Comparison

Float vs Small Group Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Float

Log your canal and river journeys with this open-source app. Track mooring locations, calculate miles traveled, and record your stops throughout the year. All data is securely saved and can be exported for proof of your travels.

Highlights
  • Track mooring locations
  • Log journey stops
  • Calculate miles covered
  • Set current location as Home
  • Secure data saving
  • Export travel data
Features
Read full description

Float is a free, open-source app for canal boaters. Track every mooring along your journey, see exactly how long you've been at your current spot, get notified before the 14-day CRT limit runs out, and keep an eye on waterway closures ahead. Built with continuous cruisers in mind. What you can do with Float β€’ See where you are and how long you've been there. The 14-day tracker shows days remaining at a glance β€” green when you have time, amber as you approach the limit, red when it's time to move. β€’ Get reminders before time runs out. Push notifications arrive 4, 2, 1, and 0 days before the 14-day deadline so you can plan your move calmly instead of in a rush. β€’ Log every mooring along the way. Each stop captures the date, GPS coordinates, name, and any notes you want to add β€” your full journey, on a map. β€’ Set a home mooring you can always navigate back to. β€’ Review your travels. Total miles covered, number of stops, and date ranges β€” useful as evidence of continuous cruising for CRT compliance. β€’ Use the map. Every mooring you've logged appears on the map, with dark mode for late-night planning. β€’ See waterway closures ahead. The Notices tab pulls CRT stoppages, restrictions and advisories directly into the app β€” filter to what's near you, on a live map, updated hourly. Privacy β€’ Your data is yours. Float stores your moorings in your own private account β€” no one else can see them. β€’ No ads. No tracking. No selling your location to anyone. β€’ Open source. Every line of code is public on GitHub. Built by boaters, for boaters.

About

Small Group Tracker

Features
Read full description

Small Group Tracker shares live location with a small group β€” up to 6 people β€” during a walk, hike, festival, or day out. One person creates a group and shares a QR code; everyone else scans it to join. From there, everyone's position, messages, and points of interest travel directly between phones over an encrypted peer-to-peer connection. Nothing is stored on a server, and no account or sign-up is required. MAIN FEATURES Live group map Everyone in the group appears as a coloured pin on the map, updating automatically as people move. Quick join by QR code No usernames or passwords. Scan a code, enter your name, and you're on the map. Group messaging Send a message to everyone in the group instantly, with a notification sound. Panic button One tap alerts every group member with an alarm and your last known location, for genuine emergencies. Points of interest Drop a shared pin β€” a meeting point, parking spot, or landmark β€” visible to the whole group, and export it for reuse. Automatic expiry Every group has an expiry time. When it passes, or the Coordinator ends the event, all group data is deleted. PRIVACY BY DESIGN Your location never touches our servers β€” it travels directly between your group's phones. See the full privacy policy at mybestmates.co.uk/SGT/privacy.html

Screenshots

Float3 screens
Small Group Tracker3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is device support: Small Group Tracker at 3 against Float's 1. Small Group Tracker also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 6 level
Float versus Small Group Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFloatSmall Group Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews75.0% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyMonthlyβ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeβ€”
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS17.015.5 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size19 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperALESSANDRO BORELLIDAVID ANTHONY FLOYD

In-app purchases

None

Float

No in-app purchases

None

Small Group Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Float free?
Float is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Small Group Tracker free?
Small Group Tracker is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Float or Small Group Tracker have ads?
Neither Float nor Small Group Tracker shows ads.

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