Boating Logbook vs navCenter
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Boating Logbook
Record your boat trips with real-time GPS data, weather, and crew information. Securely store your boating history and relive your adventures with detailed maps and statistics. Import/export GPX files and manage your logbook with powerful search and filtering options.
- Real-time GPS trip recording
- Log weather, crew, and boat details
- Access trip statistics
- Review adventures on maps
- Search and filter logbook entries
- Import/export GPX files
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Skipper is a simple yet powerful boating logbook app for iPhone and iPad. It allows you to automatically keep a permanent record of all your activities at sea and to securely store all your trips on your device to protect your entire boating history. If you love sailing or boating, Skipper is the perfect app! Features of Skipper: • Record your boat trips with your iPhone or iPad*: real-time GPS position, course, speed, duration, distance, track and more • Auto start recording your trips as soon as you leave your initial position • Log everything: weather, sea state, crew members, boat, departure/arrival places, sails used, engine hours, incidents, repairs, and more • Access accurate stats like distance, duration, average/top speed and more • Relive your adventures review your chronicles over time with beautiful maps • Search your logbook for name, notes or place and filter by crew member, boat, weather (wind force and direction) • Import/export GPX files • Nautical, metric and imperial units of measurement support Notes: • *Only the Wi-Fi + Cellular iPads have a built-in GPS, the Wi-Fi only iPads don't have a built-in GPS. • Skipper cannot be used as replacement for Automatic Identification System (AIS). • Continued use of GPS running in the background can decrease your device’s battery life: it is recommend to connect the device to a power outlet when possible. • GPS is completely independent of any Wi-Fi or Cellular data connection. • An Internet connection is required to download weather forecast and maps. • Maps provided by Apple. • Weather is provided by Apple. --- The first three recorded or imported activities are completely free of charge. Skipper+, an optional in-app subscription, unlocks unlimited activities. Development and ongoing maintenance are supported by Skipper+ subscribers. Thank you! Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless it is canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription or turn off auto-renew by going to your App Store account settings after purchase. Cancellation of the current active subscription period is not allowed. • Privacy: https://skipper.alpennec.com/privacy • Terms and Conditions: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula
navCenter
This app transforms your Apple devices into a multifunctional display for marine navigation data, including NMEA and AIS. It also provides autopilot remote control capabilities for compatible systems, connecting via a WiFi gateway.
- NMEA and AIS data display
- Autopilot remote control
- SeaTalk1™ and SeaTalkNG™ compatibility
- WiFi gateway connection
- NMEA2000 and NMEA0183 format support
- Multifunctional display for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Watch
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navCenter (nC) enables your iPhone/iPad/Mac/Watch to operate as a multifunctional display (MFD) for NMEA data (including AIS) and as an autopilot remote control for SeaTalk1™ and SeaTalkNG™ autopilots. navCenter connects to your boats instruments via a WiFi gateway and can handle both NMEA2000 and NMEA0183 formats simultaneously. Information on WiFi gateways can be found here: https://www.guardiandigital.tech/navCenterGatewaysMultiplexers.html navCenter is able to control SeaTalkNG™ and SeaTalk1™ autopilots when partnered with a compatible WiFi multiplexer or Gateway. More information on the autopilot remote control can be found here: https://www.guardiandigital.tech/navCenterAutopilotRemote.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ privacy policy: https://www.guardiandigital.tech/html/privacyPolicy.html
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Boating Logbook at every 2 weeks against navCenter's monthly. Boating Logbook also leads on ratings volume (36 vs 7). navCenter's advantage is device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
Both are free to download. Boating Logbook sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per 7 days and navCenter sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Boating Logbook holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Boating Logbook has 36 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Boating Logbook's written reviews are positive against 78% of navCenter's.
Boating Logbook ships an update every 2 weeks, navCenter monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Boating Logbook | navCenter |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (36 ratings) — better | 4.4 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 79.2% of reviews — better | 77.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 36 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.4 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 32 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Axel Le Pennec | GUARDIAN DIGITAL LTD |
Customer experience
Boating Logbook
navCenter
In-app purchases
Boating Logbook
- Skipper+ Weekly$5.997 Days
- Skipper+ Weekly$7.997 Days
- Weekly2 variants$8.997 Days
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- Skipper+ Yearly$29.991 Year
- Yearly$35.991 Year
- Yearly$44.991 Year
- Yearly2 variants$49.991 Year
- Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Skipper+ Lifetime$14.99
- Skipper+ Lifetime$99.99
- Lifetime$124.99
navCenter
- Subscribed annually$14.991 Year
- Purchased$34.99
Questions
Is Boating Logbook free?
Is navCenter free?
Which has better reviews, Boating Logbook or navCenter?
Do Boating Logbook or navCenter have ads?
Which is updated more often, Boating Logbook or navCenter?
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