River Thames Guide Lite vs Float
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
River Thames Guide Lite
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.
- Interactive River Map
- Journey Planner (time, distance, locks)
- Lock Details
- Bridge Headway Information
- Weather Forecasts
- Current River Conditions
- Boating Rules and Emergency Guidance
Read full descriptionHide full description
The complete planner and guide for travel and leisure on the River Thames (from its source to the Thames Barrier) and the Wey Navigation including where you can go, how you get there and what’s on the way - includes these key features: Thames Map and Guide: •Interactive River Map* •Journey Planner: time (at 5, 3 , 1 mph), distance and number of locks between any two of 102 River Thames points (45 on Wey) •Locks: need to know detail on every lock •Bridges: headway in metres and feet •River draught (depth of water) •Weather for selected locations* •Current river conditions (non-tidal and tidal)* Boating Advice: •Rules for the River •Preventing Problems •Emergency Help and Guidance (RNLI approved) INTERACTIVE RIVER MAP*: pinch or squeeze to zoom to the required level of detail. Add any combination of locks, moorings, boatyards, fuel, marinas, pubs, restaurants, lodgings, sanitation, fishing, emergency RVP and/or bridges; tapping any icon pops up further details including phone number, post code, maximum stay etc (where available). JOURNEY PLANNER: select a starting point and destination from the supplied list of 102 landmarks (including locks, marinas, moorings, bridges and places of interest (from Lechlade to the Thames Barrier) and immediately see the sailing distance, direction (up or downstream), sailing time (at 5 mph, 3 mph and 1 mph) and the number of locks to transit to complete your journey; Wey navigation planner features 45 locations. LOCK FEATURES: every Thames lock is listed in order from Cricklade Bridge to Teddington with distance to next lock both up and downstream. Touch any lock to see much more information including: telephone number; post code; lock type; width, drop and length; lock keeper’s hours; facilities available (such as WC, water, pump out etc). From the lock detail just tap to highlight this lock in the middle of the interactive map. Portage Maps for Sonning to Teddington locks. BRIDGE HEADWAY: every bridge listed in order with headway in feet and metres; bridge headways are colour coded for ease of use and instant check to see if you need to lower any masts. WEATHER*: select one of 20 location on the river for an up-to-date weather forecast for today and tomorrow (includes temperature, winds, humidity, visibility, sunrise and sunset). Requires an Internet connection. The weather page includes the current nautical twilight (the correct time to strike your ensign). CURRENT RIVER CONDITIONS*: for safer river use always verify the current official conditions before setting off; non-tidal conditions are provided by the Environment Agency (the River Thames authority) and categorised as Red, Yellow or Green – tap to view an explanation of the colours. Tidal conditions are provided by the Port of London Authority. Includes current and planned river closures and river restrictions. IN CASE OF EMERGENCY: River Thames Guide includes an SOS section with information, endorsed by the RNLI, on how to deal with various problems including: Man Overboard; Boat Sinking; Boat on Fire; Boat Drifting. NOTE: these sections should be studied before embarking so that you can react properly to any emergency. Better still: take an appropriate course before using the river. HELP: every page contains tips on using River Thames Guide to help plan your journey, find somewhere to eat or stay, using the map, and more. * requires an active Internet connection
Float
Log your canal and river journeys with this open-source app. Track mooring locations, calculate miles traveled, and record your stops throughout the year. All data is securely saved and can be exported for proof of your travels.
- Track mooring locations
- Log journey stops
- Calculate miles covered
- Set current location as Home
- Secure data saving
- Export travel data
Read full descriptionHide full description
Float is a free, open-source app for canal boaters. Track every mooring along your journey, see exactly how long you've been at your current spot, get notified before the 14-day CRT limit runs out, and keep an eye on waterway closures ahead. Built with continuous cruisers in mind. What you can do with Float • See where you are and how long you've been there. The 14-day tracker shows days remaining at a glance — green when you have time, amber as you approach the limit, red when it's time to move. • Get reminders before time runs out. Push notifications arrive 4, 2, 1, and 0 days before the 14-day deadline so you can plan your move calmly instead of in a rush. • Log every mooring along the way. Each stop captures the date, GPS coordinates, name, and any notes you want to add — your full journey, on a map. • Set a home mooring you can always navigate back to. • Review your travels. Total miles covered, number of stops, and date ranges — useful as evidence of continuous cruising for CRT compliance. • Use the map. Every mooring you've logged appears on the map, with dark mode for late-night planning. • See waterway closures ahead. The Notices tab pulls CRT stoppages, restrictions and advisories directly into the app — filter to what's near you, on a live map, updated hourly. Privacy • Your data is yours. Float stores your moorings in your own private account — no one else can see them. • No ads. No tracking. No selling your location to anyone. • Open source. Every line of code is public on GitHub. Built by boaters, for boaters.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: River Thames Guide Lite at 93% against Float's 75%. On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
River Thames Guide Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, Float monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | River Thames Guide Lite | Float |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 17.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 178 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jeff Maynard | ALESSANDRO BORELLI |
Customer experience
River Thames Guide Lite
Float
In-app purchases
River Thames Guide Lite
No in-app purchases
Float
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is River Thames Guide Lite free?
Is Float free?
Do River Thames Guide Lite or Float have ads?
Which is updated more often, River Thames Guide Lite or Float?
Other comparisons















