Aqua Map Boating vs Anchor Sentry
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Aqua Map Boating
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.
- Official NOAA nautical charts
- Offline map downloads
- GPS track recording
- Tides and currents predictions
- Anchor Alarm
- NMEA instrument connectivity
- AIS with collision detection
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Free 14-day trial for all subscriptions Aqua Map offers weekly updated OFFICIAL NAUTICAL CHARTS (NOAA) for marine navigation. Purchase a chart subscription for the area of your interest, download the map areas for offline use, and connect your onboard instruments for a complete experience. ● BASIC FEATURES - Switch between manual and auto route planning modes - Record your GPS tracks - Store and share your navigation data (markers, routes, and recorded tracks) - Display tides and currents predictions and simulations - Increase your safety with Anchor Alarm - Enable Live Sharing to interact with the Aqua Map community - Display points of interest from the "ActiveCaptain" and "Waterway Guide" communities ● EXPERT SUBSCRIPTION Note: this subscription does not include charts; it must be paired with a chart subscription. - Marine forecasts (wind, waves, currents, gusts, salinity, sea surface temperature + weather information for any point on the map) - Overlay satellite images on the charts - Advanced AnchorLink with anchorage mirroring and email/telegram notifications for greater peace of mind while anchored, even if you are away from the boat - Connect your NMEA instruments via WiFi (autopilot, depth sounder, wind sensor, compass, GPS) and use their data on the app - AIS with automatic collision detection - Route Explorer for real-time information on all elements along your route ● MASTER SUBSCRIPTION FOR THE BEST NAVIGATION EXPERIENCE Note: this subscription does not include charts; it must be paired with a chart subscription. - All features of the EXPERT subscription are included in the MASTER subscription. + LOCAL DATA: > US: Army Corps of Engineers surveys for safe navigation in shallow waters > US: LNMs and "List of Lights" navaids from the Coast Guard. > Canada: NAVWARNs from the Coast Guard. > France: Warnings, Notices and Regulations from the PING > Denmark: Warnings and Notices from the DMA > Western Australia: temporary Notices from the Transport WA ● PURCHASE OPTIONS To access the charts, you need to purchase a chart subscription for the area of interest. Optionally, you can add the Expert subscription or the Master subscription to unlock extra navigation features and additional data. Subscription payments will be made through your account (Apple ID). The annual subscription will automatically renew unless canceled at least 24 hours before expiration. You can manage your subscription and disable automatic renewal in the account settings section after purchase. Terms of use: https://www.aquamap.app/terms-and-conditions Privacy policy: https://www.aquamap.app/privacy-policy
Anchor Sentry
This app monitors your ship's position while anchored, alerting you if the anchor drags and the vessel moves outside a set perimeter. It offers advanced features like distance circles, prohibited zone alerts, and background operation for continuous monitoring.
- Anchor drag and perimeter breach alerts
- Map display with Google Maps or Navionics
- Prohibited zone setup with alerts
- Background operation
- Multi-device sync functionality
- GPX track saving
- Favorite anchoring place saving
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Anchor Sentry is an app to monitor the ship's position at anchor and inform the skipper when the anchor is dragging and thus the ship leaves the setup perimeter. Features: - Show current position on GoogleMaps map or Navionics map (To gain access to Navionics maps from this application, users with an active Navionics subscription in the Navionics Boating application must register with their Navionics credentials) - Distance circles to help finding a good anchor position - Drop anchor by tapping on map or by position or by bearing and distance - Can be used for anchoring with shore lines by watching the heading rather than the position - Tracks can be saves as GPX file for later processing - Option to set up prohibited zones which will trigger an alert when entered. These can be used indepent of the anchor state - Runs in the background even while other apps are used - Unique sync functionality which allows to pair two or more devices together to see the ships position even while out to shore for dinner - Barograph function included - Display real echo sounder data from a providing NMEA server - Optional compass overlay to help finding the bearing to the anchor - Option to show current position visible to friends and family on the Anchor Sentry website - Proximity alert between ships both using Anchor Sentry. To get warned when your neighbours anchor is dragging. - Automatic anchoring feature - Display maximum swinging circle - Save favorite anchoring places with pictures - Several setup options to customize your app
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Aqua Map Boating at Free against Anchor Sentry's $3.99. Aqua Map Boating also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and ratings volume (14K vs 4). Anchor Sentry's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and review sentiment (73% vs 64%). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Aqua Map Boating is free to download; Anchor Sentry costs $3.99 up front. Aqua Map Boating sells 17 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per year. Anchor Sentry asks for nothing beyond the download.
Aqua Map Boating holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aqua Map Boating has 14K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 64% of Aqua Map Boating's written reviews are positive against 73% of Anchor Sentry's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Aqua Map Boating ships an update weekly, Anchor Sentry monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Aqua Map Boating | Anchor Sentry |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (14K ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 64.4% of reviews | 73.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14K — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #86 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 174 MB | 91 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GEC s.r.l. | Michael Dieter Konz |
Customer experience
Aqua Map Boating
Anchor Sentry
Bugs and requests
Aqua Map Boating
Reported bugs
2 issues- Inconsistent GPS tracking and positioning
- Compatibility issues on older devices
Requested features
4 requests- Improved route planning and optimization
- Offline map caching and seamless downloads
- Tidal and wind data overlays
- Sync capabilities across devices
Anchor Sentry
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Aqua Map Boating
- Florida - NOAA Nautical chart14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Alabama to Texas charts14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Cape Cod to Chesapeake Charts14 Days trial$4.991 Year
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- New England - Nautical charts14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Virginia to Georgia - Charts14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Midwest-Minnesota lake charts14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- Michigan & Great Lakes chart14 Days trial$4.991 Year
- US - Nautical & Lakes charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Canada - nautical charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
- US & Canada - nautical charts14 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Caribbean South Nautical chart14 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Bermuda - nautical charts14 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Aqua Map Expert14 Days trial$14.991 Year
- Aqua Map Master14 Days trial$24.991 Year
- Bahamas - Explorer Charts14 Days trial$49.991 Year
- US & Canada - Nautical chart$49.99
- Bahamas - Explorer Chartbooks$139.99
Anchor Sentry
No in-app purchases









