1. Home
  2. Topics
  3. Sailing Navigation

Best Sailing Navigation Apps

249+ iOS apps curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
19 free apps
Updated August 2026

iNavX is the household name in sailing navigation, but it's far from the only option. We track 249+ alternatives and competitors on iOS — many free, many higher-rated than you'd expect.

Compare top Sailing Navigation Apps (August 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1iNavX: Marine NavigationiNavX: Marine NavigationFree4.8★ (22K)YesYesAug 2026
2SailFreeGPSSailFreeGPSFree4.2★ (10)YesYesAug 2026
3Navionics® BoatingNavionics® BoatingFree2.9★ (2.3K)NoYesAug 2026
4Savvy Navvy: Boat NavigationSavvy Navvy: Boat NavigationFree4.7★ (8K)NoYesAug 2026
5Windy.app — Wind, Tides, RadarWindy.app — Wind, Tides, RadarFree4.7★ (73K)NoYesAug 2026
6Sailing CompanionSailing CompanionFree—NoNoAug 2026
7PredictWind — Marine ForecastsPredictWind — Marine ForecastsFree4.8★ (33K)NoYesAug 2026
8Aqua Map BoatingAqua Map BoatingFree4.7★ (14K)NoYesAug 2026

Top Picks for Sailing Navigation

iNavX: Marine Navigation#1

iNavX: Marine Navigation by NavX Studios LLC

Sailing & Boating Chartplotter
Editor's Choice
🗺️ Navigation
4.8😐(22K ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
#66in Navigation
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 1
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 2
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 3
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 4
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 5
iNavX: Marine Navigation screenshot 6

This app provides comprehensive marine navigation tools, including worldwide chart coverage, weather forecasts, and AIS integration. It allows users to plan routes, track their position, and connect with onboard instruments for a complete boating experience.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Accurate and precise navigation
  • 📊 Comprehensive charting and navigation features
  • 🛠️ Customizable instrument settings
  • 🔄 Redundancy across devices

Room to Improve

  • 🤔 Clunky and unintuitive user interface
  • 🗺️ Cumbersome chart management and downloading
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
SailFreeGPS#2

SailFreeGPS by Frederic BRO

Sailing navigation intruments
Strong Contender
🗺️ Navigation
4.2(10 ratings)
FreeAdsIn-App Purchases
SailFreeGPS screenshot 1
SailFreeGPS screenshot 2
SailFreeGPS screenshot 3
SailFreeGPS screenshot 4
SailFreeGPS screenshot 5
SailFreeGPS screenshot 6

This app provides sailing navigation tools, displaying real-time location, speed, course, and historical data. It assists with MOB situations, regattas, and waypoint management, offering advanced features in its premium version.

Navionics® Boating#3

Navionics® Boating by Garmin

Nautical and fishing charts
Worth Considering
🗺️ Navigation
2.9😞(2.3K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#3in Navigation
Navionics® Boating screenshot 1
Navionics® Boating screenshot 2
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

More Sailing Navigation apps to explore

4
Savvy Navvy: Boat Navigation
Savvy Navvy: Boat Navigation
Savvy Navvy: Boat Navigation
GPS, Nautical Charts, Boating
Free

This app provides comprehensive marine navigation, integrating charts, weather, tides, and GPS tracking. It simplifies route planning and offers real-time safety data to ensure confident and enjoyable time on the water for various boating activities.

Clutter-free nautical chartsSmart route planning with weather and tide integrationReal-time GPS tracking
🗺️ Navigation
(8K)
free with in-app purchases
5
Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar
Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar
Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar
#1 Fishing, boating & sailing
Free

This app provides detailed wind, wave, and weather forecasts for various outdoor activities. It offers historical data, real-time alerts, and a community feature for sharing conditions. Ideal for surfers, sailors, and other wind sports enthusiasts.

