# Whale Alert vs Waterway Guide

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Whale Alert at none against Waterway Guide's 10. Waterway Guide's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months) and chart position (#195 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Waterway Guide sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per year. Whale Alert asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Whale Alert against 4.7 for Waterway Guide. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 657 and 2.9K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 44% of Whale Alert's written reviews are positive against 52% of Waterway Guide's.

Whale Alert ships an update every 3 months, Waterway Guide every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Whale Alert | Waterway Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (657 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-alert/id911035973/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 657 | **2.9K** |
| Positive reviews | 44.2% of reviews | **52.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#195** |
| Size | 133 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Conserve.IO](https://appshunter.io/developer/651453353) | [Waterway Guide](https://appshunter.io/developer/958617198) |

## What reviewers say

### Whale Alert

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whale-alert/id911035973)

This app helps protect whales by reducing ship strikes. It allows users to report whale sightings, access real-time alerts about whale activity and regulations, and view an interactive map of whale presence. It also provides tools for identifying whale species and connecting with response teams.

**Highlights:** Interactive whale sighting map, Real-time whale activity alerts, Report live, dead, or injured whales, Whale identification guide, Connect with first responders, Collision risk monitoring, Marine rules and speed zones

**In-app purchases:** none


### Waterway Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/waterway-guide/id1551794976)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides a comprehensive boating resource with a verified database of marinas, anchorages, and navigation alerts. Users can access real-time hazard information, plan trips with a digital handbook, and utilize detailed content optimized for mobile devices. Engage with a community of boaters through comments and reviews.

**Highlights:** Verified points of interest database, Real-time navigation alerts, Community comments and reviews, Skipper's Handbook for trip planning, Offline content access, Marina filtering by amenities

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Great Lakes Vol.2 Ch.8 | $14.99 | per year |
| Anchorages Along the ICW | $20.99 | per year |
| ICW Cruising Guide by Bob423 | $29.99 | per year |
| Northern Edition | $49.99 | per year |
| 1st Ed. Bahamas Land and Sea | $49.99 | per year |
| Chesapeake Bay Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Atlantic ICW Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Southern Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Western Gulf Coast Edition | $54.99 | per year |
| Florida Keys Edition | $54.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent integration with Aqua Map
- 👍 Useful resource for boating
- 👍 Great information and details
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 👍 Invaluable for planning trips

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🐛 Inconsistent and unreliable
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and use
- 🐛 Outdated information and images
- 🐛 Subscription and access issues

**Reported bugs**

- App not working with latest iOS version
- Subscription purchases not working properly
- Unable to access purchased content
- Frequent crashes and errors

**Requested features**

- Provide vertical bridge clearances
- Improve offline functionality
- Enhance search and filtering options
- Implement dark mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Whale Alert free?

Whale Alert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Waterway Guide free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Whale Alert or Waterway Guide?

Waterway Guide is rated higher. Whale Alert averages 4.7 out of 5 from 657 ratings, while Waterway Guide averages 4.7 from 2.9K ratings.

### Do Whale Alert or Waterway Guide have ads?

Neither Whale Alert nor Waterway Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Whale Alert or Waterway Guide?

Whale Alert ships an update every 3 months, and Waterway Guide every 2 weeks. Most recently, Whale Alert was updated on November 6, 2026 and Waterway Guide on November 7, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*