Comparison

Nautical Rules vs SmoothSailor

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

Head to head
About

Nautical Rules

Master USCG Navigation Rules with a comprehensive question bank and smart study features. Track your progress, practice for exams, and study offline to navigate with confidence.

Highlights
  • 1,200+ practice questions
  • Inland and International waters coverage
  • Detailed explanations
  • Customizable tests
  • Offline study capability
  • Progress tracking dashboard
  • Accuracy by rule statistics
Read full description

Nautical Rules is the ultimate study companion for mastering the USCG Navigation Rules (COLREGS). Whether you're preparing for your captain's license exam or refreshing your maritime knowledge, this app provides everything you need to succeed. COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION BANK - Over 1,200 practice questions covering all Navigation Rules - Questions for both Inland and International waters - Covers Steering & Sailing Rules, Lights & Shapes, Sound Signals, and more - Detailed explanations SMART STUDY FEATURES - Take customizable tests with 10, 25, 50, or 100 questions - Practice mode with immediate feedback and explanations - Focus Area suggestions to target your weakest rules - Bookmark questions for later review - Review your mistakes to reinforce learning TRACK YOUR PROGRESS - Activity dashboard with test history and statistics - See your accuracy by rule (Rule 1, Rule 2, etc.) - Track your study streak and mastery level - View detailed results for each completed test DESIGNED FOR MARINERS - Clean, intuitive interface optimized for study sessions - No internet connection required - study anywhere - All questions based on official USCG Navigation Rules - Perfect for captains, SWO, sailors, and maritime professionals Whether you're studying for the USCG license exam, improving your seamanship skills, or just want to stay sharp on the water, Nautical Rules gives you the tools to succeed. Download now and navigate with confidence! --- Note: This app is an educational study aid and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Coast Guard. For official rules and regulations, consult the official USCG Navigation Rules publications.

About

SmoothSailor

Features
Read full description

Plan safer, more comfortable boat rides with SmoothSailor. Draw your route on a map, pick a departure window, and get a real-time score (0-100) for each segment based on wind, waves, tides, and weather from NOAA. Features: - Score any route using live NOAA wind, wave, tide, and weather data - Color-coded route map: green (great), yellow (ok), orange (rough), red (avoid) - Boat profiles with custom comfort thresholds - Auto-detect lake vs. tidal waters - Save and reuse favorite routes - Community condition reports from other boaters Built for recreational boaters on bays, coasts, and inland waterways.

Screenshots

Nautical Rules4 screens
SmoothSailor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SmoothSailor at 15.1 against Nautical Rules's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Nautical Rules versus SmoothSailor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNautical RulesSmoothSailor
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB22 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperJoseph KimChristopher Peavler

In-app purchases

None

Nautical Rules

No in-app purchases

None

SmoothSailor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nautical Rules free?
Nautical Rules is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SmoothSailor free?
SmoothSailor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Nautical Rules or SmoothSailor have ads?
Neither Nautical Rules nor SmoothSailor shows ads.

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