# Chief Mate vs SmartCrew HQ

The clearest difference is rating: Chief Mate at 5.0 against SmartCrew HQ's 4.2. Chief Mate also leads on device support (3 vs 1). SmartCrew HQ's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (5 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Chief Mate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartCrew HQ has 5 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Chief Mate ships an update every 4 months, SmartCrew HQ every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chief Mate | SmartCrew HQ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chief-mate/id6535686953/reviews)** | [4.2 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartcrew-hq/id6749095342/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 30 MB | 173 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Victor Mones](https://appshunter.io/developer/1725983910) | [Smart Crew LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1828782497) |

## What reviewers say

### Chief Mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chief-mate/id6535686953)

Easily manage all your boat's essential information, from maintenance schedules and inventory to crew tasks and important documents. Collaborate with your team, create custom checklists, and stay on top of your vessel's upkeep for a safer and more enjoyable boating experience.

**Highlights:** Centralize boat information, Collaborate with crew, Track and maintain components, Create maintenance schedules, Manage inventory and supplies, Create and share checklists, Store important documents

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SmartCrew HQ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartcrew-hq/id6749095342)

This app streamlines construction workforce management with features like time tracking, jobsite management, and incident reporting. It helps contractors and field workers stay organized and efficient, keeping projects on track with real-time data and document access.

**Highlights:** Geofenced time tracking, Interactive jobsite maps, Field note capture, Secure document management, Incident reporting, Time-off requests

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chief Mate free?

Chief Mate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmartCrew HQ free?

SmartCrew HQ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Chief Mate or SmartCrew HQ?

Chief Mate is rated higher. Chief Mate averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while SmartCrew HQ averages 4.2 from 5 ratings.

### Do Chief Mate or SmartCrew HQ have ads?

Neither Chief Mate nor SmartCrew HQ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chief Mate or SmartCrew HQ?

Chief Mate ships an update every 4 months, and SmartCrew HQ every 3 days. Most recently, Chief Mate was updated on September 18, 2026 and SmartCrew HQ on September 12, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*