# Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart vs ActiveCaptain®

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ActiveCaptain® at 57% against Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart's 0%. ActiveCaptain® also leads on price (Free vs $19.99) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 10 months). Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

ActiveCaptain® is free to download; Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart costs $19.99 up front. Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart ships an update every 10 months, ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 20, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart | ActiveCaptain® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $19.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.0 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **56.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#24** |
| Size | 213 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flytomap](https://appshunter.io/developer/297575434) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/germany-hd-gps-nautical-chart/id892003249)

This app provides detailed nautical charts and marine weather forecasts for Germany, working offline without mobile coverage. It offers advanced navigation tools like route planning, distance measurement, and GPS tracking, along with extensive map overlays and user-friendly features for boaters.

**Highlights:** Offline nautical charts for Germany, Marine weather forecasts, GPS tracking and heading vector, Distance measurement tool, Route planning with unlimited waypoints, Map overlays (satellite, terrain), Works in background mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MOB - Quick Waypoint | $1.99 | one-time |


### ActiveCaptain®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313)

**Currently charting:** #24 Top Grossing · Navigation, #145 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

This app connects your mobile device to compatible Garmin chartplotters, enabling wireless chart and map transfers, software updates, and route planning. It also provides access to a community of boaters for reviews and information on marinas and points of interest.

**Highlights:** Wireless chart and map transfer, Route and waypoint planning, ActiveCaptain Community for POI reviews, Chartplotter control via Helm feature, Easy software updates, OnDeck system monitoring, Garmin Quickdraw Community map sharing

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NSUS007R-U.S. East | $74.99 | per year |
| NSUS006R-U.S. South | $74.99 | per year |
| g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i | $99.99 | per year |
| NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada | $99.99 | per year |
| g4 Vision U.S. South | $129.99 | per year |
| g4 Vision U.S. East | $129.99 | per year |
| GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In | $149.99 | per year |
| U.S. LakeVü Detail Map | $59.99 | one-time |
| US+Great Lakes Detail Map | $99.99 | one-time |
| BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I | $99.99 | one-time |
| LUS100F - Download | $149.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. South | $149.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. East | $149.99 | one-time |
| VUS010R - Download | $174.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. & Canada | $199.99 | one-time |
| HXUS604X - Download | $219.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. East | $249.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. South | $249.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 💡 Useful for planning trips and managing waypoints
- 🚀 Convenient for updating software and charts
- 👍 Great app for Garmin users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔍 Limited chart and mapping functionality compared to competitors
- 🤔 Difficult to transfer data between devices
- 🤔 Confusing and not very intuitive user interface
- 💰 Expensive for the features provided

**Reported bugs**

- Charts and maps not loading properly
- Waypoints and routes not syncing correctly
- Constant prompts to purchase additional charts
- Compatibility issues with older Garmin devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to duplicate and edit existing routes
- Sync user data across multiple devices
- Improved chart detail and coverage
- Animated tides and currents
- Better integration with other navigation apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart free?

Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Do Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart or ActiveCaptain® have ads?

Neither Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart nor ActiveCaptain® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart or ActiveCaptain®?

Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart ships an update every 10 months, and ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Most recently, Germany HD GPS Nautical Chart was updated on August 20, 2026 and ActiveCaptain® on September 27, 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.*