completely free. Pan and zoom the map and official NOAA charts load automatically over Wi‑Fi or cellular. Download chart areas ahead of time for offline use on the water, including custom polygon boundaries. Measure distances right on the chart. Choose how charts look: • Default — NOAA’s standard chart tiles; fast and simple • Customized — adjust depth units, text size, harbor/shoreline structures (breakwaters, piers, docks), routes and marina info, and sharper rendering Need help reading symbols? Open Settings → Chart Legend for NOAA’s official U.S. Chart No. 1. Everything in the app is free. No subscriptions, no paywall. This app does not fulfill chart carriage requirements for regulated commercial vessels under Titles 33 and 44 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
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.
- 1,200+ practice questions
- Inland and International waters coverage
- Detailed explanations
- Customizable tests
- Offline study capability
- Progress tracking dashboard
- Accuracy by rule statistics
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Nautical Rules at 100% against Hip Charts's 25%. Nautical Rules also leads on rating (5.0 vs 3.5) and monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). Hip Charts's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Nautical Rules holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Hip Charts's written reviews are positive against 100% of Nautical Rules's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Hip Charts | Nautical Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.5 (8 ratings) | 5.0 (12 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 12 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Walk About Apps | Joseph Kim |
Customer experience
Hip Charts
Nautical Rules
In-app purchases
Hip Charts
No in-app purchases
Nautical Rules
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Hip Charts free?
Is Nautical Rules free?
Which has better reviews, Hip Charts or Nautical Rules?
Do Hip Charts or Nautical Rules have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hip Charts or Nautical Rules?
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