Comparison

Aqua Map Boating vs Anchor Sentry

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

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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

About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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

Aqua Map Boating4 screens
Anchor Sentry3 screens

Verdict

The call

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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aqua Map Boating ships an update weekly, Anchor Sentry monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Aqua Map Boating versus Anchor Sentry: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAqua Map BoatingAnchor Sentry
PriceFree — better$3.99
Rating4.7 (14K ratings) — better4.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews64.4% of reviews73.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings14K — better4
Update frequencyWeekly — betterMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#86 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015
Further details — not scored
Size174 MB91 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGEC s.r.l.Michael Dieter Konz

Customer experience

Aqua Map Boating

All ratings13,773 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral2.9%
Negative3.1%
Written reviews295 reviews
Positive64.4%
Neutral9.2%
Negative26.4%

Anchor Sentry

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews15 reviews
Positive73.3%
Neutral13.3%
Negative13.3%

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

17 purchases

Aqua Map Boating

Subscriptions15
  • 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
Show 12 more
  • 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
One-time2
  • US & Canada - Nautical chart$49.99
  • Bahamas - Explorer Chartbooks$139.99
None

Anchor Sentry

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aqua Map Boating free?
Aqua Map Boating is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Anchor Sentry free?
Anchor Sentry costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Aqua Map Boating or Anchor Sentry?
Aqua Map Boating is rated higher. Aqua Map Boating averages 4.7 out of 5 from 14K ratings, while Anchor Sentry averages 4.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Aqua Map Boating or Anchor Sentry have ads?
Neither Aqua Map Boating nor Anchor Sentry shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aqua Map Boating or Anchor Sentry?
Aqua Map Boating ships an update weekly, and Anchor Sentry monthly. Most recently, Aqua Map Boating was updated on October 18, 2026 and Anchor Sentry on October 5, 2026.

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