Comparison

C vs ActiveCaptain®

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

Head to head
About

C

Access up-to-date nautical charts for global exploration and planning. Save points of interest and routes, record tracks, and view marine weather. Upgrade for offline maps, GPS, and advanced features like shaded relief and AIS.

Highlights
  • Free chart viewer
  • Autorouting
  • Personal waypoints
  • Track recording
  • Marine weather forecasts
  • Offline map downloads
  • High-resolution bathymetry
Features
Read full description

The C-MAP® App is the perfect companion for recreational boaters and water-lovers. Available on Mobile, Tablet or PC, you’ll always be able to access the most up to date C-MAP charts, wherever in the world you are. With full features, allowing you to explore, plan and save Points of Interest and Routes from wherever you are, the C-MAP App is the perfect aid to navigation for savvy boaters. The C-MAP App Includes: - FREE Chart Viewer - Autorouting™ – find the best route to your favourite places - Personal Waypoints - Track Recording - Thousands of pre-loaded Points of Interest - Marine Weather Forecast - Weather Along the Route - Weather Overlay - Chart Personalisation - Import & Export GPX Files – share your Routes, Tracks or Waypoints with friends - Measure Distance Tool Upgrade to Premium to unlock additional features, including: - Full GPS Functionality - Offline Map Downloads - REVEAL Shaded Relief - High-Resolution Bathymetry - Custom Depth Shading - AIS & C-MAP Traffic Try before you buy… Experience C-MAP App Premium for yourself, with a free 14-day trial (3-day trial in Denmark and Sweden). The C-MAP App updates on a continual basis, ensuring the latest, most up-to-date maps are always at your fingertips. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Links to Your Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable Privacy Policy: https://www.brunswick.com/dsar Terms of Service https://appchart.c-map.com/tos.html

About

ActiveCaptain®

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
Read full description

The free ActiveCaptain app creates a powerful connection between your compatible mobile device and Garmin chartplotter, charts, maps and the boating community. Whether you use your Garmin products for cruising, fishing, sailing or diving, this all-in-one app will help you enjoy your time on the water. Just pair the app with your compatible chartplotter to wirelessly transfer and access charts and maps, software updates, routes, waypoints and helpful feedback from the ActiveCaptain Community. And, with the purchase of the OnDeck™ hub(1), you can track and monitor your boat from virtually anywhere. Please note that this app is intended for Garmin chartplotter owners and is not recommended for use as a stand-alone navigational app. FEATURES AVAILABLE: - ONECHART™: > New Garmin Navionics+™ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+™ cartography, featuring a Navionics® style appearance, advanced Auto Guidance+™ technology(2) and a one-year subscription to daily updates, is available now for North America and Europe, and coming soon to the rest of the world. Purchase our newest-generation charts or legacy BlueChart® g3 charts from your mobile device, and upload them to registered Garmin chartplotters on your vessel. You will get exceptional coverage, clarity and detail with charts that feature integrated Garmin and Navionics data and much more. Plus, the NOAA raster cartography(3) and premium features can be downloaded for free through the ActiveCaptain app. Visit Garmin.com/marinemaps. - PLAN A TRIP: Plan your trip, or e-scout a new fishing spot before you’re on the water. Then, transfer your data to your chartplotter where you can view your routes and waypoints. - USER DATA SYNC: Automatically back up and sync your data between your chartplotter and the ActiveCaptain app. - ACTIVECAPTAIN COMMUNITY: Join a community of boaters to get up-to-date feedback on marinas, boat ramps and other points of interest (POI). Check ratings, read reviews, and view pictures of POIs to make informed decisions on the water. Contribute your own POI, reviews and pictures from your compatible mobile device. - CONTROL YOUR CHARTPLOTTER: Using the built-in Helm™ feature, the ActiveCaptain app lets you view and control your compatible(4) chartplotter from your smartphone or tablet, even when someone else is at the helm(5). - EASY SOFTWARE UPDATES: Receive notifications about software updates from the app, and update your chartplotter wirelessly. - ONDECK HUB: Use the ActiveCaptain app to track, monitor and control any number of switches with the OnDeck system(1) from nearly anywhere. Door open? Bilge running? Peace of mind comes in the form of text alerts and updates. - GARMIN QUICKDRAWTM COMMUNITY: Download the latest 1’ HD contour maps shared by your fellow boaters, and sync with your chartplotter. You can also upload your own Quickdraw Contours map data. - SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Connect the app to your chartplotter, and turn on smart notifications(4) to see calls, text messages and more on the chartplotter display while your phone is somewhere safe and dry. FOOTNOTES 1)OnDeck hub sold separately and requires an active subscription plan 2)Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations 3)NOAA raster cartography cannot be viewed on echoMAP™ CHIRP and ECHOMAP™ Plus combos but can be viewed on mobile devices via the ActiveCaptain mobile app 4)Helm feature is not compatible with ECHOMAP series chartplotters 5)Check device compatibility on the ActiveCaptain app web page; visit https://www.garmin.com/c/marine/marine-apps/ End User License Agreement: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/marine-mobile-eula/

