Comparison

Boat Watch vs Cruise Ship Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Boat Watch

Track ships and boats globally in real-time. Identify vessels, view their details, and receive alerts for arrivals and departures. Explore nautical charts and use augmented reality for an enhanced viewing experience.

Highlights
  • Real-time AIS ship tracking
  • Vessel identification and details
  • Favorite boat tracking
  • Arrival and departure alerts
  • Augmented reality view
  • Nautical chart integration
Features
Read full description

Ever wanted to know more about ships and boats, or track a vessel around the globe? Boat Watch lets you spot and identify boats and ships in an instant. The Pro In-App purchase even sends you alerts when a boat you track sets sail or arrives - perfect for people with loved ones at sea, for tracking ferries and rescue vessels - or following cargo across the world! Boat Watch is free to use for 1 month and offers... * Spot any boat or ship via real-time AIS network * See the name, type and destination of each vessel * Set any boat as a favorite, and track it on the map * Search and find boats and places After 1 month a Pro upgrade is needed to continue getting live ship positions. Pro upgrade ( lifetime or yearly subscription):- * Real-time ship positions updates * Full boat information - picture, speed, where its from, etc. * Show boats' recent tracks * Set multiple favorite boats, to find them easily * Get alerts when a tracked boat arrives or departs * OpenSeaMap charts with buoys, lighthouses & shipping lanes * Filter ships on type to declutter the view and show more vessels of the type required. 3 other optional IAP upgrades are also available:- Live View upgrade ( one time purchase):- *Augmented Reality view to identify and spot boats using your camera *View boats true to scale and with Apple Maps amazing 3D views when zoomed in PortWatch (subscription):- - set a radar alarm ring around an area (0.5 to 10nm) - get notified when any ship is entering or exiting a port or area. Early alert for all ferries, cruise or cargo ships arriving at a port. - alerts when ships are passing or approaching a location. Great for folks who live by the water and want to know when a ship is approaching. You can set your gps position or the current map centre as the PortWatch location and the radar alert range from 0.5nm to 10nm. Fleet upgrade ( subscription): * Fleet - set and receive arrival and departure alerts for multiple boats Boat Watch also gives you the option to buy official NOAA nautical charts for the US and UKHO Admiralty derived charts for the UK&IE so you get the same view of the ocean as the ship's navigator. See the shipping channels, buoys, lights and hazards and why a ship is taking a particular route. Our ship coverage is global and amongst the best in the world. You can find out how our system works and check our coverage here :- http://pocketmariner.com/coverage Pocket Mariner are committed to providing great customer service and continually improve our Boat Watch apps. If you have any questions please email us via help@pocketmariner.com and we'll be happy to help. Terms of Use: http://seanav.net/termsofuse.php Privacy Policy: http://seanav.net/privacy.php Support: help@pocketmariner.com Subscriptions:- Pro and Fleet upgrade" subscriptions are yearly and will automatically renew at the end of the subscription period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase, and will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the iTunes account holder and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase. 
No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period NOT FOR NAVIGATION Boat Watch should only be used for basic navigation reference and should not be solely relied upon to determine precise locations, proximity, distance, or direction.

About

Cruise Ship Tracker

Track cruise ships globally in real-time, view port webcams, and manage your cruise history. Plan upcoming trips with checklists and countdown widgets, and check live weather conditions at sea.

