Comparison

Sailor's Deck vs Learn

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

Head to head
About

Sailor's Deck

Master navigation lights and day shapes for skipper exams with this flashcard app. It uses spaced repetition to build lasting visual memory, tracks your progress, and resurfaces difficult configurations until they stick. Study offline with no ads or subscriptions.

Highlights
  • Spaced repetition learning
  • Four-layer progression of study
  • Confusion pair training
  • Offline functionality
  • Progress tracking and session summaries
  • Association-specific terminology
  • Daily streak motivator
Features
Read full description

Navigation lights and day shapes is the hardest topic on every skipper exam. Minimum 50 configurations to recognise, from any bearing, under time pressure. Most sailors try to cram it from a textbook the night before. It doesn't work. Sailor's Deck is built specifically for this. Flashcards with spaced repetition — the study method proven to build lasting visual memory — sequenced across four layers from basic light identification through to full composite scenarios. The app tracks what you know, resurfaces what you don't, and keeps drilling the configurations you keep getting wrong until they stick. HOW IT WORKS Each session presents set of cards drawn from your personal review queue. Answer correctly and the card moves to a longer review interval. Answer wrong and it comes back sooner. Get a category badly wrong and the relevant COLREGS rule is shown on the spot. The four-layer progression matches the way your exam actually tests you: — Layer 1: Base lights — masthead, sidelights, sternlight — Layer 2: Status lights — what the vessel is doing — Layer 3: Day shapes — cone, ball, cylinder, diamond — Layer 4: Composite scenarios — full patterns from specific bearings Confusion pairs are built in. Miss a RAM card and the NUC card is queued immediately behind it. Miss a trawling vessel and the purse-seine card follows. The pairs most likely to lose you marks on the exam are pre-wired into the system. 100+ CARDS. ALMOST EVERY CONFIGURATION. Power-driven vessels, sailing vessels, vessels not under command, restricted in ability to manoeuvre, constrained by draught, pilot vessels, mine clearance, dredgers, air-cushion vessels, fishing vessels trawling and not trawling, vessels at anchor, towing and pushing — plus all COLREGS day shapes. Every card reviewed by a qualified sailing instructor. WORKS FOR YOUR ASSOCIATION Select your certification on first launch and the app uses your association's terminology throughout: — RYA Day Skipper / Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster — IYT Bareboat / Coastal / Master of Yachts — ISSA Inshore / Offshore — ASA 104 / 106 One card library. Your language. NO ACCOUNT. NO INTERNET. NO NONSENSE. Everything runs offline. Progress is saved locally. No login, no subscription, no ads. Free — permanently, with no card limit and no time limit on the entry skipper deck. DAILY STREAK + PROGRESS TRACKING A daily streak keeps you coming back in the weeks before your exam. Per-category accuracy shows exactly where your weak spots are. Session summaries flag the COLREGS rules you need to read. Study on the boat. Study on the bus. Five minutes before bed. The exam is closer than you think.

About

Learn

Features
Read full description

Learn is the maritime training hub for seafarers, cadets, and shipping crews — video courses, exams, and verifiable certificates, all in one app. Whether you're preparing for a certification, staying current on compliance, or building new skills for life at sea, Learn puts your maritime coursework in your pocket — on board or ashore. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Take structured video and document courses built for maritime professionals • Test your knowledge with quizzes and assessments, with instant results • Earn downloadable, verifiable certificates the moment you complete a course • Track your progress, scores, and watch time across every course • Follow guided learning paths from beginner to advanced • Download lessons for offline learning — keep studying at sea with no connection • Ask questions and discuss courses with other learners • Rate and review courses to help your crew choose what to study next FOR INDIVIDUAL LEARNERS Browse the catalog, buy the courses you need, and learn at your own pace. Your certificates and progress stay with your account. FOR FLEETS & COMPANIES Seafarers assigned courses by their company log in to complete required training, sit proctored exams, and keep their fleet compliant — with progress visible to shore-side administrators. WHY LEARN • Purpose-built for maritime training and compliance • Works offline for uninterrupted learning on board • Certificates you can verify and download anytime • A respectful, moderated community — report and block controls keep discussions professional Sign in or create an account to start learning. Learn: Maritime Learning Hub — your training, wherever your voyage takes you. Terms of Use (EULA): https://learn.elementree.co.in/policies Privacy Policy: https://learn.elementree.co.in/policies?tab=privacy

Screenshots

Sailor's Deck4 screens
Learn4 screens

Verdict

The call

Sailor's Deck and Learn are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. Sailor's Deck sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Learn sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $749.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Sailor's Deck versus Learn: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSailor's DeckLearn
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB38 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperVladimir ArefevElement Tree

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Sailor's Deck

One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Buy a Coffee$2.99
  • Generous Tip$3.99
1 purchases

Learn

Subscriptions1
  • All Access$749.991 Month

Questions

Is Sailor's Deck free?
Sailor's Deck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Learn free?
Learn is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Sailor's Deck or Learn have ads?
Neither Sailor's Deck nor Learn shows ads.

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