Handy GPS vs Sailing Master M
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Handy GPS
Navigate the outdoors with this comprehensive tool. Record waypoints, track logs, and find your way home using UTM or lat/lon coordinates. Supports offline maps and data export for planning and sharing.
- UTM and Lat/Lon coordinate support
- Waypoint recording and navigation
- Track log recording
- Offline map tile downloads
- KML/GPX file import and export
- Magnetic compass and elevation profile
- Sun and moon rise/set times
Read full descriptionHide full description
The perfect companion for your next outdoor adventure. Seek, find, record and return home with Handy GPS. This app is a real navigation tool designed for outdoors sports like hiking, bushwalking, mountain biking, kayaking and trail riding. It allows you to work in UTM or lat/lon coordinates. Features: * View your current location in UTM or Lat/Lon formats. * Record and/or manually enter waypoints in UTM, Lat/Lon, or MGRS. * Goto a waypoint, with optional audio proximity alarm and spoken directions. * Record a track log. * Show your current location, waypoints and tracklogs on a map. * Export waypoints and tracklogs to a KML file for viewing in Google Earth, or to a GPX file. * Export waypoints to a comma delimited (CSV) text file. * Import KML or GPX files and view in the app. * Email your current location to a friend. * Odometer to keep track of how far you've gone. * Magnetic compass. * Elevation profile. * Compute sun and moon rise and set times. * Supports both metric and US/imperial units. * Supports datums WGS84, GDA94, AGD66 and AGD84. (Use WGS84 for NAD83) * Allows entry of parameters for a custom datum (e.g. ED50, SAD69, OSGB36, GDA2020 etc), as well as supporting affine parameters for local grid systems. * Can display your location a normal grid ref, an MGRS grid ref (WGS84 datum only), or as a UK Ordinance Survey (OS) grid ref. * Can download offline map tiles for use where there is no cellular coverage. * Can import pre-prepared state or country-level base maps from a zip file. * Optional walk timer. * Email your current waypoints and tracklogs as a KML file. * Take photos from within the app to be stored with the current session. Disclaimer: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. To save battery power you can close the app from the task manager. The developer accepts no responsibility for you getting lost while using this app.
Sailing Master M
This app provides comprehensive sailing data and performance optimization on various Apple devices. It displays over 35 sailing measurements from boat instruments, polars tables, and nautical charts, offering detailed wind, route, and map views. Connectivity is established through NMEA 0183 Wi-Fi gateways.
- Configurable data displays
- 35+ sailing measurements
- Wind, route, and map displays
- NMEA 0183 Wi-Fi connectivity
- Polars table integration
- Nautical chart overlays
Read full descriptionHide full description
Sailing Master M offers comprehensive sailing data and performance optimization information on iPhones, iPads, iWatches, and ActiveLook smart glasses. The application provides configurable pages and data displays, utilizing over 35 sailing measurements from the boat’s instruments, polars tables, and nautical charts. On phones and pads, the Data and Analog Displays can include minimum and maximum values and time series graphs. The Wind Display provides wind, heading, route, and speed information. The Route Display shows the expected wind conditions on the next legs. The Map Display shows the vessel with direction, tacking and downwind laylines on a nautical chart, or the wind laylines in another location. The connectivity is through NMEA 0813 Wi-Fi gateways such as B&G Vulcan, Zeus, GoFree, Yacht Devices, Signal K, Actisense, and ShipModul. The application has evolved from its initial focus on NMEA data display to encompass a comprehensive suite of features. Consequently, the app’s name has been revised from 'Display0183M' to 'Sailing Master M'. For further information, please refer to the user’s guide available on the app’s website or within the app itself. Terms of use: The app is delivered under the Apple End User License Agreement (EULA, https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/) The following libraries and services are used: - Kitura/BlueSocket, published under the Apache 2.0 license - A modified version of GPX package, published under BSD 3-Clause License and copyrighted by Ioannis Silks - OpenStreetMap licensed under the Open Data Commons Open Database License (ODbL, https://opendatacommons.org/licenses/odbl/) by the OpenStreetMap Foundation Licence, and ©OpenStreetMap contributors. OpenSeaMap, which is licensed under the Open Data Commons (ODbL) license, and ©OpenSeaMap contributors The supported NMEA 0183 sentences are: - BWR: Bearing and distance to waypoint - DBS: Depth below surface - DBT: Depth below transducer. - DPT: depth of water. - CGA: Global Positioning System Fix data - GLL: Geographic position Latitude/Longitude - HDG: Heading magnetic - HDM: Heading magnetic - HDT: Heading true - MWD: undocumented, wind direction, wind speed - MTW: water temperature °C - MWV: Wind speed and angle (A,T) - RMB: XTE, range to destination, bearing to destination, destination closing velocity . - RMC: Speed over ground - RSA: Rudder sensor angle - VHW: Water speed and heading - VLW: Distance travelled through water - VPW: Speed - measured parallel to wind - VTG: Course over ground (T or M), speed over ground - VWR: Wind direction (A), wind speed (A) - WCV: Waypoint closure velocity - XDR: air temperature (°C), water temperature (°C) and barometric pressure (mbar). - XTE: Cross track error The data items from NMEA and polars are: - Waypoint bearing - Waypoint distance - Time to Waypoint - VMG waypoint - Cross track error - Depth - Heading - Heading - Course - Course - Water speed - Speed over ground - Water temperature - Air temperature - Air pressure - Wind speed apparent - Wind angle apparent - Wind speed true - Wind direction - Wind direction - VMG Wind - Latitude, Longitude - Waypoint laititude, longitude - Water Distance after reset - Total water distance - Ground distance after reset - Total ground distance - Velocity made good towards wind - Heel - Rudder - Boat target speed through the water - Boat speed of target speed (%) - Beat VMG boat target speed through the water - Run VMG boat target speed through the water - GPS based trip distance - Leeway
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sailing Master M at Free against Handy GPS's $9.99. Handy GPS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (10 vs 1). On rating, update cadence, 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
Sailing Master M is free to download; Handy GPS costs $9.99 up front. Sailing Master M sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $11.99 per year. Handy GPS asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Handy GPS against 5.0 for Sailing Master M. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Handy GPS has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Handy GPS ships an update every 6 weeks, Sailing Master M every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Handy GPS | Sailing Master M |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (10 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Anthony Dunk | Pekka Leppanen |
Customer experience
Handy GPS
Sailing Master M
In-app purchases
Handy GPS
No in-app purchases
Sailing Master M
- Pro annual14 Days trial$11.991 Year
Questions
Is Handy GPS free?
Is Sailing Master M free?
Which has better reviews, Handy GPS or Sailing Master M?
Do Handy GPS or Sailing Master M have ads?
Which is updated more often, Handy GPS or Sailing Master M?
Other comparisons















