# Mirror Control vs ActiveCaptain®

The clearest difference is rating: ActiveCaptain® at 4.0 against Mirror Control's 1.3. ActiveCaptain® also leads on review sentiment (56% vs 29%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 16 months). Mirror Control's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 18) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 18.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Mirror Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

ActiveCaptain® holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 1.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ActiveCaptain® has 5.2K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 29% of Mirror Control's written reviews are positive against 56% of ActiveCaptain®'s.

Mirror Control ships an update every 16 months, ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mirror Control | ActiveCaptain® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [1.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mirror-control/id940193674/reviews) | **[4.0 (5.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **5.2K** |
| Positive reviews | 28.6% of reviews | **56.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#26** |
| Size | 11 MB | 196 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 18.5 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [AvMap](https://appshunter.io/developer/404591798) | [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952) |

## What reviewers say

### Mirror Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mirror-control/id940193674)

Remotely view and control compatible marine and farm navigation displays from your iOS device. Access charts, radar, fish finder, and autopilot functions, or manage field maps and section control. Offers full-featured touch synchronization for seamless operation.

**Highlights:** Mirror MFD display on iOS device, Full remote touch control, View charts, radar, fish finder, Manage autopilot and navigation, Monitor alarms and safety data, Capture MFD screenshots, Control farm section control

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### ActiveCaptain®

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

**Currently charting:** #26 Top Grossing · Navigation, #180 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 Mirror Control free?

Mirror Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is ActiveCaptain® free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mirror Control or ActiveCaptain®?

ActiveCaptain® is rated higher. Mirror Control averages 1.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 from 5.2K ratings.

### Do Mirror Control or ActiveCaptain® have ads?

Neither Mirror Control nor ActiveCaptain® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mirror Control or ActiveCaptain®?

Mirror Control ships an update every 16 months, and ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Most recently, Mirror Control was updated on October 2, 2026 and ActiveCaptain® on October 13, 2026.

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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.*