Comparison

Whale Alert vs Nav Rules

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

Head to head
About

Whale Alert

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
Read full description

Protect Whales. Prevent Collisions. Join the Effort. Vessel strikes are a leading cause of whale injury and death around the world. With the Whale Alert app, you can help keep whales safe—whether you're a mariner, recreational boater, beachgoer, or scientist. Whale Alert turns your sightings into action. Report live, dead, or injured whales, stay informed about speed zones and regulations, and view whale activity on an interactive map. Every report contributes to a safer ocean for whales and people. Key Features: - Interactive Map: View recent whale sightings from professionals and citizen scientists, acoustic detections from buoys and gliders, and aerial survey data. - Real-Time Alerts: Get notified when you're near recent whale activity or areas of concern. - Report Sightings: Log sightings of living, dead, or injured whales and report marine hazards or vessel strikes. - Whale ID Guide: Identify whale species accurately using an in-app identification tool. - First Responder Connection: Quickly connect with response teams for distressed, stranded or dead whales.. - Collision Risk Monitoring: Understand your vessel’s risk based on location, speed, and likelihood of whale presence. - Marine Rules at a Glance: Access speed limits, seasonal protections, and region-specific whale approach guidelines. - Data-Rich Map Layers: Includes arine sanctuaries and protected areas, seasonal and dynamic management areas, U.S. marine charts, NOAA PORTS® data, and likely whale presence along the U.S. East Coast and Europe. - Multilingual Support: Available in English, French, and Spanish. Whale Alert is currently available in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. ______________________________________ Why It Matters: Whales are vulnerable to collisions with vessels of all sizes. In California, gray whales are the most commonly reported victims of vessel strikes. On the Atlantic coast, the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale faces a similar threat. In the Mediterranean, vessel strikes are the leading cause of human-caused death for fin and sperm whales. Slowing down saves lives. Whale Alert empowers you to take simple, informed actions that make a big impact. By reporting sightings and following in-app guidance, you help reduce ship strikes, inform science and policy, and protect some of the ocean’s most iconic creatures. The Whale Alert team consists of IFAW, Conserve.IO and Greenov. We are part of a global effort to reduce vessel strikes and other human activities that threaten marine mammals. Our network of partners, contributors and sponsors include NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Whale Alert — West Coast, NOAA Fisheries Service, Canadian Whale Institute, Channel Island Cetacean Research Unit, Bay of Fundy—Tidal Energy, Whale Alert Alaska—National Park Service, The Marine Mammal Center, Orca Network, Beam Reach, OceanWise, Marine Mammal Advisory Group, Ørsted and ProtectedSeas. Download Whale Alert today and help make the ocean safer for whales—one sighting at a time. _______________________________________ Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life.

About

Nav Rules

Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Rules of the Road is the module that fails people. It is closed book, it is usually graded at 90%, and the International and Inland texts differ in ways that are easy to mix up under time pressure. This app is built for that one problem. 1,200 questions. The full rule text, 52 chapters. Completely offline. WHAT YOU GET • 1,200 multiple-choice questions covering International, Inland, and questions that apply to both • 83 original vector diagrams for lights, shapes and vessel encounters — tap any one for full screen, pinch to zoom • The complete rule text in 52 chapters, with International and Inland shown side by side so you can see exactly where the two diverge • 54 further figures inside the rule text itself • Full-text search across every rule and every question PRACTICE THE WAY YOU ACTUALLY STUDY Filter by zone — International, Inland, or both. Filter by topic: lights and shapes, sound and light signals, steering and sailing, restricted visibility, general definitions, distress, annexes, inland-specific. Or filter by where you stand: unseen, previously missed, bookmarked, or due for review today. Answers are graded the moment you tap. Many questions link straight through to the rule sections that may be relevant, so you can go read the actual text instead of memorizing an answer. EXAM MODE Choose the question count and zone, start the timer, and get no feedback at all until you submit — the way the real thing works. The results page gives you your score against the 90% line, your misses grouped by topic, and every question available for review. Answer choices are reordered wherever the wording allows, so you can never fall back on remembering a position. REMEMBER IT UNTIL TEST DAY A spaced-repetition queue schedules each question to come back just before you would have forgotten it. Missed questions stay in the missed list until you have answered them correctly and consistently. Bookmark anything you want to return to. KNOW WHERE YOU STAND A readiness dial estimates your score for each zone. A topic heatmap shows which areas are weak. Per-rule accuracy tells you which specific rule to go reread. Streaks, total questions answered, and average time per question are all tracked. BUILT FOR HOW MARINERS STUDY • 100% offline. No signal needed, ever — it works at sea, at the dock, and in the yard. • No account and no sign-up • No ads, no subscription, no in-app purchases. One purchase and it is yours. • Optional iCloud sync keeps your progress in step across iPhone and iPad • Dark appearance by default, plus an extra font size step above the system setting for anyone who wants larger type WHO IT IS FOR Candidates for OUPV (six-pack), Master under 100 tons, and Mate/Master at every level. Academy and maritime school students working through the rules alongside coursework. Boat owners who simply want to understand what the lights ahead of them mean. A NOTE ON ACCURACY Rule text is reproduced from the published navigation rules. The links between a question and a rule are suggestions to help you find the relevant passage — the rule text itself is the authority, and the app words it that way rather than pretending otherwise. This app is an independent study aid. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official publication of the U.S. Coast Guard or the National Maritime Center.

Screenshots

Whale Alert4 screens
Nav Rules4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Whale Alert at Free against Nav Rules's $14.99. Whale Alert also leads on iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.0). Nav Rules's advantage is chart position (#135 vs unranked). On 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

Whale Alert is free to download; Nav Rules costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Whale Alert versus Nav Rules: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhale AlertNav Rules
PriceFree — better$14.99
Rating4.7 (657 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews44.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings657 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
Best chart rank—#135 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size133 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperConserve.IODajiale

In-app purchases

None

Whale Alert

No in-app purchases

None

Nav Rules

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Whale Alert free?
Whale Alert is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Nav Rules free?
Nav Rules costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Whale Alert or Nav Rules have ads?
Neither Whale Alert nor Nav Rules shows ads.