NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE vs Navionics® Boating
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) symbols
- Supplementary US and UK national symbols
- Fully searchable index
- Tap & Enlarge feature
- Offline access
- Bonus emergency tips
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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!
Navionics® Boating
Access detailed nautical charts and advanced boating features offline on your mobile device. Plan trips with dock-to-dock guidance, check weather and tides, and connect with a community of boaters. Ideal for cruising, fishing, sailing, and diving.
- Offline nautical charts
- HD bathymetry maps
- Dock-to-dock route planning
- Weather and tide forecasts
- Community edits and recommendations
- Track recording and sharing
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Get up-to-date, detailed charts you can use offline plus a boatload of features on your mobile device, so they’re on hand wherever you go. The Boating app is a must-have for cruising, fishing, sailing, diving and all your activities on the water. Try it free for a limited time. To continue using charts and advanced features, you can purchase a yearly auto-renewable subscription*. A COMPLETE PACKAGE • INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED NAVIONICS® CHARTS: Use them offline along with multiple overlays, so you can be more aware of what’s above and below the water. - NAUTICAL CHART: Use this premier marine reference to study port plans, anchorages and safety depth contours, locate navaids, marine services and more. - SONARCHART™ HD BATHYMETRY MAPS: Extraordinary 1’ (0.5 meter) HD bottom contour detail is the ideal tool for locating new fishing areas. - U.S. GOVERNMENT CHARTS (NOAA): These are available within the following coverages: U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil. - OVERLAYS: The relief shading overlay allows you to have a better understanding of bottom topography for improved fishing and diving. Sonar imagery reveals bottom hardness clearly and in vivid color on select lakes. Want more? Display satellite imagery on land and water. - MAP OPTIONS: Change chart-overlay combinations to customize chart views, activate night mode, highlight shallow areas, target multiple fishing ranges and more. - DAILY UPDATES: Benefit of thousands of daily updates worldwide. • TOOLS FOR PLANNING AND ENJOYING YOUR DAY - AUTO GUIDANCE+TM TECHNOLOGY**: Easily plan your trip with a suggested dock-to-dock path based on chart data and navigation aids. Get ETA, distance to arrival, heading to waypoint, fuel consumption and more. - WEATHER AND TIDES: Knowing conditions before heading out is crucial. Access real-time weather data, daily and hourly forecasts as well as wind, weather buoys, tides and currents. - MARKERS, TRACKS, DISTANCE: Place a marker on a good anchorage spot or where you reeled in a big fish. Record your track, take photos and videos within the app, and look back at your day anytime. Easily check distance among two points. • AN ACTIVE AND HELPFUL COMMUNITY - COMMUNITY EDITS and the ACTIVECAPTAIN® COMMUNITY: Obtain and contribute useful local knowledge along with thousands of fellow boaters, such as points of interest, navigation aids and valuable recommendations from people with firsthand experience of the local environment. - CONNECTIONS: Stay in touch with your friends and fellow boaters by sharing your live location, tracks, routes and markers to easily meet on the water or let them check out your adventures. - GPX IMPORT/EXPORT: Share your saved data outside the app or transfer it to your chartplotter. - SHARE MAP OBJECTS: Share a marina, repair shop or any other location outside the app. • EXTERNAL DEVICE-FRIENDLY FOR MORE FEATURES - PLOTTER SYNC: If you own a compatible chartplotter, sync it with the app to transfer routes and markers, activate, update or renew your Navionics chartplotter card subscription. - SONARCHART LIVE MAPPING FEATURE***: Connect with a compatible sonar/plotter, and create your own maps in real time while navigating. - AIS: Connect to a compatible AIS receiver with Wi-Fi® connectivity to see nearby marine traffic. Set a safe range, and receive visual and aural alerts to signal potential collisions. NOTES: *You can manage your subscription anytime, and you can turn auto-renewal off. **Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations ***Free features A tablet device with Wi-Fi connectivity locates your approximate position if it is connected to Wi-Fi. A tablet Wi-Fi + 3G model operates similarly to a phone device with GPS. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. iOS is a trademark licensed to Apple, Inc.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Navionics® Boating at Free against NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's $1.99. Navionics® Boating also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 80 months) and ratings volume (2.4K vs 2). NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE's advantage is rating (3.5 vs 2.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 15). 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
Navionics® Boating is free to download; NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE costs $1.99 up front. Navionics® Boating sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $49.99 per year. NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE asks for nothing beyond the download.
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Navionics® Boating has 2.4K 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 22% of Navionics® Boating's.
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE ships an update every 80 months, Navionics® Boating every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE | Navionics® Boating |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.5 (2 ratings) — better | 2.9 (2.4K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 22.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 2.4K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 80 months | Every 6 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Best chart rank | — | #5 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 41 MB | 154 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Other Hat | Garmin |
Customer experience
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE
Navionics® Boating
Bugs and requests
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Navionics® Boating
Reported bugs
3 issues- GPS signal loss and position tracking issues
- Inability to download or access previously purchased maps
- Constant requirement to log in, even offline
Requested features
4 requests- Add anchor alarm feature
- Improve route planning and waypoint functionality
- Provide better support for multiple devices
- Enhance user interface and customization options
In-app purchases
NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE
No in-app purchases
Navionics® Boating
- Norway$49.991 Year
- Baltic Sea3 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Australia & New Zealand7 Days trial$49.991 Year
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- Africa & Middle East7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Indian Ocean and South China7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Pacific Islands7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- US & Canada7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- UK, Ireland & Holland7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- Chile, Argentina&Easter Island$49.991 Year
- China Sea & Japan$49.991 Year
- Central and West Europe7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Mediterranean & Black Sea7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- Adriatic & Ionian Seas7 Days trial$69.991 Year
- Scandinavia S. & Germany N.$99.991 Year
Questions
Is NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE free?
Is Navionics® Boating free?
Which has better reviews, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or Navionics® Boating?
Do NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or Navionics® Boating have ads?
Which is updated more often, NAUTICAL CHART SYMBOLS GUIDE or Navionics® Boating?
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