# River Thames Guide Lite vs Canals.UK

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: River Thames Guide Lite at none against Canals.UK's 6. River Thames Guide Lite also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 65%). Canals.UK's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Canals.UK sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. River Thames Guide Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.

River Thames Guide Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, Canals.UK weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | River Thames Guide Lite | Canals.UK |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canalsuk/id1588058538/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **55** |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 65.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 178 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jeff Maynard](https://appshunter.io/developer/320977741) | [MARK MANSER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1378563905) |

## What reviewers say

### River Thames Guide Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/river-thames-guide-lite/id771010458)

Navigate and plan your journeys on the River Thames and Wey Navigation with this comprehensive guide. Discover points of interest, lock details, bridge clearances, and real-time river conditions. Essential information for boaters and travelers.

**Highlights:** Interactive River Map, Journey Planner (time, distance, locks), Lock Details, Bridge Headway Information, Weather Forecasts, Current River Conditions, Boating Rules and Emergency Guidance

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Canals.UK

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canalsuk/id1588058538)

This app is a comprehensive guide for navigating over 2,000 miles of UK canals. It provides detailed information on locks, bridges, facilities, and points of interest for boaters and walkers. An optional upgrade offers advanced features like route planning and boat tracking.

**Highlights:** 2000+ miles of UK canals mapped, Locks, bridges, and facilities information, Mile markers and linear canal diagrams, Canal & River Trust notices, Boat details and tracking, Route planning and points of interest

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Generous Tip | $9.99 | one-time |
| Go Pro | $17.99 | one-time |
| Enormous Tip | $19.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Go-to app for canal needs
- 👍 Excellent features for planning
- 👍 Simple to use interface
- 👍 Pro upgrade well worth it
- 👍 Helpful for estimating travel time

**What reviewers complain about**

- 👎 Paid version needed for planning
- 👎 Unreliable CRT notice information
- 👎 Saved plans glitching
- 👎 Distance calculation errors
- 👎 Pro version not activating

**Reported bugs**

- Saved plans glitching
- Route planner dropdown won't drop down
- Search bar won't search
- Location not working
- Purchasing Pro problems

**Requested features**

- Add 'via' points to journey plans
- Option to choose shortest/quickest routes
- Add a speed display
- More logical and relevant logging feature
- Better background map


## Frequently asked questions

### Is River Thames Guide Lite free?

River Thames Guide Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Canals.UK free?

Canals.UK is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do River Thames Guide Lite or Canals.UK have ads?

Neither River Thames Guide Lite nor Canals.UK shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, River Thames Guide Lite or Canals.UK?

River Thames Guide Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, and Canals.UK weekly. Most recently, River Thames Guide Lite was updated on October 3, 2026 and Canals.UK on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*