# StartStar vs SailingWatch

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StartStar at none against SailingWatch's 2. StartStar also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). SailingWatch's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SailingWatch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. StartStar asks for nothing beyond the download.

StartStar ships an update every 2 months, SailingWatch every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | StartStar | SailingWatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startstar/id944384627/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1** | — |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 23 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [hugh kingdon](https://appshunter.io/developer/944384626) | [Francesco Vezzani](https://appshunter.io/developer/1503647332) |

## What reviewers say

### StartStar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/startstar/id944384627)

This app helps sailors track their performance, measure efficiency, and count down to the start line. It offers hands-free voice feedback for speed, time, and distance, and allows users to save and share routes.

**Highlights:** Track shifts and count down to start, Measure tack and gybe efficiency, Check speed and distance to start line, Save and share routes, Hands-free voice feedback, Animate boats on Google Earth

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SailingWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sailingwatch/id6465700002)

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Annual | $69.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is StartStar free?

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

### Is SailingWatch free?

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

### Do StartStar or SailingWatch have ads?

Neither StartStar nor SailingWatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, StartStar or SailingWatch?

StartStar ships an update every 2 months, and SailingWatch every 2 weeks. Most recently, StartStar was updated on October 6, 2026 and SailingWatch on October 2, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*