Why Passage Planner is Free
Published 2026-08-30
Passage planning is one of the most valuable things a skipper can do before casting off. I built Passage Planner to make the core tools for thinking a voyage through — routes, weather, tides and GPX — available without a subscription or a paywall.
Keeping it free is a deliberate choice. Better-informed passage planning should be within reach whether you sail every weekend, are preparing for your first longer trip, or simply want a clearer picture before you leave the berth.
There is still a real cost behind a service like this: data, hosting, maintenance, and the time spent improving it as sailors find new ways to use it. I’m happy to keep building it, and I want the useful parts to remain open to everyone.
If Passage Planner has made your sailing a little easier or safer, and you would like to help with those running costs, you can make a voluntary contribution here: https://buymeacoffee.com/benpassmorv
There is absolutely no expectation — using Passage Planner is free. But every coffee helps keep the project independent, improving and available to the sailing community.
Thank you for using it, for sharing feedback, and for helping to make safer passage planning easier for more people.
More articles on the Estuary Forecast Passage Planner blog →