Comparison

UK Waterways Map vs Canal Maps

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

Head to head
About

UK Waterways Map

Features
Read full description

Your new indispensable guide to all major canal systems, rivers, and navigations in England, Wales and Scotland. Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases. KEY FEATURES Detailed maps of over 500 UK waterways Navigate all major canal systems, rivers, and navigations in England, Wales and Scotland. Annotate the map with the location of locks, weirs, access points and other features. Your map annotations are automatically saved and synced across all your devices. Measure the distance between any two points along a waterway. Get turn-by-turn directions using Apple Maps. PERFECT FOR BOATERS - Plan narrowboat holidays with precise canal routes and distance measurements. PADDLERS - Kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders can find and log access points, locks and weirs. ANGLERS - Find and log the best fishing spots. WALKERS & CYCLISTS - Follow towpaths with accurate distance measurements. SWIMMERS - Discover swimming spots and access points. ANYONE who wants to discover the hidden beauty of Britain's canal and river network.

About

Canal Maps

Features
Read full description

Canal Maps is an offline-first navigation app for the UK's inland waterways. Browse detailed maps of major canals and navigable rivers, find points of interest along your route, and keep your bearings β€” with or without a mobile signal. Features: β€’ Detailed maps of UK canals and navigable rings including the Avon Ring, Cheshire Ring, and more β€’ Points of interest: locks, bridges, pubs, wharves, marinas, services, and visitor moorings β€’ Photos for canal points of interest β€’ Search for specific points of interest by name β€’ Canal traders and fuel boats near your route β€’ My Places: save your own private points of interest with custom icons β€’ Your GPS position shown live on the map β€” all data processed on-device, never transmitted β€’ Works offline after initial data download Whether you're planning a narrowboat holiday or already on the water, Canal Maps keeps the information you need close at hand.

Screenshots

UK Waterways Map4 screens
Canal Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Canal Maps at 17.0 against UK Waterways Map's 26.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

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

UpkeepUpdate frequency

UK Waterways Map ships an update weekly, Canal Maps fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
UK Waterways Map versus Canal Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUK Waterways MapCanal Maps
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly β€” betterFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size4 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJack FinnisDAVID ANTHONY FLOYD

In-app purchases

None

UK Waterways Map

No in-app purchases

None

Canal Maps

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is UK Waterways Map free?
UK Waterways Map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Canal Maps free?
Canal Maps is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do UK Waterways Map or Canal Maps have ads?
Neither UK Waterways Map nor Canal Maps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, UK Waterways Map or Canal Maps?
UK Waterways Map ships an update weekly, and Canal Maps fortnightly. Most recently, UK Waterways Map was updated on October 30, 2026 and Canal Maps on October 24, 2026.

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