Which logbook app suits you? Six decision questions, a table by type of sailor, a first-weekend test and a fair list of the sailing logbook apps available.
Photo: Raimond Klavins, Unsplash
Which logbook app you should use depends on six things: your phone, how much you want recorded automatically, whether you connect instruments, whether you sail offline, how you get your data out, and whether you need proof of miles or a maintenance record. Answer those and the field shrinks to one or two sailing logbook apps. Below are the questions, a table by type of sailor, a test for your first weekend and a neutral list of what's available.
Six questions before you choose
1. Which phone? Manta and Logbook Suite are Apple only. ld-log is Android. Logbook and Nebo run on both. If the crew has mixed phones and needs to share, this settles a lot.
2. How much should be automatic? Some apps start and stop on their own and fill in engine and manoeuvres. Others record a track and leave the rest to you. Be honest about whether you will ever write down a tack on a busy day.
3. Does it need your instruments? Phone GPS gives position and speed over ground. Wind, depth and speed through water need a plotter or NMEA gateway, and only some apps read them. If you don't have a gateway, don't choose an app for that feature. See plotter data on iPhone.
4. Will it work offline? It must record and save with no signal. Test it in flight mode, because some features need a connection even in apps that work offline otherwise.
5. Who owns the data, and in what format? Look for GPX per trip at a minimum, and a whole logbook backup. If you need CSV for a spreadsheet, or a PDF laid out like a paper log, check for it before you spend a season in the app.
6. Do you need proof of miles or a maintenance record, and how do you pay? A licence candidate needs per-trip detail and a way to get signatures. An owner benefits from maintenance intervals. Check whether the feature you want is part of the free tier or a paid plan, and on what terms, in the store listing.
What matters by type of sailor
| Sailor | What matters most | What matters less |
|---|---|---|
| Day sailor | Starts quickly, automatic track, simple trip list | Night hours, watch handover |
| Charter skipper | Works on the phone alone, per-trip summary, sharing with crew | Boat maintenance, instrument connection |
| Licence candidate | Boat, role, night and tidal miles, signature route, export | Live tracking, photo galleries |
| Long-distance owner | Offline reliability, power use, instrument data, maintenance | Quick social sharing |
What to test on a first weekend
Before committing a whole season, spend one weekend with your two favourites.
- Put the phone in flight mode, record a whole sail and check nothing was lost.
- Lock the phone for an hour under way, then open the app. Is the track continuous?
- Note how much battery one hour of recording uses.
- Add a manual entry with cold wet hands. Count the taps.
- Export a trip and open the file on a computer. Is it what you expected?
- Delete the app from a spare device and restore from backup, or at least find out how you would.
- Try to correct an entry time, and see what happens to the original.
The first failure usually tells you what you need to know.
Which logbook apps are available
Availability and features change, so check the App Store or Play Store before deciding. As of November 2026:
| App | Platforms | What the maker or the review describes |
|---|---|---|
| Logbook (logbook-app.com; Logbuch in German-speaking countries) | iOS, Android | Background GPS tracking, reads NMEA values, season and mileage statistics, sync between iOS and Android, exports PDF, GPX, KML, CSV. Its maker says it is currently not listed in the App Store in EU countries |
| Nebo | iOS, Android | Detects start and end of a trip by phone GPS or the Nebo Link hardware, report after each trip, family can follow |
| Logbook Suite (2K Yachting) | iOS | Ship management, maintenance intervals, inventory lists, crew management, NMEA-based entries in its Pro version |
| ld-log | Android | GPS tracking, PDF in the layout of a paper logbook |
| Manta | iPhone, iPad (iOS 26) | Recording with phone sensors, automatic log entries, optional instrument connection, GPX and backup export |
Who should not choose Manta
Manta is the wrong pick if you or your crew use Android, because it runs only on iPhone and iPad with iOS 26. It has no CSV export and no page-by-page PDF of the logbook, so a sailor who wants a printed log in that layout, or a spreadsheet of every entry, is better served by Logbook or ld-log. If you prefer a dedicated hardware box instead of a phone sensor, Nebo with its Link hardware does that.
Are digital logbooks acceptable to authorities?
In the UK, as of November 2026, private pleasure boats have no logbook format to comply with: MGN 599 doesn't list a logbook duty and the RYA recommends a log book. For RYA exams the sea time has to be documented, and the Yachtmaster syllabus and logbook hold the details. An app is your evidence, but ask the RYA or your examiner what they will accept. In the US, recreational users should ask the Coast Guard, and sea service for a credential has its own form and rules. Commercial operation, charter agreements and insurers may want something specific, so read those documents. Elsewhere, check with your flag authority. The longer view is in digital vs paper logbook, and if proving miles is the main goal, read choosing a sea miles log app.
What Manta does
Manta records with iPhone GPS and motion sensors, needs no hardware, and runs in the background offline. It writes departure, arrival, engine on and off, and anchoring into the log for free, and tacks, gybes and sail changes with Pro. Manual entries take one or two taps. Instrument data comes in through a plotter or WiFi gateway on NMEA 0183 or NMEA 2000. Exports are GPX per trip, a .manta trip file and a whole logbook backup, and your logbook syncs through your private iCloud with no account needed. Mileage certificates, polars and the fuller trip charts are Pro. There is more on the automatic logbook.
Questions
Which logbook app is best for sailing?
It depends on your phone, how much you want done automatically and what you need to export. Answer the decision questions in this guide, then test your shortlist on one weekend before committing.
Is there a sailing logbook app for Android?
Yes. Logbook, Nebo and ld-log are all listed for Android. Manta is iPhone and iPad only.
Is a digital logbook legal on a UK boat?
As of November 2026, MGN 599 lists no logbook duty for UK pleasure vessels and the RYA lists a log book as recommended, so a digital log is a matter of choice. Commercial use, charter conditions and exam boards can ask for more. Check with them.
Can I move my data to another app later?
Only if the app exports it. GPX carries the track and most apps read it, but log entries, photos and maintenance records usually stay behind unless there is a richer export.
Manta does this for you
Automatic sailing logbook
A digital logbook that fills itself. Manta notices when you cast off, tack, gybe, drop anchor or moor, and writes it into your log by itself. Every automatic entry stays editable.
