Comparison

VMG Display vs Sailing Instruments

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

Head to head
About

VMG Display

Features
Read full description

Turn your phone into a set of tools for your boat. It shows your position, speed and heading and by setting a course it calculates and displays the VMG in real time. Visualizza: - Speed (SOG) - Course (COG) - Boat Position (lat,lon) - Lolcal or UTC time - Set Bearing/Course (BRG) - Course Deviation - Velocity Made Good (VMG/VMC) no ads or subscriptions required

About

Sailing Instruments

This app provides essential sailing instruments and tactical tools for planning, racing, and navigating. It offers features like a race timer, speed tracking, bearing and compass, waypoint navigation, and route recording. Offline support ensures functionality on open water.

Highlights
  • Race Timer with auto-start
  • Boat Speed (SOG)
  • Bearing & Compass
  • Waypoint Navigation
  • VMG (Velocity Made Good)
  • Route Tracking (GPX)
  • Offline Support
Features
Read full description

Plan, race, and sail smarter - all from your iPhone. From the first beat of planning to the final gun, this app puts essential sailing instruments, tactical tools, and live wind forecasts at your fingertips - whether you're cruising the coast or counting down to the start. Instruments • Boat Speed (SOG) – Accurate speed over ground in knots, km/h, or mph • Bearing & Compass – Know your heading and navigate confidently • VMG (Velocity Made Good) – See how effectively you're sailing toward your target Race & Tactics • Race Timer – Easy countdown with auto-start tracking and a large, glanceable display • Waypoint Navigation – Build a library of reusable marks and plot your course in seconds • Wind Forecasts (Premium) – Overlay live wind across your race area, with direction, speed, and gusts shown right on the map. Scrub up to 48 hours ahead to see how the breeze will shift, and choose the forecast model that's most accurate for your waters (UK Met Office, ECMWF, GFS, and more) Track & Review • Route Tracking – Record your GPS track as a GPX file for post-sail analysis • Track Playback – Replay your sail with speed, distance, and your saved marks shown in context • Offline Support – Built for open water; no internet required after install (wind forecasts need a connection) Modern design meets real-world sailing needs - ideal for day sailors, racers, and adventurers. Freemium - no subscriptions, just pay once if you love it: • Use the core instruments for free • Try the race timer, routing, and track recorder twice, then upgrade for unlimited access • Premium unlocks unlimited use plus live wind forecasts • Leave us a review and reset your free trial! This app uses your device's GPS - please ensure your device supports GPS. If GPS updates stop while using the app, try moving your device in large circles to wake it back up. We value your feedback! Share ideas or report issues at yanafloat@gmail.com

Screenshots

VMG Display4 screens
Sailing Instruments4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Sailing Instruments at Free against VMG Display's $0.99. Sailing Instruments also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). VMG Display's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.6). On ads 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

Sailing Instruments is free to download; VMG Display costs $0.99 up front. Sailing Instruments sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. VMG Display asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

VMG Display ships an update every 3 months, Sailing Instruments every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
VMG Display versus Sailing Instruments: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVMG DisplaySailing Instruments
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS14.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStudioZeroPixelYAN MARK ANDERSON

In-app purchases

None

VMG Display

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Sailing Instruments

One-time1
  • Sailing Instruments Premium$3.99

Questions

Is VMG Display free?
VMG Display costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sailing Instruments free?
Sailing Instruments is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do VMG Display or Sailing Instruments have ads?
Neither VMG Display nor Sailing Instruments shows ads.
Which is updated more often, VMG Display or Sailing Instruments?
VMG Display ships an update every 3 months, and Sailing Instruments every 2 weeks. Most recently, VMG Display was updated on September 8, 2026 and Sailing Instruments on September 1, 2026.

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