Comparison

KnowWake vs Nautical Charts & Maps

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

Head to head
About

KnowWake

This marine navigation platform offers detailed waterway information for numerous global locations. Discover waterfront destinations, access real-time community reports on hazards and marine life, and utilize advanced navigation features for a safer and more informed boating experience.

Highlights
  • Waterfront destinations
  • Real-time waterway reports
  • Wake zone indicators
  • Marine weather forecasts
  • Anchor alarm
  • Location sharing
  • Offline mode
Features
Read full description

KnowWake is a FREE marine navigation platform packed with waterfront destinations in the United States, Canada, Caribbean, Mexico, South Africa, United Kingdom, parts of Europe, Arabian Peninsula and NOW all of Australia and New Zealand!! Salt and freshwater points of interest include 50,000+ VERIFIED: restaurants, marinas, fuel docks, yacht clubs, lodging, vessel services, dive shops, boat ramps, dive & snorkel areas, bridges, locks, popular spots, town docks, anchorages, inlets and more! KnowWake also uses real-time waterway reports from the community to see and share things like hazards, marine life, police and other important information. Features include: · Wake zones - Simplified, color-coded waterways · Marine Weather Suite - Current and forecasted marine conditions · NAVAIDS - Navigation Channel Markers, Buoys & Beacons · Anchor Alarm - Get notified if your vessel moves outside of a predetermined area · Virtual Dive Flag - Alert other vessels of swimmers in the water · Routing - Point to point waterway routing with distance to location · Depth - See depth based on current NOAA bathymetry charts · Location sharing - Share location with a single person, group or everyone · Vessel Tracks - Leave tracks along the way to see or share later · Offline mode - Use KnowWake anywhere, even with bad network service · Augmented Reality - See what's ahead including all KnowWake points of interest · Safety First - An SOS button, Safety Checklists and Float Plan generator Sharing with friends is easier than ever. Simply click the share button on any point, route or favorite location and choose who you want to share it with - This feature is perfect to retrace steps, show friends how to get somewhere or just share your adventures. Adding to the chart helps everyone. Whether posting a waterway report, adding a missing point or updating an existing one, you can help keep the chart current with local knowledge. Thank you to everyone helping keep the chart updated and we'll see you on the water soon!!

About

Nautical Charts & Maps

Access NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) for offline marine navigation. View detailed information like buoys, depths, and port features. Overlay NOAA weather maps including radar, sea temperature, and wind data.

Highlights
  • NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC)
  • Offline chart downloads
  • Detailed chart information
  • NOAA Weather Map Overlays
  • Weather radar
  • Sea surface temperature
  • Wind speed and direction
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Main Features Include: + NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) + NOAA Weather Map Overlays -- ELECTRONIC NAVIGATION CHARTS -- Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) are vector data sets that support all types of marine navigation. + All charts are available to download for offline use + Chart format options include: NOAA, ECDIS ENC charts display the following information: + Buoys, Beacons, Lights, Fog Signals, Radar + Natural and Man-Made Features + Services and Small Craft Facilities + Seabed, Obstructions, Pipelines + Depths, Currents + Port Features + Traffic Routes + Special areas NOAA updates the ENCs for Notice to Mariners on a weekly basis. Timing of their availability is not guaranteed. The ENC charts displayed in this app does NOT meet federal chart carriage regulations for regulated vessels. Users should consult the Code of Federal Regulations for current federal chart carriage requirements. -- NOAA WEATHER MAP OVERLAYS -- + Weather Radar + Sea Surface Temperature + Significant Wave Height + Wind Speed & Direction + 12-Hour Rain Probability + Lightning Strike Density + Air Temperature If you have any questions, please email support@lwbrandsllc.com

Screenshots

KnowWake4 screens
Nautical Charts & Maps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: KnowWake at Free against Nautical Charts & Maps's $8.99. KnowWake also leads on update cadence (every 11 days vs every 2 months). Nautical Charts & Maps's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (3.8K vs 273). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

