Comparison

SailingWatch vs Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

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

Head to head
About

SailingWatch

Features
Read full description

SailingWatch is the race companion for sailors — a precise start sequence, a real start line, live tactics, and your whole session on a map. Built for dinghies, keelboats and yachts, on iPhone and Apple Watch. THE START, NAILED EVERY TIME • A big, readable countdown with a sweep ring that drains as the gun approaches. • Sync to the committee boat in one tap, or fine-tune with −1 / +1 minute. • The final minute turns red so you always know how long you have. • Start, pause and resume right from the cockpit. A REAL START LINE • Ping the pin and the committee-boat ends to set the line. • See the line bias and your live distance to the line. • Time your approach instead of guessing. LIVE TACTICS • Capture your port and starboard tack angles. • A compass and layline call tell you if you're lifted, headed, or on the groove. • Make the smart call on when to tack. WIND AT A GLANCE • A 6-hour wind forecast strip for your exact location — speed, direction and gusts. • Know what's coming before you leave the dock. EVERY SESSION, ON A MAP • Automatic GPS recording while you sail — speed, heading and full track. • Review past sessions grouped by month. • Replay any track on the map with distance, duration and top speed. SHARE YOUR SAIL • Export a standard GPX file. • Create a video animation of your track to share. • Send your sessions straight to Strava. ON YOUR WRIST • The Apple Watch app puts the timer, start line and live data on your wrist — sail with your phone in your pocket. MADE YOURS • Save your boat profile — class, sail number, polar and hull length. • Choose your units for distance, speed and temperature. • A clean, high-contrast black-and-blue design that stays readable in bright sun. Whether you're lining up for the gun on a club Wednesday or training for the season, SailingWatch keeps the start, the line and the tactics one glance away. https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

Features
Read full description

The professional sailing timer trusted by regatta racers worldwide. Astrolabe Countdown delivers split-second precision timing when every second counts at the starting line. CORE RACING FEATURES: Build with sailing and yachting professionals worldwide Crystal-clear edge-to-edge progress display for instant visual feedback Reliable haptic feedback you can feel even in rough conditions Always-active timing sessions that never sleep during critical moments Independent Apple Watch operation - no phone dependency Race history tracker with detailed journal entries ADVANCED RACING TOOLS: ProControl for advanced race timing strategies Instant 5-minute countdown on gun signal Auto-sync countdown to nearest minute for precision starts Real-time distance to starting line measurement Course shift tracking within 30 degrees Speed over ground in precise knots PERFECT FOR: Competitive regatta racing Sailing training sessions Time-critical race starts Professional sailing competitions Yacht club events APPLE WATCH OPTIMIZED: Built natively for Apple Watch with exclusive Apple Watch Ultra features. Works seamlessly across all Apple Watch models with customizable themes to match your sailing team colors. Start winning more races with precision timing. Download Astrolabe Countdown today. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://astrolabe-countdown.apphq.online/privacy

Screenshots

SailingWatch4 screens
Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SailingWatch at 17.6 against Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)'s 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. SailingWatch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
SailingWatch versus Astro (Astrolabe Countdown): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSailingWatchAstro (Astrolabe Countdown)
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrancesco VezzaniChikai Lai

In-app purchases

2 purchases

SailingWatch

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly3 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$69.991 Year
3 purchases

Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)

Subscriptions2
  • Astrolabe Pro Access (Annual)$7.991 Year
  • Annual Ultra Subscription$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • ULTRA Tier One-Time Purchase$44.99

Questions

Is SailingWatch free?
SailingWatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) free?
Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SailingWatch or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) have ads?
Neither SailingWatch nor Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SailingWatch or Astro (Astrolabe Countdown)?
SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) fortnightly. Most recently, SailingWatch was updated on September 24, 2026 and Astro (Astrolabe Countdown) on September 7, 2026.

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