Comparison

Boating Logbook vs navCenter

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

Boating Logbook4 screens
navCenter4 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Boating Logbook ships an update every 2 weeks, navCenter monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Boating Logbook versus navCenter: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBoating LogbooknavCenter
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (36 ratings) — better4.4 (7 ratings)
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews — better77.8% of reviews
Number of ratings36 — better7
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS17.015.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAxel Le PennecGUARDIAN DIGITAL LTD

Customer experience

Boating Logbook

All ratings36 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral2.8%
Negative5.6%
Written reviews77 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral3.9%
Negative16.9%

navCenter

All ratings7 ratings
Positive71.4%
Neutral28.6%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews9 reviews
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Boating Logbook

Subscriptions8
  • Skipper+ Weekly$5.997 Days
  • Skipper+ Weekly$7.997 Days
  • Weekly2 variants$8.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • Skipper+ Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Yearly$35.991 Year
  • Yearly$44.991 Year
  • Yearly2 variants$49.991 Year
  • Yearly3 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time3
  • Skipper+ Lifetime$14.99
  • Skipper+ Lifetime$99.99
  • Lifetime$124.99
2 purchases

navCenter

Subscriptions1
  • Subscribed annually$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Purchased$34.99

Questions

Is Boating Logbook free?
Boating Logbook is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is navCenter free?
navCenter is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Boating Logbook or navCenter?
Boating Logbook is rated higher. Boating Logbook averages 4.6 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while navCenter averages 4.4 from 7 ratings.
Do Boating Logbook or navCenter have ads?
Neither Boating Logbook nor navCenter shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Boating Logbook or navCenter?
Boating Logbook ships an update every 2 weeks, and navCenter monthly. Most recently, Boating Logbook was updated on September 22, 2026 and navCenter on September 9, 2026.

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