Wind report, forecast, and statisticsWind alert and storm warningsWeather history (2012-2024)
☀️ Weather
(73K)
freemium
6
Sailing Companion
Sailing Companion
Sailing Companion
The one-stop sailing solution
Free
⚽ Sports
(0)
7
PredictWind — Marine Forecasts
PredictWind — Marine Forecasts
PredictWind — Marine Forecasts
#1 in Marine Weather Forecasts
Free

Get accurate marine weather forecasts and powerful tools for wind, waves, and currents. Plan your trips with routing and departure planning features, and stay informed with live observations and alerts. Ideal for all marine activities.

Accurate marine weather forecastsWind, wave, and current dataWeather routing and departure planning
☀️ Weather
(33K)
free with in-app purchases
8
Aqua Map Boating
Aqua Map Boating
Aqua Map Boating
Marine navigation and fishing
Free

This app provides official, weekly updated nautical charts for marine navigation. It allows for offline map downloads, GPS track recording, and integration with onboard instruments. Enhance your boating safety and experience with advanced features like weather forecasts and AIS collision detection.

Official NOAA nautical chartsOffline map downloadsGPS track recording
🗺️ Navigation
(14K)
free with in-app purchases
9
Sailor's Companion
Sailor's Companion
Sailor's Companion
Sailing logbook, track & log
Free
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
10
HelmLog — Sailing Logbook
HelmLog — Sailing Logbook
HelmLog — Sailing Logbook
Trip Tracker & Boat Manager
Free
🔧 Utilities
(0)
11
Nautics Sailmate Classic
Nautics Sailmate Classic
Nautics Sailmate Classic
by Nautics
Free
$17.99 | 100% OFF
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
12
Sea Alert
Sea Alert
Sea Alert
Sail safe!
Free
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
13
Sailing Trip Manager
Sailing Trip Manager
Sailing Trip Manager
by Peter Gorog-Nagy
Free
⚽ Sports
(0)
14
NautiCom
NautiCom
NautiCom
Nautical compass
$1.99

This professional nautical compass provides essential trip information and allows for precise bearing determination with an additional sighting compass. You can fix your current course and adjust your phone to measure course changes and angles.

Professional nautical compassSighting compass for bearingsFix current course
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
paid
15
FerryDodger – Ferry Alerts NAV
FerryDodger – Ferry Alerts NAV
FerryDodger – Ferry Alerts NAV
Plan your route, get alerts
Free
🗺️ Navigation
(0)
16
Sextant Navigation
Sextant Navigation
Sextant Navigation
Celestial Navigation Primer
Free
🔍 Reference
(0)
17
GyroCop
GyroCop
GyroCop
Compass Error Calculator
Free
🔧 Utilities
(0)
18
SailSpeed
SailSpeed
SailSpeed
Tracking of Speed and Heading
Free

Track your sailing speed, heading, and wind data with an outdoor-optimized display. Features a customizable race start timer and route mapping. Analyze your performance post-race.

Speed and heading trackingCustomizable race start timerWind direction display (subscription)
🗺️ Navigation
(4)
free with in-app purchases
19
StartStar
StartStar
StartStar
by hugh kingdon
Free

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.

Track shifts and count down to startMeasure tack and gybe efficiencyCheck speed and distance to start line
⚽ Sports
(1)
free
20
Riptide GPS
Riptide GPS
Riptide GPS
GPS navigation for boaters
Free
🗺️ Navigation
(0)

Looking for something similar to sailing navigation?

Explore related topics

sailing

FAQ about Sailing Navigation

What are the best sailing navigation apps for iPhone?
iNavX: Marine Navigation tops our sailing navigation apps ranking as of August 2026, with a 4.8-star average from 22K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 19 of the top sailing navigation apps we rank are free to download, including iNavX: Marine Navigation and SailFreeGPS.
iNavX: Marine Navigation shows ads and offers in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of August 2026.
We track 249+ sailing navigation apps on the iOS App Store as of August 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
iNavX is a marine navigation app that acts as a handheld chartplotter. It provides access to worldwide marine charts, weather forecasts, AIS data, and allows users to plan routes, track their position, and integrate with onboard nautical instruments.
Key features include real-time GPS plotting, pan/zoom/rotate chart functionality, waypoint and route management, track logging, GRIB weather forecasts, AIS integration, and connectivity with various nautical instruments.