Best Nautical Apps

244+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.5 avg rating
16 free apps
Updated September 2026

Navionics® Boating is the household name in nautical, but it's far from the only option. We track 244+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Nautical Apps (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1Navionics® BoatingNavionics® BoatingFree2.9★ (2.3K)NoYesSep 2026
2Nautical Charts & MapsNautical Charts & Maps$8.994.6★ (3.8K)NoNoSep 2026
3i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gpsi-Boating: Marine Charts & GpsFree4.5★ (15K)NoYesSep 2026
4Nautical Calculator.Nautical Calculator.FreeNoYesMay 2026
5Nautical RulesNautical RulesFree5.0★ (4)NoNoJul 2026
6MarineTraffic - Ship TrackingMarineTraffic - Ship TrackingFree4.7★ (65K)NoYesSep 2026
7Nautical Calculator PreviewNautical Calculator PreviewFree5.0★ (1)YesNoAug 2026
8Nautical Ship FlagsNautical Ship FlagsFree was $0.994.6★ (15)NoYesSep 2026

Top Picks for Nautical

Navionics® Boating#1

Navionics® Boating by Garmin

Nautical and fishing charts
Editor's Choice
🗺️ Navigation
2.9😞(2.3K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#5in Navigation
Navionics® Boating screenshot 1
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Navionics® Boating screenshot 3
Navionics® Boating screenshot 4
Navionics® Boating screenshot 5
Navionics® Boating screenshot 6

Access detailed nautical charts and advanced boating features offline on your mobile device. Plan trips with dock-to-dock guidance, check weather and tides, and connect with a community of boaters. Ideal for cruising, fishing, sailing, and diving.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Great navigation app
  • 🗺️ Detailed charts and maps
  • ⚓ Useful for boating and sailing
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔒 Login issues and unreliable offline access
  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🗺️ Inaccurate or outdated map data
Nautical Charts & Maps#2

Nautical Charts & Maps by LW Brands, LLC

Nautical Charts & Marine Maps
Strong Contender
🗺️ Navigation
4.6😐(3.8K ratings)
$8.99
Nautical Charts & Maps screenshot 1
Nautical Charts & Maps screenshot 2
Nautical Charts & Maps screenshot 3
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Nautical Charts & Maps screenshot 5
Nautical Charts & Maps screenshot 6

Access NOAA Electronic Navigational Charts (ENC) for offline marine navigation. View detailed information like buoys, depths, and port features. Overlay NOAA weather maps including radar, sea temperature, and wind data.

What We Love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Good performance
  • 💡 Useful for planning and navigation
  • 🗺️ Detailed charts
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and stability issues
  • 🗺️ Limited chart coverage
  • 🔍 Lack of advanced features (plotting, routing, etc.)
  • 🔍 Poor user interface and interactivity
  • 💰 Overpriced in some cases
i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gps#3

i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gps by Bist LLC

Lake Depth Map,Sailing Plotter
Worth Considering
🗺️ Navigation
4.5😊(15K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#85in Navigation
i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gps screenshot 1
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i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gps screenshot 6

Navigate waterways with detailed marine charts and GPS. Features include route planning, voice-guided navigation, tide and current predictions, and track recording. Offers extensive map coverage for various regions and inland rivers.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate GPS and navigation
  • 🗺️ Detailed nautical charts
  • 📊 Helpful fishing and structure information
  • 🔍 Useful for finding unexplored fishing spots
  • 💻 Offline functionality works well

Room to Improve

  • 🌐 GPS/location issues, inaccurate positioning
  • 💰 Expensive recurring subscription model
  • 🔁 Difficulty restoring purchased content on new devices
  • 🔧 Poor customer support and lack of response
  • 📦 Missing coverage for some lakes/waterways

More Nautical apps to explore

FAQ about Nautical

What are the best nautical apps for iPhone?
Navionics® Boating tops our nautical apps ranking as of September 2026, with a 2.9-star average from 2.3K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 16 of the top nautical apps we rank are free to download, including Navionics® Boating and i-Boating: Marine Charts & Gps.
Navionics® Boating has no ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 244+ nautical apps on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
The app provides detailed nautical charts that can be used offline, along with a suite of tools for boating activities. It includes features for navigation, trip planning, weather forecasting, and community-based local knowledge.
Key features include internationally renowned Navionics charts, SonarChart HD bathymetry maps, U.S. Government charts, overlays like relief shading, Auto Guidance+ for route planning, real-time weather and tides, and community edits from other boaters.

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