# Shellback vs NAVADMIN Viewer

The clearest difference is rating: NAVADMIN Viewer at 4.6 against Shellback's 3.2. NAVADMIN Viewer also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 38). Shellback's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and review sentiment (45% vs 30%). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NAVADMIN Viewer sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $14.99 per year. Shellback asks for nothing beyond the download.

NAVADMIN Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NAVADMIN Viewer has 1.1K ratings behind it against 38, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 45% of Shellback's written reviews are positive against 30% of NAVADMIN Viewer's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shellback ships an update every 10 months, NAVADMIN Viewer every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on June 9, 2026 and September 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shellback | NAVADMIN Viewer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (38 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellback/id955157952/reviews) | **[4.6 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/navadmin-viewer/id1345135985/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 38 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **45.2% of reviews** | 29.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 71 MB | 3 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Program Executive Office for Enterprise Information Systems, Sea Warrior Program](https://appshunter.io/developer/1477503418) | [Anson Liu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1024660369) |

## What reviewers say

### Shellback

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellback/id955157952)

This app provides US Naval Surface Force personnel with offline access to essential information. It includes manuals and resources for administration, medical, operations, personnel management, safety, and navigation rules. Content is updated annually for relevance.

**Highlights:** Offline access to SURFOR information, Admin/Training manuals, Medical readiness resources, Operations and navigation training, Personnel management documents, Safety information and lessons learned, Rules of the Road quiz

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NAVADMIN Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/navadmin-viewer/id1345135985)

Access and search official Navy and Marine Corps administrative messages on your mobile device. View messages offline, find referenced publications easily, and utilize features like Spotlight Search and Siri Shortcuts. An experimental tool can even identify military ribbons and medals.

**Highlights:** Searchable message database, Offline message viewing, Automatic message fetching, Highlighted referenced publications, Experimental Uniform Detector, Customizable font options

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Extended Access | $14.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 🚀 Efficient for quick reference
- 💡 Useful for teaching young sailors

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall for accessing older messages
- 🔓 Free alternative available on website
- 🐛 App not updating with new messages

**Reported bugs**

- App crashing or shutting down
- Compatibility issues with device updates

**Requested features**

- Add widgets for quick access
- Include more Navy resources (ALNAV, FORCM, etc.)
- Improve notification system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shellback free?

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

### Is NAVADMIN Viewer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Shellback or NAVADMIN Viewer?

NAVADMIN Viewer is rated higher. Shellback averages 3.2 out of 5 from 38 ratings, while NAVADMIN Viewer averages 4.6 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Shellback or NAVADMIN Viewer have ads?

Neither Shellback nor NAVADMIN Viewer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shellback or NAVADMIN Viewer?

Shellback ships an update every 10 months, and NAVADMIN Viewer every 2 days. Most recently, Shellback was updated on June 9, 2026 and NAVADMIN Viewer on September 16, 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.*