Comparison

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE vs ActiveCaptain®

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

Head to head
About

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

This app provides a comprehensive reference for nautical chart symbols and abbreviations, including international standards and supplementary national symbols. It's designed for learning, revision, and quick lookups with a searchable index and offline access.

Highlights
  • International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) symbols
  • Supplementary US and UK national symbols
  • Fully searchable index
  • Tap & Enlarge feature
  • Offline access
  • Bonus emergency tips
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

SYMBOLS USED ON NAUTICAL CHARTS SPECIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL HYDROGRAPHIC ORGANIZATION (IHO), PLUS INTERNATIONAL ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTARY NATIONAL SYMBOLS USED BY THE U.S. AND U.K. HYDROGRAPHIC OFFICES. >>> FULL APP — AD FREE | NO IN-APP PURCHASES | NO SUBSCRIPTION ************ FEATURES and BENEFITS ************ - Perfect for reference, learning & revision - Hi-res graphics - Tap & Enlarge feature for greater detail - Fully searchable index to all the symbols - Always with you on your iPhone or iPad - No internet connection needed ************ LATEST UPDATE INCLUDES ************ * Updated for current iPhone and iOS versions * Save frequently used chart symbols to My Chart Symbols for quicker reference * Jump back to recently viewed pages, with older pages neatly grouped in one menu * Improved favourite and Home controls for clearer, more consistent navigation * Refined layout and spacing throughout the app ************ Plus FREE Bonus Content from "Safe Skipper" ************ "CHART SYMBOLS & ABBREVIATIONS" provides quick reference to the "INT 1" symbols specified by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) for use on International marine charts. There are five main sections in this app, each with lettered sub-sections organized into categories to guide users through the hundreds of symbols. The main sections are: GENERAL - chart layouts, positions, distances, directions and compass. TOPOGRAPHY - landmarks, ports and coastal land features. HYDROGRAPHY - tides, currents, depths, nature of the seabed, underwater obstructions, tracks, areas, limits and hydrographic terms. NAVIGATION AIDS & SERVICES - lights, buoys, fog signals, radar, radio, services and small craft facilities. INDEX & ABBREVIATIONS - international abbreviations and index to symbols and abbreviations. SUPPLEMENTARY NATIONAL SYMBOLS Supplementary National Symbols for nautical charts used by the United States and United Kingdom are included at the end of each section. ************* FREE Bonus Content from "Safe Skipper" ***************************** A bonus section has tips on how to deal with emergencies including: Abandon ship; Dismasting; Distress Signals; Engine Failure; Fire Fighting; Flares; Getting a tow; Helicopter rescue; Holed hull; Man overboard; Medical emergency; Mayday; Panpan; Securité. INDEX The index is an A-Z of symbols and abbreviations and enables the user to quickly look up the symbols and see them in context with others in the same categories. This app is based on the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office's print publication "Chart 5011 (INT 1) EDITION 2" Admiralty Charts Publication and "Chart No.1 United States of America Nautical Chart Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms". NOTE: ECDIS symbols used to display Electronic Navigational Chart (ENC) data on Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) as specified by the IHO are available in our app ELECTRONIC NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS & ABBREVIATIONS. We have an ongoing program of marine navigation and boating safety apps, so please contact us with any ideas or features that you would like to see included. Safe boating!

About

ActiveCaptain®

This app connects your mobile device to compatible Garmin chartplotters, enabling wireless chart and map transfers, software updates, and route planning. It also provides access to a community of boaters for reviews and information on marinas and points of interest.

Highlights
  • Wireless chart and map transfer
  • Route and waypoint planning
  • ActiveCaptain Community for POI reviews
  • Chartplotter control via Helm feature
  • Easy software updates
  • OnDeck system monitoring
  • Garmin Quickdraw Community map sharing
Read full description

