Comparison

KnowWake vs WAVZ

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

WAVZ

This navigation app allows users to mark hazards, police presence, and points of interest on a map for others. Users can record travel paths, customize map views, and set up an SOS feature to contact emergency contacts. It also facilitates connecting with friends for shared journeys.

Highlights
  • Pin hazards, police, and POIs
  • User-generated alerts with upvoting
  • Record and replay travel paths
  • Customizable map settings
  • SOS emergency contact feature
  • Connect with friends
Read full description

Travel-enthusiasts, come hither! The WAVZ app for iOS paves the way for hassle-free travel on land and water. Pin the presence of Hazards, Police and Points of Interest (POI) on the map to notify other users when the pins come within their notification range. Upvote and downvote on Hazard and Police pins to eventually retain only authentic pins on the map. Enjoy your journeys for a long time to come! Add Pins Pin the location of Hazards, Police and Points of Interest (POI) on the map to notify other users when they come within the notification range of such pins. Timeline Record the path of your travel to view it again on the map in future. App Settings Configure your app settings to customize your map view. SOS Set the SOS option to call your emergency contact when in need. Friends Make other users your friends and connect with them for exciting jaunts.

Screenshots

KnowWake4 screens
WAVZ4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: WAVZ at 5.0 against KnowWake's 4.1. KnowWake's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (250 vs 2). On price, 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

WAVZ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KnowWake has 250 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, WAVZ every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and June 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
KnowWake versus WAVZ: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnowWakeWAVZ
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.1 (250 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings250 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 11 days — betterEvery 6 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperApplication Generation, IncWAVZ L.L.C.

Customer experience

KnowWake

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

WAVZ

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

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

WAVZ

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

KnowWake

No in-app purchases

None

WAVZ

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KnowWake free?
KnowWake is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is WAVZ free?
WAVZ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KnowWake or WAVZ?
WAVZ is rated higher. KnowWake averages 4.1 out of 5 from 250 ratings, while WAVZ averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.
Do KnowWake or WAVZ have ads?
Neither KnowWake nor WAVZ shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KnowWake or WAVZ?
KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, and WAVZ every 6 months. Most recently, KnowWake was updated on September 24, 2026 and WAVZ on June 11, 2026.

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