SeaNav vs SailFreeGPS
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SeaNav
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.
- High-resolution marine charts
- Autoroute planning
- Real-time GPS navigation
- AIS ship tracking
- Tides and weather
- Offline chart access
- Augmented Reality View
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SeaNav combines high-resolution marine charts, route planning and real-time navigation in one simple boating app for your iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Charts, Autoroute planning, AIS ship tracking, tides and weather in one powerful and affordable navigation app. Built from official hydrographic data with extensive coverage across North America, Europe and Australia. Professional marine navigation features including: Planning • Create and edit routes with auto-routing for creating waypoints • Measure distance & bearing • Import & export GPX routes • Tides, Streams & Weather • Works offline Navigate with Confidence • Real-time GPS navigation • Course Up & North Up modes • ETA, XTE, VMG, SOG & COG • Sailing HUD display • Background navigation • Automatic Waypoint advancing & alerts Live AIS & Safety (Optional IAP) • Real-time AIS ship positions • Collision alarms • AIS position sharing • Internet AIS integration • Free AIS when used with Boat Beacon • MOB and Anchor alarm (IAP) - NMEA Link for Depth, Wind & AutoPilot - Real time local wind feed and Sailing laylines display (IAP) Alongside this SeaNav offers advanced onboard capabilities rarely found in a single app: Apple Watch app SeaNav for Apple Watch is included at no extra cost, giving you route data, key navigation information and quick access controls directly from your wrist. Sophisticated AIS Display and Position sharing The leader in the field with global coverage and clear, information-rich vessel tracking with intelligent filtering and collision prediction tools. CPA and TCPA alerts help you assess risk early and act confidently. Augmented Reality View Overlays navigation, AIS and chart data directly onto the real-world camera view for intuitive situational awareness. Includes night mode support for compatible thermal cameras such as FLIR. SeaNav Autoroute and Autopilot Integration - Just choose where you want to go and SeaNav will create the route for you - Go one step further and let SeaNav pilot the route with compatible autopilot systems from Raymarine, SIMRAD, Lowrance and B&G SeaNav comes with a built-in tutorial mode with free access to all features including charts, AIS, AR & wind The free version includes all navigation and trip planning tools. High resolution vector charts are available by In App Purchase (IAP) including updates for 12 months. Requirements: GPS only required for real time route navigation. Optional Real time AIS, Tides and Weather information require an active internet connection. WiFi-only iPad will need an external GPS receiver for navigation. Please note that continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. Subscriptions Our in-app purchases are 1 year subscriptions, which automatically renew at the end of the subscription period unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase, and will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the iTunes account holder and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to Account Settings after purchase. No cancellation of the current subscription is allowed during active subscription period. NOTICES: This product has been derived in part from material obtained from the UK Hydrographic Office with the permission of the UK Hydrographic Office, Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.” “© British Crown Copyright, [2026]. All rights reserved. The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and its licensors make no warranties or representations, express or implied, with respect to this product. The UKHO and its licensors have not verified the information within this product or quality assured it. Terms of Use: http://seanav.net/termsofuse.php Privacy Policy: http://seanav.net/privacy.php Support: help@pocketmariner.com
SailFreeGPS
This app provides sailing navigation tools, displaying real-time location, speed, course, and historical data. It assists with MOB situations, regattas, and waypoint management, offering advanced features in its premium version.
- Real-time GPS data (location, COG, SOG)
- Man OverBoard (MOB) assistance
- Regatta countdown timer and departure line
- Waypoint management with GOTO function
- Track recording and GPX/KML export
- Anchor and course alarms
- Premium version with advanced features
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Hello, * SailFreeGPS displays current location, course (COG), speed (SOG), max speed, Trip distance, speed average and magnetic compass. * SailFreeGPS displays COG and SOG history (6h) to help you to see trim effect on your sails. * SailFreeGPS filters GPS information for more accuracy (average of an amount of last measures you can set). * SailFreeGPS can share your position, COG, SOG to your friends. * SailFreeGPS helps you during Man OverBoard maneuver (MOB). It stores the location and lead you to it. * SailFreeGPS displays your track on google map (48h). * SailFreeGPS helps you during Regatta with its countdown timer and its departure line * You can store up to 8 waypoints and activate a GOTO function with ETA (Estimated Time to Arrival computation) * You can save/load track to/from GPX/KML file * You can calculate distance and heading * You can use it on every boat, motor or sail boat. * You can now activate an anchor alarm or a course alarm. I am an amateur sailor who has decided to create this app after a Transatlantic cruise. I add periodically functionalities to this app when I have some spare time. Please send me an email for any question or problem : contact@sailfreegps.com Encourage me to continue by subscribing to premium version. List of features of Premium Version Premium version DOES NOT CONTAIN ADS. GPS INFO Tab: * Doucle click on SPEED will reset trip, max and ags speed * Long click on COURSE to display compass * Double click on coordinates to display/hide position Graph Tab: * Double click COG graph to switch to full screen mode MOB Tab: * Displays of relative bearing of the MOB * Displays of tack angles * Double click graph to switch to full screen mode Waypoint Tab: * Up to 200 Waypoints * Displays of relative bearing of Waypoint * Displays of tack angles * Double click graph to switch to full screen mode Map Tab: * Displays of SOG and COG (speed & course) * Your track segments are displayed according to your speed Anchor alarm: * Anchor area can be a polygon and you can adjust its shape Regatta Tab: * "Gun Button" allows to round seconds to nearest minute Ex: 4:03 => 4:00 or 3:58 => 4:00 * Enter exact départure time up to the second * Displays of time to kill/save continuing the same way (speed and course) * Displays of ideal speed to cross the line at 0:00 on the same course!!! Settings Tab: * Displays reverse color (white on black back) * You can select Hybrid map * Select on which duration is calculated the speed scale of your track: last 5min, 15 min or all the track * Select your tack angle value. It will be displayed on MOB and WAYPOINT tabs Exit: * Ask to save the track before Exit
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: SeaNav at none against SailFreeGPS's shown. SeaNav also leads on ratings volume (251 vs 12) and update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months). SailFreeGPS's advantage is review sentiment (65% vs 55%). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. SeaNav sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year and SailFreeGPS sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SeaNav against 4.3 for SailFreeGPS. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SeaNav has 251 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 55% of SeaNav's written reviews are positive against 65% of SailFreeGPS's.
SeaNav ships an update monthly, SailFreeGPS every 2 months. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.
| Parameter | SeaNav | SailFreeGPS |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (251 ratings) — better | 4.3 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 54.7% of reviews | 65.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 251 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Monthly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.2 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 158 MB | 35 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Pocket Mariner Ltd. | Frederic BRO |
Customer experience
SeaNav
SailFreeGPS
Bugs and requests
SeaNav
Reported bugs
8 issues- Frozen/locked app
- Not picking up vessels or ship traffic
- App does not open
- Crashes after crashes
- Sailing mode crash
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- Confused and buggy, buttons hidden
- Crashes when pressing boat button
- French charts missing information (buoys, wind farms)
Requested features
7 requests- 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
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- Course integration with NMEA 2000 devices
- Easy export/import of route plans between iOS devices
SailFreeGPS
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SeaNav
- Weather charts$4.991 Year
- NOAA US Raster Charts$9.991 Year
- US Charts$9.991 Month
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- Pro Features$10.491 Year
- US Charts$19.991 Year
- UK & IE Charts$24.991 Year
- French Charts$24.991 Year
- Canadian Charts$26.991 Year
- Man Overboard & Anchor Watch$4.99
- Pro Features$14.99
SailFreeGPS
- One Month$2.991 Month
- One Year$9.991 Year







