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

Master the USCG Navigation Rules with Nautical Rules – the study companion for boaters, sailors, and maritime professionals preparing for their licensing exams. COMPREHENSIVE QUESTION BANK Practice with 1,225 questions covering the International and Inland Navigation Rules, organized the way the Coast Guard publishes them: • Part A: General • Part B: Steering and Sailing Rules • Part C: Lights and Shapes • Part D: Sound and Light Signals • Part E: Exemptions • Annexes MULTIPLE STUDY MODES • Quick Test: 10, 25, 50, or 100 random questions • Practice by Category: Focus on one Part of the Rules, with the explanation shown after each answer • Practice by Rule: Drill a single rule, such as Rule 13 or Rule 34 SMART PROGRESS TRACKING • Track your overall accuracy and test history • See your accuracy broken down by category and by rule • Focus Area suggestions based on your weakest rule • Daily streak tracking to build a consistent study habit HELPFUL STUDY FEATURES • An explanation for every answer, with the rule it comes from • Diagrams for lights, shapes, and vessel-encounter scenarios • Bookmark difficult questions for later review • Review your incorrect answers after each test • Share your test results as a PDF DESIGNED FOR SUCCESS Whether you're preparing for the USCG Captain's License, recreational boating certification, or just want to refresh your knowledge of the Rules of the Road, Nautical Rules gives you everything you need to study effectively. PRIVACY FOCUSED • No account required • No data collection • Works completely offline • Your progress stays on your device Download Nautical Rules today and navigate your way to exam success! --- 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 (12 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — 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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