# SeaNav vs Coastal Explorer

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SeaNav at 55% against Coastal Explorer's 11%. SeaNav also leads on rating (4.4 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (247 vs 16). Coastal Explorer's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SeaNav sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and Coastal Explorer sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SeaNav holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SeaNav has 247 ratings behind it against 16, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of SeaNav's written reviews are positive against 11% of Coastal Explorer's.

SeaNav ships an update every 3 weeks, Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SeaNav | Coastal Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (247 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seanav/id857841271/reviews)** | [2.8 (16 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **247** | 16 |
| Positive reviews | **54.7% of reviews** | 11.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 159 MB | 54 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pocket Mariner Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/719592131) | [Rose Point Navigation Systems, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1078421951) |

## What reviewers say

### SeaNav

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seanav/id857841271)

This app provides high-resolution marine charts, route planning, and real-time navigation for boaters. It offers features like AIS ship tracking, tide and weather information, and offline chart access. Advanced capabilities include augmented reality views and autopilot integration.

**Highlights:** High-resolution marine charts, Autoroute planning, Real-time GPS navigation, AIS ship tracking, Tides and weather, Offline chart access, Augmented Reality View

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weather charts | $4.99 | per year |
| New Zealand Charts | $5.99 | per year |
| NOAA US Raster Charts | $9.99 | per year |
| US Charts | $9.99 | per month |
| Pro Features | $10.49 | per year |
| Bermuda and BVI Charts | $12.99 | per year |
| Italy, Sardinia and Sicily | $17.99 | per year |
| Norwegian Charts | $18.49 | per year |
| US Charts | $19.99 | per year |
| Portuguese Charts | $19.99 | per year |
| BE & NL Charts | $20.99 | per year |
| Spanish Charts | $24.99 | per year |
| UK & IE Charts | $24.99 | per year |
| French Charts | $24.99 | per year |
| Canadian Charts | $26.99 | per year |
| Croatian Charts | $28.49 | per year |
| Man Overboard & Anchor Watch | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Features | $14.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use and great price
- 👍 Much easier to use than competitors
- 👍 UKHO Charts at a reasonable price
- 👍 Intuitive interface, clear and uncluttered
- 👍 Supports NMEA data integration

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frozen/locked app
- 💰 Neil and dime for everything
- ❌ Not picking up vessels or ship traffic
- ❌ Charts not good, weather not working
- ❌ Difficult to download and update charts

**Reported bugs**

- Frozen/locked app
- Not picking up vessels or ship traffic
- App does not open
- Crashes after crashes
- Sailing mode crash

**Requested features**

- Can you see water depth on Apple Watch?
- Download all purchased charts button
- Update all purchased charts button
- Legend for symbols and colors
- Brief chart reading explainer


### Coastal Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coastal-explorer/id1452017231)

Plan and log your cruises with detailed nautical charts and weather forecasts. Enhance your experience with a subscription for offline access, real-time navigation, and integration with marine electronics.

**Highlights:** View NOAA and USACE nautical charts, Create routes and waypoints, Cloud synchronization, ActiveCaptain points of interest, US Coast Pilot information, Marine weather forecasts, Tide and current predictions

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SeaNav free?

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

### Is Coastal Explorer free?

Coastal Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SeaNav or Coastal Explorer?

SeaNav is rated higher. SeaNav averages 4.4 out of 5 from 247 ratings, while Coastal Explorer averages 2.8 from 16 ratings.

### Do SeaNav or Coastal Explorer have ads?

Neither SeaNav nor Coastal Explorer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SeaNav or Coastal Explorer?

SeaNav ships an update every 3 weeks, and Coastal Explorer every 2 weeks. Most recently, SeaNav was updated on September 22, 2026 and Coastal Explorer on September 6, 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.*