Comparison

MLS eCampus vs Captain Mike's OUPV Prep

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

Head to head
About

MLS eCampus

Access mobile-friendly courses, lectures, audio, videos, and graphics to prepare for exams. Track progress with quizzes and download study materials for offline use. Improve boating knowledge or earn licenses on the go.

Highlights
  • Mobile-friendly courses
  • Access lectures, audio, video, graphics
  • Quiz feedback and progress tracking
  • Downloadable study aids
  • Offline content access
  • License preparation
Read full description

Mariners Learning System | Anywhere. Any Time. Any Device. Enhance your learning experience with our mobile-friendly courses - The MLS App provides you with the knowledge and tools needed to study for your exam. You can access lectures, audio, videos, and graphics depending on the course you are enrolled in. Get feedback on your quizzes and mark your progress so you can set yourself up for success when you’re ready to take the proctored exam. Download audio, eBooks, and additional study aids to your device. As an additional convenience, you can access content offline while commuting or when your Internet connection is unstable, even on an aeroplane! Make your breaks more productive, learn during your downtime, and discover what steps you need to make to improve your boating knowledge or earn your USCG or FCC license. The MLS app makes it easy to learn your way on the go. * While the mobile app is a great asset throughout your educational journey, students CANNOT take the final proctored exam on a mobile device.

About

Captain Mike's OUPV Prep

Prepare for your USCG OUPV Captain's License exam with a comprehensive study tool focused on the Rules of the Road. It offers a vast question bank, adaptive learning, and realistic practice exams to help you master navigation rules. Study offline at your own pace until you pass.

Highlights
  • Extensive Rules of the Road question bank
  • Adaptive learning for missed questions
  • Spaced-repetition Smart Review
  • Realistic timed practice exams
  • Visual quick-reference guides
  • Offline study functionality
  • Detailed answer explanations
Features
Read full description

Captain Mike's OUPV Prep is the most thorough Rules of the Road study app for anyone preparing for the USCG OUPV (six-pack) Captain's License or any USCG deck-license exam. FOCUSED ON RULES OF THE ROAD This app covers the Rules of the Road portion of the USCG exam in depth — Inland and International (COLREGS). It does not cover Deck General, Navigation General, or Chart Plotting. Rules of the Road is the section most candidates fail first, and the only USCG section that requires a 90% score to pass. WHY OUPV PREP STANDS OUT • 2,282 questions across all 11 Rules of the Road categories — the deepest Rules-only bank on the App Store • Adaptive learning that focuses your time on the questions you miss • Spaced-repetition Smart Review based on the proven SM-2 algorithm — the same approach used by leading flashcard apps • Realistic timed practice exams (25, 50, or 100 questions) that mirror the USCG exam format with the 90% pass threshold • Visual quick-reference guides for navigation lights, sound signals, day shapes, vessel hierarchy, and distress signals CATEGORIES COVERED • Navigation Lights • Steering & Sailing Rules • Sound Signals • General Rules • Vessel Hierarchy • Inland vs. International Differences • Day Shapes • Restricted Visibility • Risk of Collision • Safe Speed • Distress Signals BUILT FOR THE WAY YOU STUDY • Practice by category for focused learning • Bookmark tough questions to revisit • Track per-category accuracy and overall progress • Daily streak tracking to keep you accountable • Detailed explanations for every answer OFFLINE FRIENDLY Everything works offline — study anywhere, no signal needed. ABOUT No subscriptions. No ads. No in-app purchases. Pay once, study at your own pace until you pass. This app is an independent study aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. Passing the USCG exam requires study and practice, and is the sole responsibility of the test-taker.

Screenshots

MLS eCampus4 screens
Captain Mike's OUPV Prep3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Captain Mike's OUPV Prep at 100% against MLS eCampus's 0%. Captain Mike's OUPV Prep also leads on rating (4.0 vs 1.8) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 13 months). MLS eCampus's advantage is price (Free vs $9.99) and ratings volume (13 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

MLS eCampus is free to download; Captain Mike's OUPV Prep costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Captain Mike's OUPV Prep holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MLS eCampus has 13 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 0% of MLS eCampus's written reviews are positive against 100% of Captain Mike's OUPV Prep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MLS eCampus ships an update every 13 months, Captain Mike's OUPV Prep every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
MLS eCampus versus Captain Mike's OUPV Prep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMLS eCampusCaptain Mike's OUPV Prep
PriceFree — better$9.99
Rating1.8 (13 ratings)4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings13 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMariners School, Inc.Knotlogic LLC

Customer experience

MLS eCampus

All ratings13 ratings
Positive15.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative84.6%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Captain Mike's OUPV Prep

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

MLS eCampus

No in-app purchases

None

Captain Mike's OUPV Prep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MLS eCampus free?
MLS eCampus is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Captain Mike's OUPV Prep free?
Captain Mike's OUPV Prep costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, MLS eCampus or Captain Mike's OUPV Prep?
Captain Mike's OUPV Prep is rated higher. MLS eCampus averages 1.8 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Captain Mike's OUPV Prep averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do MLS eCampus or Captain Mike's OUPV Prep have ads?
Neither MLS eCampus nor Captain Mike's OUPV Prep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MLS eCampus or Captain Mike's OUPV Prep?
MLS eCampus ships an update every 13 months, and Captain Mike's OUPV Prep every 2 months. Most recently, MLS eCampus was updated on November 3, 2026 and Captain Mike's OUPV Prep on October 31, 2026.

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