Comparison

CDFW License vs Kelpulator

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

Head to head
About

CDFW License

Manage your California fishing and hunting licenses, preference points, and access permits. This official app allows you to view and store all your important wildlife documents in one convenient place.

Highlights
  • View fishing licenses
  • View hunting licenses
  • Store preference points
  • Access permits
  • Manage drawing applications
Currently charting
Read full description

CDFW License App is the official license management App for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Utilize this app to view and store all your CDFW fishing and hunting licenses, preference points, access permits, and drawing applications.

About

Kelpulator

Read full description

Kelpulator helps offshore anglers track kelp and fish, predict drift, and share intel with their crew. Currently covering Point Conception to Ensenada, with more regions coming soon. Mark kelp by dropping a pin or drifting alongside it, then let wind and current forecasts predict where it moves so you can navigate back and find the same paddy hours or days later. Key features: - Kelp drift prediction with land-masking and adjustable windage per paddy - Fish & kelp tracking with distance and bearing from your current position - Ocean data overlays: SST, chlorophyll, wind forecasts (48h + 7-day), surface currents, swell, and bathymetry - Spot forecasts: tap any location to see 1-3 hour interval wind and swell conditions out to 7 days - Tides & moon phases: on-device tidal predictions and scrollable moon phase calendar - Crews: share marks and reports with private or public groups - Reports: rich text, up to 10 photos, 90-second voice memos, and emoji reactions - Direct messaging with crew members - Offline maps: downloadable region packs for Southern California and Baja - Measurement tool: tap the map to measure distance and bearing between points - Time slider: scrub forward through wind and current forecasts - Guided tutorial with demo items for new users - Filtering & sorting by status, type, distance, or date - Metric / Imperial units - Light & dark themes Kelpulator Pro is an auto-renewing annual subscription ($29.99/year) that unlocks wind, current, swell, and bathymetry layers, higher mark limits, and direct messaging. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase and renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your Apple ID settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://kelpulator.com/privacy

Screenshots

CDFW License4 screens
Kelpulator4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: CDFW License at none against Kelpulator's 1. CDFW License also leads on chart position (#190 vs unranked). On price, ads, 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

Both are free to download. Kelpulator sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $29.99 per year. CDFW License asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
CDFW License versus Kelpulator: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCDFW LicenseKelpulator
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (98 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews35.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings98 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank#190 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size69 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRA Outdoors, LLC, d/b/a AspiraAlan DaCosta

Bugs and requests

CDFW License

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • Error 403 when trying to buy
  • Cannot associate ID info (DL, passport)
  • App autofilled random password
  • Login fails in app but works on website
  • App says no active licenses when user has them
Show 1 more
  • Invalid email/password error

Requested features

15 requests
  • Add Apple Wallet support
  • Consolidate info dumps for efficiency
  • Allow account creation directly in app
  • Retain login credentials
  • Add lobster reporting functionality
Show 10 more
  • Specify location and harvest method
  • Tailored regulations with fish search and ID guide
  • Add interactive MPA map
  • Add widget for high/low tides
  • Allow purchasing and renewing licenses through the app
  • Add tidal charts and lunar phases
  • Tag harvest via the app
  • Add hunting licenses
  • Add fishing regulation map
  • Make report cards virtual

Kelpulator

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

CDFW License

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Kelpulator

Subscriptions1
  • Kelpulator Pro$29.991 Year

Questions

Is CDFW License free?
CDFW License is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Kelpulator free?
Kelpulator is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do CDFW License or Kelpulator have ads?
Neither CDFW License nor Kelpulator shows ads.

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