KnowWake is free to download; Nautical Charts & Maps costs $8.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Nautical Charts & Maps holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nautical Charts & Maps has 3.8K ratings behind it against 273, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 55% of KnowWake's written reviews are positive against 49% of Nautical Charts & Maps's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, Nautical Charts & Maps every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
KnowWake versus Nautical Charts & Maps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnowWakeNautical Charts & Maps
PriceFree — better$8.99
Rating4.0 (273 ratings)4.6 (3.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.3% of reviews — better49.3% of reviews
Number of ratings2733.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank—#83 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB14 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperApplication Generation, IncLW Brands, LLC

Customer experience

KnowWake

All ratings250 ratings
Positive74.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative22.0%
Written reviews103 reviews
Positive55.3%
Neutral4.9%
Negative39.8%

Nautical Charts & Maps

All ratings3,780 ratings
Positive91.6%
Neutral3.9%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive49.3%
Neutral5.3%
Negative45.3%

User reviews

KnowWake

From 273 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🗺️ Comprehensive wake zone and speed restriction information
  • 👍 User-friendly and intuitive interface
  • 🆓 Free app with valuable features
  • 📍 Accurate location data for marinas, restaurants, and fuel docks
  • 🚤 Essential tool for boaters and water sports enthusiasts

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezing issues
  • ⏱️ App becomes unstable after 30 seconds of use
  • 🔌 Constant stability problems across multiple iOS versions
  • ❌ Routing functionality frequently fails
  • 🗺️ Limited coverage for certain regions (Great Lakes, some Florida lakes)

Nautical Charts & Maps

From 3.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Good performance
  • 💡 Useful for planning and navigation
  • 🗺️ Detailed charts
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🗺️ Limited chart coverage
  • 🔍 Lack of advanced features (plotting, routing, etc.)
  • 🔍 Poor user interface and interactivity
  • 💰 Overpriced in some cases

Bugs and requests

KnowWake

Reported bugs

14 issues
  • App crashes immediately upon opening
  • App freezes after 30 seconds of use
  • Login/registration fails or times out indefinitely
  • Routing returns error messages and crashes
  • Tapping on location icons does nothing or crashes app
Show 9 more
  • Filtering options don't work (removed items still appear)
  • Depth chart feature returns 'error tap on water area' message
  • Freshwater/saltwater detection incorrect
  • NOAA overlay charts work once then fail
  • Vessel picture change causes symbol display issues
  • Buoy recognition inconsistent (only recognizes one random buoy)
  • Contact form CAPTCHA rejects valid input
  • App won't load or appear in app list after download
  • Force closing and random shutdowns

Requested features

12 requests
  • Improved stability and crash prevention
  • Course-up/heading-up map orientation option
  • Depth layer integration for navigation safety
  • NOAA raster charts availability
  • Better routing algorithm with estimated time and distance
Show 7 more
  • Ability to save multiple vessel profiles
  • Layer on/off toggle functionality
  • Bridge information with contact details and height specifications
  • Water amenities for canal boaters (water points, Elsan disposal, pump out sites)
  • Improved filtering system that actually works
  • Better icon explanations or legend
  • Expanded lake coverage in central Florida and other regions

Nautical Charts & Maps

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch or when downloading charts
  • Rendering issues when zooming or panning the map
  • Incorrect or missing chart data in certain areas

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add more chart coverage, especially for inland waterways and Canadian regions
  • Implement advanced navigation tools like route planning, waypoints, and distance measurement
  • Improve user interface and add more customization options
  • Provide better support and responsiveness from the developer

In-app purchases

None

KnowWake

No in-app purchases

None

Nautical Charts & Maps

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KnowWake free?
KnowWake is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nautical Charts & Maps free?
Nautical Charts & Maps costs $8.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KnowWake or Nautical Charts & Maps?
Nautical Charts & Maps is rated higher. KnowWake averages 4.0 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while Nautical Charts & Maps averages 4.6 from 3.8K ratings.
Do KnowWake or Nautical Charts & Maps have ads?
Neither KnowWake nor Nautical Charts & Maps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KnowWake or Nautical Charts & Maps?
KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, and Nautical Charts & Maps every 2 months. Most recently, KnowWake was updated on October 21, 2026 and Nautical Charts & Maps on October 29, 2026.

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