Comparison

UK Waterways Map vs Riverways

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
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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

Riverways

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Riverways is the all-in-one navigation app designed specifically for boaters on the UK's inland waterways. Whether you're planning a relaxing cruise or travelling to your next mooring, Riverways helps you find the safest and most efficient route with real-time information tailored to your vessel. Think of it as the navigation app for inland waterways. Currently supporting the Broads National Park, with additional waterways planned for future updates. Plan every journey by creating routes between destinations and receive accurate journey times, distances and estimated arrival times. Riverways takes your vessel into account, helping you avoid routes with bridges or waterways that aren't suitable for your boat. Navigate with confidence and follow clear turn-by-turn navigation designed for waterways instead of roads. Stay informed throughout your journey with important alerts and guidance along your route. Riverways combines essential boating information into a single easy-to-use app, including: Turn-by-turn waterway navigation Trip planning with journey times and distances Vessel-aware routing to avoid low bridges and inaccessible waterways Live bridge heights and average bridge clearance information Speedometer with local speed limit information Tidal information Current weather conditions Detailed mooring information Boat facilities and services Nearby points of interest Departure reminders to help you arrive on time Live hazard reporting Built for boaters Unlike traditional mapping apps, Riverways is designed specifically for inland waterways. From navigating tidal rivers to finding the right mooring, every feature has been created with boaters in mind. Whether you're exploring the Norfolk Broads for the first time or you're a regular visitor, Riverways helps make every journey safer, simpler and more enjoyable.

Screenshots

UK Waterways Map4 screens
Riverways4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Riverways at 16.4 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, Riverways every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
UK Waterways Map versus Riverways: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterUK Waterways MapRiverways
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyWeekly β€” betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.016.4 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size4 MB63 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJack FinnisVesselDigital Technologies LTD

In-app purchases

None

UK Waterways Map

No in-app purchases

None

Riverways

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is UK Waterways Map free?
UK Waterways Map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Riverways free?
Riverways is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do UK Waterways Map or Riverways have ads?
Neither UK Waterways Map nor Riverways shows ads.
Which is updated more often, UK Waterways Map or Riverways?
UK Waterways Map ships an update weekly, and Riverways every 11 days. Most recently, UK Waterways Map was updated on October 21, 2026 and Riverways on October 24, 2026.

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