The free ActiveCaptain app creates a powerful connection between your compatible mobile device and Garmin chartplotter, charts, maps and the boating community. Whether you use your Garmin products for cruising, fishing, sailing or diving, this all-in-one app will help you enjoy your time on the water. Just pair the app with your compatible chartplotter to wirelessly transfer and access charts and maps, software updates, routes, waypoints and helpful feedback from the ActiveCaptain Community. And, with the purchase of the OnDeck™ hub(1), you can track and monitor your boat from virtually anywhere. Please note that this app is intended for Garmin chartplotter owners and is not recommended for use as a stand-alone navigational app. FEATURES AVAILABLE: - ONECHART™: > New Garmin Navionics+™ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+™ cartography, featuring a Navionics® style appearance, advanced Auto Guidance+™ technology(2) and a one-year subscription to daily updates, is available now for North America and Europe, and coming soon to the rest of the world. Purchase our newest-generation charts or legacy BlueChart® g3 charts from your mobile device, and upload them to registered Garmin chartplotters on your vessel. You will get exceptional coverage, clarity and detail with charts that feature integrated Garmin and Navionics data and much more. Plus, the NOAA raster cartography(3) and premium features can be downloaded for free through the ActiveCaptain app. Visit Garmin.com/marinemaps. - PLAN A TRIP: Plan your trip, or e-scout a new fishing spot before you’re on the water. Then, transfer your data to your chartplotter where you can view your routes and waypoints. - USER DATA SYNC: Automatically back up and sync your data between your chartplotter and the ActiveCaptain app. - ACTIVECAPTAIN COMMUNITY: Join a community of boaters to get up-to-date feedback on marinas, boat ramps and other points of interest (POI). Check ratings, read reviews, and view pictures of POIs to make informed decisions on the water. Contribute your own POI, reviews and pictures from your compatible mobile device. - CONTROL YOUR CHARTPLOTTER: Using the built-in Helm™ feature, the ActiveCaptain app lets you view and control your compatible(4) chartplotter from your smartphone or tablet, even when someone else is at the helm(5). - EASY SOFTWARE UPDATES: Receive notifications about software updates from the app, and update your chartplotter wirelessly. - ONDECK HUB: Use the ActiveCaptain app to track, monitor and control any number of switches with the OnDeck system(1) from nearly anywhere. Door open? Bilge running? Peace of mind comes in the form of text alerts and updates. - GARMIN QUICKDRAWTM COMMUNITY: Download the latest 1’ HD contour maps shared by your fellow boaters, and sync with your chartplotter. You can also upload your own Quickdraw Contours map data. - SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Connect the app to your chartplotter, and turn on smart notifications(4) to see calls, text messages and more on the chartplotter display while your phone is somewhere safe and dry. FOOTNOTES 1)OnDeck hub sold separately and requires an active subscription plan 2)Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations 3)NOAA raster cartography cannot be viewed on echoMAP™ CHIRP and ECHOMAP™ Plus combos but can be viewed on mobile devices via the ActiveCaptain mobile app 4)Helm feature is not compatible with ECHOMAP series chartplotters 5)Check device compatibility on the ActiveCaptain app web page; visit https://www.garmin.com/c/marine/marine-apps/ End User License Agreement: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/marine-mobile-eula/

Screenshots

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE4 screens
ActiveCaptain®4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ActiveCaptain® at Free against NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's $1.99. ActiveCaptain® also leads on rating (4.0 vs 3.5) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 80 months). NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.5). On ads 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

ActiveCaptain® is free to download; NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE costs $1.99 up front. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ActiveCaptain® holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's written reviews are positive against 59% of ActiveCaptain®'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE ships an update every 80 months, ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE versus ActiveCaptain®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDEActiveCaptain®
Price$1.99Free — better
Rating3.5 (2 ratings)4.0 (5.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews59.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings25.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 80 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank#152#39 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB197 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThe Other HatGarmin

Customer experience

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

ActiveCaptain®

All ratings5,221 ratings
Positive72.8%
Neutral3.7%
Negative23.5%
Written reviews1,221 reviews
Positive59.0%
Neutral4.4%
Negative36.6%

Bugs and requests

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

ActiveCaptain®

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Charts and maps not loading properly
  • Waypoints and routes not syncing correctly
  • Constant prompts to purchase additional charts
  • Compatibility issues with older Garmin devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to duplicate and edit existing routes
  • Sync user data across multiple devices
  • Improved chart detail and coverage
  • Animated tides and currents
  • Better integration with other navigation apps

In-app purchases

None

NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE

No in-app purchases

18 purchases

ActiveCaptain®

Subscriptions7
  • NSUS007R-U.S. East$74.991 Year
  • NSUS006R-U.S. South$74.991 Year
  • g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i$99.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada$99.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. South$129.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. East$129.991 Year
  • GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In$149.991 Year
One-time11
  • U.S. LakeVü Detail Map$59.99
  • US+Great Lakes Detail Map$99.99
  • BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I$99.99
Show 8 more
  • LUS100F - Download$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. South$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. East$149.99
  • VUS010R - Download$174.99
  • GN+ U.S. & Canada$199.99
  • HXUS604X - Download$219.99
  • GNV+ U.S. East$249.99
  • GNV+ U.S. South$249.99

Questions

Is NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE free?
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ActiveCaptain® free?
ActiveCaptain® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or ActiveCaptain®?
ActiveCaptain® is rated higher. NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE averages 3.5 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 from 5.2K ratings.
Do NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or ActiveCaptain® have ads?
Neither NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE nor ActiveCaptain® shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or ActiveCaptain®?
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE ships an update every 80 months, and ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Most recently, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE was updated on October 26, 2026 and ActiveCaptain® on October 29, 2026.
Which is more popular, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or ActiveCaptain®?
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE currently peaks at #152 in the App Store charts, and ActiveCaptain® at #39. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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