# Aqua Map Boating vs ActiveCaptain®

The clearest difference is rating: Aqua Map Boating at 4.7 against ActiveCaptain®'s 4.0. Aqua Map Boating also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Aqua Map Boating sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year 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.

Aqua Map Boating holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14K and 5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Aqua Map Boating's written reviews are positive against 57% of ActiveCaptain®'s.

Aqua Map Boating ships an update every 6 days, ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Aqua Map Boating | ActiveCaptain® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aqua-map-boating/id919552329/reviews)** | [4.0 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **14K** | 5K |
| Positive reviews | **64.5% of reviews** | 56.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #78 | **#28** |
| Size | 171 MB | 195 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [GEC s.r.l.](https://appshunter.io/developer/675562886) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### Aqua Map Boating

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/aqua-map-boating/id919552329)

**Currently charting:** #78 Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

This app provides official, weekly updated nautical charts for marine navigation. It allows for offline map downloads, GPS track recording, and integration with onboard instruments. Enhance your boating safety and experience with advanced features like weather forecasts and AIS collision detection.

**Highlights:** Official NOAA nautical charts, Offline map downloads, GPS track recording, Tides and currents predictions, Anchor Alarm, NMEA instrument connectivity, AIS with collision detection

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

**In-app purchases (17)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Florida - NOAA Nautical chart | $4.99 | per year |
| Alabama to Texas charts | $4.99 | per year |
| Cape Cod to Chesapeake Charts | $4.99 | per year |
| New England - Nautical charts | $4.99 | per year |
| Virginia to Georgia - Charts | $4.99 | per year |
| Midwest-Minnesota lake charts | $4.99 | per year |
| Michigan & Great Lakes chart | $4.99 | per year |
| US - Nautical & Lakes charts | $9.99 | per year |
| Canada - nautical charts | $9.99 | per year |
| US & Canada - nautical charts | $14.99 | per year |
| Caribbean South Nautical chart | $14.99 | per year |
| Bermuda - nautical charts | $14.99 | per year |
| Aqua Map Expert | $14.99 | per year |
| Aqua Map Master | $24.99 | per year |
| Bahamas - Explorer Charts | $49.99 | per year |
| US & Canada - Nautical chart | $49.99 | one-time |
| Bahamas - Explorer Chartbooks | $139.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent navigation tool
- 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
- 🗺️ Detailed and accurate charts
- 💡 Helpful features like AIS, weather, and fuel prices
- 🤝 Responsive and helpful customer support

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional issues with map downloads and disappearing charts
- 🔍 Lack of intuitive route planning functionality
- 🔍 Slow map loading and tracking issues in certain areas
- 💰 Subscription model with additional costs for map downloads

**Reported bugs**

- Inconsistent GPS tracking and positioning
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Improved route planning and optimization
- Offline map caching and seamless downloads
- Tidal and wind data overlays
- Sync capabilities across devices


### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #28 Top Grossing · Navigation, #153 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 Aqua Map Boating free?

Aqua Map Boating is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Aqua Map Boating or ActiveCaptain®?

Aqua Map Boating is rated higher. Aqua Map Boating averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 from 5K ratings.

### Do Aqua Map Boating or ActiveCaptain® have ads?

Neither Aqua Map Boating nor ActiveCaptain® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Aqua Map Boating or ActiveCaptain®?

Aqua Map Boating ships an update every 6 days, and ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Most recently, Aqua Map Boating was updated on September 24, 2026 and ActiveCaptain® on September 25, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Aqua Map Boating or ActiveCaptain®?

Aqua Map Boating currently peaks at #78 in the App Store charts, and ActiveCaptain® at #28. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*