Screenshots

C4 screens
ActiveCaptain®4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: C at 4.5 against ActiveCaptain®'s 4.0. C also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). ActiveCaptain®'s advantage is chart position (#25 vs #111). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

Both are free to download. C sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

C holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.3K and 5.2K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of C's written reviews are positive against 56% of ActiveCaptain®'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

C ships an update every 6 weeks, ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 13, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
C versus ActiveCaptain®: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCActiveCaptain®
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2.3K ratings) — better4.0 (5.2K ratings)
Positive reviews51.0% of reviews56.2% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2.3K5.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#111#25 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.5
Further details — not scored
Size169 MB196 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNavico Norway ASGarmin

Customer experience

C

All ratings2,347 ratings
Positive89.3%
Neutral3.1%
Negative7.6%
Written reviews512 reviews
Positive51.0%
Neutral8.6%
Negative40.4%

ActiveCaptain®

All ratings5,159 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative23.4%
Written reviews909 reviews
Positive56.2%
Neutral4.7%
Negative39.1%

User reviews

C

From 2.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate maps and charts
  • 👍 Easy to use and intuitive
  • 📍 Helpful for planning trips and routes
  • 🛳️ Useful for both professionals and beginners
  • ⚙️ Detailed features like shaded relief and weather info

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
  • ⚠️ Unreliable GPS tracking and location updates
  • 🔌 Offline maps and features not working as expected
  • 🤔 Confusing or missing functionality (e.g. route editing)
  • 💸 Expensive subscription, not worth the cost

ActiveCaptain®

From 5.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

Bugs and requests

C

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • App crashes when trying to save tracks or routes
  • Offline maps fail to download or disappear
  • Depth/contour data inaccurate or not displaying properly
  • Login and authentication issues preventing access

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add mast height/clearance feature
  • Improve AIS integration and functionality
  • Allow more customization of map views and data
  • Provide better customer support and communication

ActiveCaptain®

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • 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

5 requests
  • 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

In-app purchases

10 purchases

C

Subscriptions10
  • Embark Advanced Weather$1.991 Month
  • Embark Offline Maps USA$2.491 Month
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
Show 7 more
  • Annual subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
  • Region14 Days trial2 variants$18.991 Year
  • North America14 Days trial$23.491 Year
  • Maps Lakes South East USA14 Days trial$25.991 Year
  • Annual Subscription14 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Caribbean14 Days trial$32.991 Year
  • Maps USA East Coast & Bahamas14 Days trial$39.991 Year
18 purchases

ActiveCaptain®

Subscriptions7
  • NSUS007R-U.S. East$74.991 Year
  • NSUS006R-U.S. South$74.991 Year
  • g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i$99.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada$99.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. South$129.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. East$129.991 Year
  • GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In$149.991 Year
One-time11
  • U.S. LakeVü Detail Map$59.99
  • US+Great Lakes Detail Map$99.99
  • BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I$99.99
Show 8 more
  • LUS100F - Download$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. South$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. East$149.99
  • VUS010R - Download$174.99
  • GN+ U.S. & Canada$199.99
  • HXUS604X - Download$219.99
  • GNV+ U.S. East$249.99
  • GNV+ U.S. South$249.99

Questions

Is C free?
C is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ActiveCaptain® free?
ActiveCaptain® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, C or ActiveCaptain®?
C is rated higher. C averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.3K ratings, while ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 from 5.2K ratings.
Do C or ActiveCaptain® have ads?
Neither C nor ActiveCaptain® shows ads.
Which is updated more often, C or ActiveCaptain®?
C ships an update every 6 weeks, and ActiveCaptain® every 3 months. Most recently, C was updated on October 13, 2026 and ActiveCaptain® on October 13, 2026.
Which is more popular, C or ActiveCaptain®?
C currently peaks at #111 in the App Store charts, and ActiveCaptain® at #25. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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