Boat Journal vs My Vessel Logs: one-time vs subscription.

My Vessel Logs runs $59 per year for the Pro tier. Boat Journal is $20 one-time. Both produce buyer-friendly records. Here is the comparison.

Back to Boat Journal →

$20 lifetime · Works offline · No account · Lifetime updates included

My Vessel Logs is a cloud-based subscription logbook with insurance and USCG compliance exports. Boat Journal is a one-time purchase HTML file you keep on your machine.

Feature by feature.

A direct comparison across pricing, storage, platforms, multi-vehicle support, account requirements, offline behavior, and updates.

Feature	Boat Journal	My Vessel Logs
Pricing model	$20 one-time, lifetime updates	Free basic tier; Pro at $59 per year (verify current)
Where your data lives	On your computer, in your browser's local database	Cloud servers, account-based
Account required	No account, no login	Account required
Offline access	Yes, fully offline after download	Cloud-first; mobile cache where supported
PDF exports	Polished survey-ready PDF generated from your log	PDF exports for insurance, resale, or USCG compliance
Multi-vessel support	Unlimited vessels in one file	Multiple vessels under one account; plans vary by tier
Reminders	Engine-hour and calendar reminders from your actual entries	Calendar reminders and task management
Updates	Lifetime updates included in the one-time price	Updates continue while subscription is active

What each does well.

Boat Journal strengths

Twenty dollars, paid once, no recurring fee
Local-first. Your records do not depend on a vendor staying solvent.
Single HTML file you can email, archive, or version-control
Survey-ready report designed for brokers and private buyers
Lifetime updates included

My Vessel Logs strengths

Free basic tier for casual users
Insurance, resale, and USCG-formatted PDF exports out of the box
Cross-device sync across phone, tablet, and web
Crew, voyage, and provisioning features for active cruisers
Continuous updates as a hosted service

Which one fits?

When to choose Boat Journal

Choose Boat Journal if you want to pay once, run offline at the dock, and hand a buyer or surveyor a single polished document at sale time.

When to choose My Vessel Logs

Choose My Vessel Logs if you want continuous cloud sync, USCG-compliance documentation, or you actively cruise and need voyage and crew logging tied to the same vessel record.

Common questions.

How much does My Vessel Logs really cost?

Free at the basic tier. Pro is around $59 per year, and enterprise is custom. Verify current pricing on their site. Boat Journal is twenty dollars, one time, with no tiers.

Can I import My Vessel Logs records into Boat Journal?

There is no direct importer. If you decide to switch, you would either re-enter active vessels by hand or paste in your export as a one-time backfill. Most owners do this once and move on.

Does Boat Journal handle USCG compliance?

Boat Journal logs the same data you would put in any maintenance record, but it does not generate USCG-formatted reports. If documented vessel compliance is a hard requirement, My Vessel Logs is the better fit.

What about voyage logging?

Boat Journal is a maintenance log, not a voyage log. Track services, engine hours, haul-outs, and survey prep. For underway logging, trip reports, and crew logs, My Vessel Logs is the better fit.

What happens if I stop paying My Vessel Logs?

Pull your export before the subscription lapses. With Boat Journal there is nothing to lapse: the file is on your machine and keeps working.

$20. One time. Yours forever.

$20One-time payment, lifetime updates

Every feature included
No subscription, no upsell
Free lifetime updates
Single HTML file, runs on macOS, Windows, Linux
14-day refund, no questions asked