Comparison

True vs VMGPolar

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

Head to head
About

True

Calculate true wind direction and speed for sailing. Input vessel speed, apparent wind, and angle to determine accurate wind data.

Highlights
  • True-wind calculation
  • Vessel speed input
  • Apparent wind speed input
  • Apparent wind angle input
  • Vessel heading input
Features
Read full description

The wind you feel on a moving boat isn't the real wind. True-Wind Calculator turns the apparent wind you measure into the true wind you need — in two taps, no wind instruments required. In use since 2013, completely rebuilt in 2026. HOW IT WORKS Enter boat speed, apparent wind speed, apparent wind angle and heading. The app does exact vector math — no lookup tables, no approximations — and gives you true wind speed and true wind direction instantly. Boat speed and heading can be filled automatically from GPS and compass with one tap. FREE • True wind speed, direction and angle — unlimited calculations • One-tap GPS fill for boat speed and heading • The formula explained, so you can trust the numbers • Works completely offline — no account, no ads, no tracking PRO (one-time purchase, no subscription) • Performance — live VMG, target boat speed, % of target VMG and point of sail, driven by your boat's polar • Tactics — tack preview, windward-mark laylines, and whether you can lay the mark • Boat polars — pick a preset or build your own in the editor • Compass rose view — heading, apparent and true wind on one dial • Calculation history — every result logged with its inputs • All speed units — knots, m/s, km/h, mph Bought the app back when it was paid? Pro is already yours — it unlocks automatically. PRIVACY Everything stays on your device. Location is read only to fill the input fields and never leaves your phone. No analytics, no third-party SDKs.

About

VMGPolar

Calculate sailing wind and boat speed with this tool. Input three values to determine the rest and log your data for export. It helps build and validate polar graphs for sailing performance.

Highlights
  • Sailing wind and boat speed calculation
  • Input three values to calculate others
  • Save data into a log
  • Export log data
  • Build and validate polar graphs
Features
Read full description

Sailing wind and boat speed calculator. Enter 3 values to calculate the rest, then save the data into a log that can be exported later. The input fields are highlighted, with the least intensive highlight marking the next field to become a calculated value when a new input is entered. BSP = Boat Speed TWS = True Wind Speed TWA = True Wind Angle AWS = Apparent Wind Speed AWA = Apparent Wind Angle VMG = Velocity Made Good (calculated only) Save and export data to build and validate polar graphs.

Screenshots

True4 screens
VMGPolar3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: VMGPolar at 100% against True's 0%. VMGPolar also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 41 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. True sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. VMGPolar asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

True ships an update every 41 months, VMGPolar fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
True versus VMGPolar: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTrueVMGPolar
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.7 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 41 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS16.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNejc LandekerAndrei Skobtsov

Customer experience

True

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

VMGPolar

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

True

One-time1
  • Pro Unlock$4.99
None

VMGPolar

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is True free?
True is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is VMGPolar free?
VMGPolar is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do True or VMGPolar have ads?
Neither True nor VMGPolar shows ads.
Which is updated more often, True or VMGPolar?
True ships an update every 41 months, and VMGPolar fortnightly. Most recently, True was updated on October 25, 2026 and VMGPolar on October 6, 2026.

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