C vs Argo Navigation
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Free chart viewer
- Autorouting
- Personal waypoints
- Track recording
- Marine weather forecasts
- Offline map downloads
- High-resolution bathymetry
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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
Argo Navigation
This app provides comprehensive navigation and planning tools for boaters, offering features like chart plotting, route planning, and weather forecasts. It aims to be user-friendly for all skill levels, from beginners to experienced cruisers, with a focus on safety and connectivity on the water.
- Web/Desktop planning with auto-sync
- Autorouting for multi-stop trips
- 7-day marine weather forecast
- Unlimited nautical charts (NOAA/USEACE)
- Record and save tracks
- Real-time NMEA/AIS data
- Location and route sharing with groups
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Argo is a boat navigation app you can actually use for free. Not a trial. You get NOAA charts and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers depth surveys for US waters, 500,000+ marinas, anchorages and fuel docks, hazards reported by other boaters, and routes you plot yourself, with ETA and fuel use. On your first trip, open the map to see how deep it is and read what other boaters say about the anchorage before you drop the hook. A hundred trips in, you're checking how old the Army Corps survey is before you run a shoaling inlet, or laying out a few route options and picking one underway. Think of Argo as the boating buddy who knows every good dock bar and never asks for gas money. FREE FOR EVERY BOATER Navigate • Up-to-date NOAA charts plus Army Corps (USACE) surveys you can filter by survey date • Shoal areas, dredged channels, restricted areas and recommended tracks on the coast and inland rivers • See your GPS position and speed on the chart • Search buoys, beacons, lights, wrecks and mile markers • Record your track and use Return to follow it back • Depth shading presets, including two built for bright sun glare Plan • Search 500,000+ places, from boat ramps and moorings to non-ethanol fuel and dock bars • Read reviews from boaters who've been there • Plot your own route on the map and see distance, ETA and fuel use • A trip log of everywhere you've been Connect • See other Argo boaters on the water and share your live location with family ashore • Join your boat club, marina or rally group • Share routes, places and trips, and post photos and video • Report hazards and see the ones other boaters have reported • Keep fishing spots private or share them with your group One account works on every phone and tablet you own, free. ARGO PREMIUM, WHEN YOU WANT MORE Smarter routes • Autoroute plans around shallow water, hazards and restricted areas based on your boat's draft, height and safety buffer • Run inside or outside, or set Autoroute to stay in the marked channel • Save several routes to your chart, start a track, and choose between them underway • Have a sailboat and a powerboat? Save both, each with its own draft and height Marine weather and tides • 7-day marine forecast: weather, wind, wave height and period, tides and currents • Wind, rain and lightning overlays on your chart • 6,000+ tide and current stations on your chart, with predictions as far ahead as you want • Tide variance right next to your depth gauge On the water • Offline charts download automatically around your location and home port, for when you lose signal • Connect over NMEA (Wi-Fi gateway) for depth, speed and heading from your electronics, plus AIS targets • Custom depth shading and contours, so shallow water and fishing drop-offs stand out • Distance, time, bearing and course to your next turn, always in view Logbook and planning tools • Import and export GPX routes and tracks between Argo and your chartplotter • Download a PDF trip report to document sea time toward your captain's license Coverage: US coastal waters, the ICW, inland lakes and rivers, Canada and the Caribbean. WHO'S BEHIND ARGO Argo is family-owned. Our founder, Captain Jeff, grew up boating on the Chesapeake Bay. He built Argo so the local knowledge usually shared between friends at the dock is on the map for everyone. Many of our features started as boater requests. Send yours to support@argonav.io. Argo is a navigation aid. Always check official charts and conditions, and use your own judgment on the water. Plan. Navigate. Connect. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.argonav.io/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Argo Navigation at 84% against C's 51%. Argo Navigation also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 6 weeks) and rating (4.9 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. C sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Argo Navigation sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Argo Navigation holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2.3K and 6.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 51% of C's written reviews are positive against 84% of Argo Navigation's.
C ships an update every 6 weeks, Argo Navigation every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 20, 2026.
| Parameter | C | Argo Navigation |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2.3K ratings) | 4.9 (6.2K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 51.0% of reviews | 84.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2.3K | 6.2K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #124 | #84 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 169 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Navico Norway AS | ARGO TECHNOLOGIES, LLC |
Customer experience
C
Argo Navigation
User reviews
C
From 2.3K App Store ratingsWhat 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
Argo Navigation
From 6.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Accurate navigation
- 💡 Helpful social features
- 🔋 Good battery life
- 🔒 Reliable app performance
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🗺️ Limited map coverage in some areas
- 🔍 Difficulty finding certain locations
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
Argo Navigation
Reported bugs
2 issues- Login/account creation issues
- Slow map loading times
Requested features
3 requests- Improved offline map capabilities
- Integration with marine weather data
- Enhanced route planning tools
In-app purchases
C
- Embark Advanced Weather$1.991 Month
- Embark Offline Maps USA$2.491 Month
- Annual Subscription14 Days trial$14.991 Year
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- 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
Argo Navigation
- Monthly Canada Charts14 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Argo Premium Monthly14 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Argo Canada Charts14 Days trial$9.991 Year
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Argo Premium14 Days trial$39.991 Year