Highlights
  • Real-time ship tracking on map
  • Cruise port information and webcams
  • Personal cruise logbook
  • Countdown widgets for upcoming cruises
  • Cruise planning checklists
  • Live weather and conditions at sea
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Your Complete Cruise Companion Track any cruise ship across the globe in real-time. CruiseKick puts the entire cruise world at your fingertips—from live ship positions to port webcams to your personal cruise logbook. LIVE SHIP TRACKING Follow ships from every major cruise line as they sail the seas. See exact positions on the map, current speed, heading, and voyage details. Discover nearby vessels and watch ships arrive and depart from ports around the world. CRUISE PORTS WORLDWIDE Explore thousands of cruise ports with detailed information, docked ships, and live webcams. Preview your next destination before you arrive or check conditions at ports across the globe. Save your favorite ports for quick access. MY CRUISES LOGBOOK Log your past voyages and plan future adventures. Keep a complete record of your cruise history—ships, dates, destinations, and memories. Add upcoming cruises and watch the countdown to your next departure. COUNTDOWN WIDGETS Add beautiful countdown widgets to your home screen. See exactly how many days until your next cruise at a glance. Customize with different styles and watch the excitement build as departure day approaches. CRUISE PLANNING TOOLS Stay organized with built-in to-do lists and planning checklists. Create custom lists for packing, shore excursions, or anything you need. Never forget an important task before you set sail. WEATHER & CONDITIONS Check real-time weather for any ship at sea, including temperature, wind, and wave height. Perfect for tracking conditions on your upcoming voyage or following friends and family. MORE FEATURES • Powerful search to find any cruise ship instantly • Save favorite ships for quick access • Dark mode for comfortable nighttime browsing • Beautiful design crafted for iOS Whether you're tracking a loved one at sea, planning your next voyage, or simply dreaming of the open ocean, CruiseKick is the ultimate app for cruise enthusiasts. Download now and start exploring! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Q: What is the best app to track cruise ships? A: CruiseKick shows real-time positions for ships from every major cruise line, with live maps, speed, heading, and port arrival details. Q: How can I find out where a cruise ship is right now? A: Search for any ship by name in CruiseKick and see its live position on the map, along with current speed and destination. Q: Is there an app to track my family on a cruise? A: CruiseKick lets you follow any cruise ship in real-time, so you always know where your loved ones are at sea. Q: What is the best cruise countdown app? A: CruiseKick includes home screen countdown widgets, a cruise logbook, and built-in planning checklists to get ready for your voyage. Q: How do I find what ships are in port today? A: Browse any cruise port in CruiseKick to see which ships are currently docked, plus live webcams and port details. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION CruiseKick is a subscription app, and a CruiseKick Plus subscription is required to use it. Choose a weekly or yearly auto-renewing plan. Eligible new subscribers start with a 3-day free trial, and the plan's price is charged when the trial ends. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase, or when the free trial ends. Your subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the current period ends, and your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy: https://velocityraptor.co/app-privacy

Screenshots

Boat Watch4 screens
Cruise Ship Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: Boat Watch at free with in-app purchases against Cruise Ship Tracker's subscription. Boat Watch also leads on ratings volume (3.8K vs 361). Cruise Ship Tracker's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (50% vs 38%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Boat Watch sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year and Cruise Ship Tracker sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Boat Watch holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boat Watch has 3.8K ratings behind it against 361, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Boat Watch's written reviews are positive against 50% of Cruise Ship Tracker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Boat Watch ships an update every 6 weeks, Cruise Ship Tracker every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Boat Watch versus Cruise Ship Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoat WatchCruise Ship Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (3.8K ratings) — better4.4 (361 ratings)
Positive reviews37.8% of reviews50.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3.8K — better361
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#156 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better17.2
Further details — not scored
Size30 MB108 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPocket Mariner Ltd.Velocity Raptor Incorporated

Customer experience

Boat Watch

All ratings3,844 ratings
Positive89.9%
Neutral3.9%
Negative6.2%
Written reviews325 reviews
Positive37.8%
Neutral5.8%
Negative56.3%

Cruise Ship Tracker

All ratings359 ratings
Positive84.4%
Neutral7.2%
Negative8.4%
Written reviews26 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative42.3%

Bugs and requests

Boat Watch

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Inability to track ships in certain regions
  • Incorrect ship positions and directions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Route history for ships
  • Improved cruise ship tracking
  • Automatic notifications for ship movements
  • More detailed ship information

Cruise Ship Tracker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Boat Watch

Subscriptions3
  • PortWatch$1.991 Year
  • BoatWatch Pro upgrade$1.991 Year
  • Fleet Upgrade$5.991 Year
One-time4
  • Full Version Upgrade$4.99
  • Live View$4.99
  • NOAA US Charts$4.99
Show 1 more
  • UK & IE Marine Charts$4.99
8 purchases

Cruise Ship Tracker

Subscriptions4
  • Weekly$6.997 Days
  • Yearly (Secret Discount)3 Days trial$9.991 Year
  • Monthly Pass$9.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Yearly3 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time4
  • Lifetime.$9.99
  • Plus One-Month$19.99
  • Lifetime$29.99
Show 1 more
  • Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Boat Watch free?
Boat Watch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cruise Ship Tracker free?
Cruise Ship Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Boat Watch or Cruise Ship Tracker?
Boat Watch is rated higher. Boat Watch averages 4.6 out of 5 from 3.8K ratings, while Cruise Ship Tracker averages 4.4 from 361 ratings.
Do Boat Watch or Cruise Ship Tracker have ads?
Neither Boat Watch nor Cruise Ship Tracker shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Boat Watch or Cruise Ship Tracker?
Boat Watch ships an update every 6 weeks, and Cruise Ship Tracker every 3 weeks. Most recently, Boat Watch was updated on November 1, 2026 and Cruise Ship Tracker on November 4, 2026.

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