Nautical Rules vs SmoothSailor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 1,200+ practice questions
- Inland and International waters coverage
- Detailed explanations
- Customizable tests
- Offline study capability
- Progress tracking dashboard
- Accuracy by rule statistics
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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.
SmoothSailor
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Nautical Rules | SmoothSailor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (4 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 4 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Joseph Kim | Christopher Peavler |
In-app purchases
Nautical Rules
No in-app purchases
SmoothSailor
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Nautical Rules free?
Is SmoothSailor free?
Do Nautical Rules or SmoothSailor have ads?
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