Comparison

SpotBuoy vs Race Planner by Saillab

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

Head to head
About

SpotBuoy

Features
Read full description

Manage your SpotBuoys and visualize the course setup with this app. Wind tracker will help you to keep track of the wind shifts through out the day.

About

Race Planner by Saillab

Features
Read full description

Race Planner — Sailing Start & Tactics The complete tactical toolkit for competitive sailors and coaches. Prepare smarter. Start better. Race faster. From analysing the start line bias to recording wind patterns, Race Planner gives you the tools to collect, analyse and act on the data that matters most — before the gun fires. — START LINE ANALYSIS — The most powerful feature in Race Planner. Enter the course bearing, wind direction and speed, place the RC and PIN with GPS, and instantly see: · Which end of the start line is favoured and by how many boat lengths · Your recommended start position — numbered option (1–4) based on line bias and tack split · Port vs. starboard tack split with exact minutes to the windward mark · Your full recommended sail path from start to M1 · A visual canvas with laylines, start box triangle, and conditions overlay Supports Optimist · ILCA 4 / 6 / 7 (Laser) · 420 · 470 · 29er · 49er · 49erFX · Nacra 17 · iQFoil · Formula Kite · Techno 293 Youth Course types: Windward/Leeward · WL + Offset Gate · WL + Reaching Finish · Trapezoid · Optimist Worlds · Optimist Inner Loop — DATA ENTRY — Record true wind direction and speed, gusts, current direction and speed, and swell data quickly before or during race preparation. Use GPS to automatically capture current direction and speed from a 60-second drift track, or enter values manually. All entries are geo-tagged and feed directly into the Start Analysis auto-fill. — GRAPHS — Visualise your recorded data in clear, time-based graphs for wind, current and swell. Direction charts handle compass wrap-around correctly — no false spikes through North. A median line on every chart helps you spot the prevailing conditions at a glance. — RACE MAP — Plan your race directly on the map. Draw freehand annotations with Apple Pencil or your finger, place full course overlays (windward-leeward, triangle and more), and view live laylines, mark positions and GPS-tracked sailed paths. Capture a screenshot of your full strategy to share with your crew. — NOTES — Save high-resolution snapshots directly from Start Analysis with one tap. Annotate your race plan with freehand drawings and review it during the race briefing. — LOGBOOK — Every entry is saved with a timestamp and GPS coordinates. Export your full logbook as CSV or XML for post-regatta analysis in external tools. — DESIGNED FOR ALL APPLE DEVICES — iPhone — full featured, portrait layout iPad — optimised canvas with larger schematic and side-by-side cards Mac (Apple Silicon) — full screen experience via Mac Catalyst, all features available with mouse and keyboard — iCLOUD SYNC — All your data syncs automatically across your devices via iCloud. Your 60-day free trial is also tied to your Apple ID — reinstalling the app does not restart the trial period. — SUBSCRIPTION — Race Planner includes a 60-day free trial with full access to all features. After the trial, a yearly subscription unlocks continued access. The subscription renews automatically each year. You can cancel at any time — cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. Race smarter. Race Planner. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

SpotBuoy4 screens
Race Planner by Saillab4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SpotBuoy at none against Race Planner by Saillab's 1. SpotBuoy also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Race Planner by Saillab sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $17.90 per year. SpotBuoy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
SpotBuoy versus Race Planner by Saillab: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpotBuoyRace Planner by Saillab
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMurat AlmatSAILLAB d.o.o.

In-app purchases

None

SpotBuoy

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Race Planner by Saillab

Subscriptions1
  • Race Planner Pro$17.901 Year

Questions

Is SpotBuoy free?
SpotBuoy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Race Planner by Saillab free?
Race Planner by Saillab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SpotBuoy or Race Planner by Saillab have ads?
Neither SpotBuoy nor Race Planner by Saillab shows ads.

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