NightPilot vs CH16
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
NightPilot
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A night pilotage training aid for sailors. 1 month or 1 year non-renewing subscriptions are available. A subscription will full access to a database of most lit buoys in the Solent and its main channels and ports. including:- Ashlett Creek, Beaulieu, Cowes, Fareham Lake, Fishbourne, Hamble, Itchen, Lymington, Port Solent, Portsmouth, Yarmouth Buoys or marks can be identified from their light phase and bearings can be taken. With this information, and by reference to the log and your pilotage chart, you are able to practise entries into unfamilier ports at night Directional lights (WRG), leading lights and lighthouses are included. Can also be used to practise finding an unlit mark at night. (a yachmaster exam favourite) Facility to specify a tidal stream (set and rate) to add the drift that would affect your course over the ground Track made good is recorded and shown on the chart Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
CH16
This maritime safety app provides instant access to global rescue coordination centers and features tools for generating distress messages and planning voyages. It offers real-time location tracking for man overboard situations and works offline, ensuring safety at sea.
- Global maritime rescue center directory
- Interactive SRR zone map
- GMDSS-compliant distress message generator
- Man Overboard (MOB) mode with GPS tracking
- Passage Plan for voyage declaration
- Offline functionality
- Multilingual support
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CH16 by Global SAR Hub is the essential maritime safety app for every seafarer. Instantly access contact details for over 350 maritime rescue coordination centers (MRCC, MRSC, JRCC, JRSC) worldwide. View Search and Rescue Regions (SRR) on an interactive map and identify the center responsible for your current position in real time. Generate IMO/GMDSS-compliant MAYDAY and PAN PAN distress messages with audio playback. Activate Man Overboard (MOB) mode to record a GPS position and guide you back to the drop point. NEW - Passage Plan: declare your route and automatically notify all rescue centers along your way, in their own language. An essential step for your safety at sea. Get notifications when you cross into a new SRR zone. Save your vessel and captain information to automatically include them in your messages and passage plans. Available in 6 languages. Works offline. Key features: β’ Global directory of 350+ maritime rescue centers β’ Interactive SRR zone map with automatic detection β’ GMDSS-compliant MAYDAY / PAN PAN message generator β’ Audio playback of distress messages β’ Man Overboard mode with GPS tracking and DMD format β’ Real-time MOB map view β’ Passage Plan: multilingual voyage declaration to RCCs β’ Persistent vessel and captain profiles β’ Voice recording of vessel name β’ SRR zone change notifications β’ Multilingual country search β’ 6 languages: EN, FR, ES, PT, IT, DE β’ Full offline mode Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.globalsarhub.com/terms-of-use.html Privacy Policy: https://www.globalsarhub.com/privacy-policy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: NightPilot at none against CH16's shown. NightPilot also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). CH16's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.4). On price, in-app purchases and device support 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
Both are free to download. NightPilot sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and CH16 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
NightPilot ships an update every 3 weeks, CH16 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NightPilot | CH16 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | β | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks β better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No β better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | β | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better |
| Requires iOS | 18.4 | 13.0 β better |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Navtech Software | Global SAR Hub |
In-app purchases
NightPilot
- Solent 1 Month$2.99
- Solent 1 Year$6.99
CH16
- CH16 Pro7 Days trial$0.991 Month
- CH16 Pro Lifetime$4.99









