Comparison

KnowWake vs Crossbuck

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

Crossbuck

Features
Read full description

Know before you're stuck at the tracks. Drive normally. Crossbuck warns you when a railroad crossing ahead may be blocked, and shows which crossings are usually blocked, and when. HEAR ABOUT IT BEFORE YOU GET THERE When drivers using Crossbuck are stopped at a crossing, drivers heading that way get a spoken heads-up, even with Google Maps, Apple Maps or music on screen. Turn on Watch automatically and Crossbuck starts watching when you drive and stops when you park; or tap Start watching before a drive. TAKE THE WAY AROUND Every crossing shows the nearest bridge or underpass across the same railroad. One tap opens directions in Apple Maps or Google Maps. KNOW THE USUAL SUSPECTS See which crossings near you get blocked, and at what times of day, from reports to the Federal Railroad Administration going back to 2019. SAVE THE CROSSINGS ON YOUR ROUTE Save a crossing to get a notification when it appears blocked, and when traffic is moving again. Find any crossing in the U.S. by street, city, or the number on the blue sign at the crossing. PRIVATE BY DESIGN - No sign-up needed: start as a guest. Sign in with Apple or Google only if you want to keep your history when you change phones. - Your GPS trail stays on your phone. Crossbuck only reports which crossings you stopped at or were warned about, and when. - No ads, no tracking, no selling your data. - Delete your account and its data in the app, anytime. EN ESPAÑOL Crossbuck works in English and Spanish, including spoken warnings. A crossing shown as blocked may already have cleared, and one shown as clear may not be. Always follow the signs, signals and gates at the crossing, and never use your phone while driving. Crossbuck isn't affiliated with any railroad or the Federal Railroad Administration.

Screenshots

KnowWake4 screens
Crossbuck4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Crossbuck at 100% against KnowWake's 55%. Crossbuck also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 11 days). KnowWake's advantage is ratings volume (273 vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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

Crossbuck holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: KnowWake has 273 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of KnowWake's written reviews are positive against 100% of Crossbuck's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, Crossbuck every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
KnowWake versus Crossbuck: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKnowWakeCrossbuck
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (273 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews55.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings273 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS13.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size123 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperApplication Generation, IncIPROMENTOR LLC

Customer experience

KnowWake

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

Crossbuck

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
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

Crossbuck

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

KnowWake

No in-app purchases

None

Crossbuck

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is KnowWake free?
KnowWake is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Crossbuck free?
Crossbuck is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, KnowWake or Crossbuck?
Crossbuck is rated higher. KnowWake averages 4.0 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while Crossbuck averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do KnowWake or Crossbuck have ads?
Neither KnowWake nor Crossbuck shows ads.
Which is updated more often, KnowWake or Crossbuck?
KnowWake ships an update every 11 days, and Crossbuck every 4 days. Most recently, KnowWake was updated on November 1, 2026 and Crossbuck on November 10, 2026.

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