Comparison

River Thames Guide Lite vs UK Waterways Map

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read 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: self-contained - no internet connection needed •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 and other conditions for each lock •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). The interactive map is built-in to the App so you do not need an Internet connection to see where you are and facilities near you; tap the boat icon (top left of map) for location, speed & heading (when under way on rive). (PLEASE NOTE: this means a large download - please be patient, it’s worth it!). 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. All the above features are built-in so are available even without an Internet connection. WEATHER: select any lock 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 popup 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. Requires an Internet connection. 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.

About

UK Waterways Map

Features
Read full description

Your new indispensable guide to all major canal systems, rivers, and navigations in England, Wales and Scotland. Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases. KEY FEATURES Detailed maps of over 500 UK waterways Navigate all major canal systems, rivers, and navigations in England, Wales and Scotland. Annotate the map with the location of locks, weirs, access points and other features. Your map annotations are automatically saved and synced across all your devices. Measure the distance between any two points along a waterway. Get turn-by-turn directions using Apple Maps. PERFECT FOR BOATERS - Plan narrowboat holidays with precise canal routes and distance measurements. PADDLERS - Kayakers, canoeists, and paddleboarders can find and log access points, locks and weirs. ANGLERS - Find and log the best fishing spots. WALKERS & CYCLISTS - Follow towpaths with accurate distance measurements. SWIMMERS - Discover swimming spots and access points. ANYONE who wants to discover the hidden beauty of Britain's canal and river network.

Screenshots

River Thames Guide Lite4 screens
UK Waterways Map4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: UK Waterways Map at weekly against River Thames Guide Lite's every 6 weeks. River Thames Guide Lite's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

River Thames Guide Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, UK Waterways Map weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
River Thames Guide Lite versus UK Waterways Map: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRiver Thames Guide LiteUK Waterways Map
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews92.9% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size182 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJeff MaynardJack Finnis

In-app purchases

None

River Thames Guide Lite

No in-app purchases

None

UK Waterways Map

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is River Thames Guide Lite free?
River Thames Guide Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is UK Waterways Map free?
UK Waterways Map is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do River Thames Guide Lite or UK Waterways Map have ads?
Neither River Thames Guide Lite nor UK Waterways Map shows ads.
Which is updated more often, River Thames Guide Lite or UK Waterways Map?
River Thames Guide Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, and UK Waterways Map weekly. Most recently, River Thames Guide Lite was updated on October 23, 2026 and UK Waterways Map on October 21, 2026.

Other comparisons