Master vs IRPCS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Master
This app simplifies learning the IALA Maritime Buoyage System through interactive visuals and exam-style practice. It helps users quickly identify and explain maritime marks, building a comprehensive understanding for maritime qualifications.
- Interactive visuals
- Memory aids
- Exam-ready answer phrases
- Step-by-step learning
- Exam-style practice
- Recognition training
- Chart symbol teaching
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Master-Nav: IALA MBS makes learning the IALA Maritime Buoyage System clear, visual, and easy. Our goal is to simplify your preparation for maritime qualifications and maximise your success by teaching buoyage the way you actually use it at sea, through recognition, meaning, and correct action. Master MBS uses interactive visuals, memory aids, and exam ready answer phrases to help you identify marks quickly and explain them correctly. Colours, shapes, topmarks, light characteristics, and chart symbols are taught together, so you build one complete mental picture rather than disconnected facts. Start with the Learning Section to master each mark step by step, then move into the Practice Section to reinforce what you know under exam style pressure. You will train recognition from multiple angles, including lights only scenarios, daymarks, and chart presentation, with clear explanations that turn common confusion into confident understanding. With a large bank of questions in varied formats, each supported by clean graphic answers that highlight typical mistakes, Master MBS builds retention through repeated, purposeful practice. The result is faster recall, better accuracy, and stronger oral exam delivery. Whether you are a cadet building foundations or an experienced mariner refreshing buoyage knowledge for an assessment, Master-Nav: IALA MBS is designed to make IALA MBS feel straightforward, familiar, and practical. Learn it once, recognise it instantly, and answer it properly every time.
IRPCS
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IRPCS is a focused training app for learning, revising and practising the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, commonly known as IRPCS or COLREGS. Built for skippers, SAR crew, lifeboat crews, maritime students, professional mariners and everyday boaters, IRPCS helps turn complex collision regulations into practical knowledge you can understand, remember and apply on the water. Whether you are preparing for an RYA, MCA or STCW assessment, supporting Search and Rescue training, refreshing your knowledge before going afloat, or improving your confidence with collision avoidance, IRPCS gives you a clear and structured way to study the rules that keep vessels safe at sea. The app covers all IRPCS/COLREGS rules, combining the official rule text with plain-English explanations, from experienced professionals. This helps you move beyond memorising wording and understand what each rule means in real situations, including who gives way, what action to take, how vessels should behave in restricted visibility, and how lights, shapes and sound signals are used. IRPCS is designed for regular practice. Use bite-sized lessons, adaptive quizzes and realistic maritime scenarios to build confidence step by step. Track your progress, identify weak areas and return to the topics that need more work. Key features include: • All IRPCS/COLREGS rules in one place • Official rule text with clear plain-English explanations • Adaptive quizzes to help identify weak areas • Realistic collision avoidance scenarios • Lights, shapes and sound signal practice • Progress tracking to monitor improvement • Offline access for use while travelling or at sea • Useful for SAR, lifeboat, commercial and leisure users • Suitable for beginners, trainees and experienced mariners IRPCS is useful for: • RYA Day Skipper, Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster preparation • MCA and STCW maritime training • Search and Rescue crew development • Lifeboat crew training and revision • Commercial vessel operators • Sailing, motor boating and powerboat users • Harbour, inshore and coastal navigation • Refreshing knowledge before going afloat From steering and sailing rules to responsibilities between vessels, navigation lights, day shapes, sound signals, conduct in restricted visibility and actions to avoid collision, IRPCS helps you practise the knowledge that matters at sea. Learn the rules. Test your understanding. Build confidence. Stay safer on the water. Download IRPCS and start improving your COLREGS knowledge today. Subscription terms: IRPCS may offer auto-renewing subscriptions that provide access to premium learning, revision and practice features. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://irpcs.app/privacy IRPCS Terms: https://irpcs.app/terms
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: IRPCS at Free against Master's $0.99. IRPCS also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). Master's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On 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
IRPCS is free to download; Master costs $0.99 up front. IRPCS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Master asks for nothing beyond the download.
Master ships an update every 3 months, IRPCS every 3 days. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | Master | IRPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 219 MB | 73 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Peterjohn Chisholm | Paul Whittle |
In-app purchases
Master
No in-app purchases
IRPCS
- IRPCS Pro 1 month$4.991 Month
- IRPCS Pro$29.991 Year







