Comparison

SailingWatch vs Boat Speedometer

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

Boat Speedometer

This marine speedometer offers a clear, easy-to-read display of your boat's current speed, designed for quick checks while sailing or boating. It records voyages, tracks key metrics, and integrates with Apple Health for heart rate monitoring.

Highlights
  • High-contrast live speed display
  • Apple Watch and Live Activity support
  • Voyage recording with detailed metrics
  • Route history and CSV/KMZ export
  • Apple Health integration for heart rate
  • Simple, clutter-free interface
Features
Read full description

HullSpeed is a clean, highly legible sailing and boating speedometer with Apple Watch and Live Activity support. It works for all activities but is designed around sailing. Designed for quick speed checks while underway, HullSpeed gives sailors and boaters a simple, reliable marine speed readout on Apple Watch and iPhone. HullSpeed keeps the focus on what matters: your current BOAT SPEED. The display is large, simple, and easy to read at a glance, making it ideal for sailing, dinghy racing, cruising, or any time you want a straightforward marine speedometer without clutter. A small trend chart helps you quickly see the impact of trim changes. HullSpeed also records your voyages so you can review your time on the water later. Saved voyages include speed, distance, duration, average speed, maximum speed, route history, and exportable CSV data. In addition to sailing data, HullSpeed also withs with Apple Health to measure your heart rate via an Apple Watch so you can keep track of your activity at sea. Features: * Large, high-contrast live speed display. * Designed for quick wrist checks on Apple Watch, or quick glances at your phone. * Live Activity support on iPhone. * Record sailing voyages from iPhone or Apple Watch. * Track distance, duration, average speed, and max speed, and heart rate. * View saved route history. * Export voyage data as CSV or KMZ. * Unlock continued use with a one-time in-app purchase. * Includes 3 free trial voyages. If you like it you can purchase for life. No subscription or account required. Privacy Policy: https://www.catspaw-systems.com/PrivacyPolicies/HullSpeedPrivacy.html

Screenshots

SailingWatch4 screens
Boat Speedometer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Boat Speedometer at every 5 days against SailingWatch's every 2 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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 Boat Speedometer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, Boat Speedometer every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
SailingWatch versus Boat Speedometer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSailingWatchBoat Speedometer
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (20 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—20 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFrancesco VezzaniCatspaw Systems LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

SailingWatch

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

Boat Speedometer

One-time1
  • Hullspeed Pro$5.99

Questions

Is SailingWatch free?
SailingWatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Boat Speedometer free?
Boat Speedometer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SailingWatch or Boat Speedometer have ads?
Neither SailingWatch nor Boat Speedometer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SailingWatch or Boat Speedometer?
SailingWatch ships an update every 2 weeks, and Boat Speedometer every 5 days. Most recently, SailingWatch was updated on November 3, 2026 and Boat Speedometer on October 31, 2026.

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