Provider comparison

BoaterExam.com vs BOATsmart!

Two NASBLA-approved online boater courses, compared on price, format, exam retakes and states.

BOATERexam and BOATsmart! are both NASBLA-approved online boater safety courses, and both are on Florida’s and Texas’s official lists of approved online courses. In most states they share, they cost the same $49.95; BOATsmart! is $10 less in Alaska and Texas. BOATERexam covers 39 states to BOATsmart!’s 19, including every BOATsmart! state, and both also sell a Transport Canada course for Canadian boaters. Both belong to Kalkomey, the company behind Boat-Ed: BOATERexam’s terms name it as operator, and BOATsmart! has been part of it since 2021.

BoaterExam.com vs BOATsmart!: side by side

Side-by-side comparison of BoaterExam.com vs BOATsmart!
Starting priceBoaterExam.comFrom $34.95From ~$34.95; varies by state, plus a separate state fee in some states.BOATsmart!From $39.95$39.95 or $49.95 depending on the state; in Texas the $49.95 includes the $10 state fee.
FormatBoaterExam.comOnlineBOATsmart!Online
NASBLA approvedBoaterExam.com YesBOATsmart! Yes
ProsBoaterExam.com
  • Listed as an approved provider on official state-agency sites
  • Covers many US states plus a Canadian option
  • Operated by Kalkomey Enterprises, the company behind Boat-Ed
BOATsmart!
  • NASBLA-approved and confirmed on state-agency provider lists
  • Engaging narrated/animated format; the card does not expire
  • Unlimited test retries and lifetime course access
ConsBoaterExam.com
  • Pricing varies by state and may add state fees
  • Available in 39 states
BOATsmart!
  • Available in 19 US states
  • Sells US and Canadian courses on one site — choose the US course for a US state card
See BoaterExam.comSee BOATsmart!

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Do you need a boating license? Check your state

Which should you choose?

In the 19 states where you can take either, the two are close: the same state card, the same NASBLA approval, unlimited final-exam retries at both, and the same price in most of them. Choose on format and deadline. BOATsmart! is fully narrated and animated, gives lifetime course access, and is $10 cheaper in Alaska and Texas. BOATERexam teaches through videos and animations and must be finished within 90 days of paying. BOATERexam also serves 20 more states, among them Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Minnesota, and in four of them its price is $34.95. Check your state’s approved list first, then compare the two prices for your state.

Read the full breakdowns: BoaterExam.com and BOATsmart!.

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Safety gear to have aboard

Whichever course you pick, these five are the items first-time boaters are most often missing — and four of them are federal requirements. Confirm what applies to your boat with the U.S. Coast Guard and your state boating agency.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Buying through these links costs you nothing extra, and it never affects which courses we recommend — see our affiliate disclosure.

  • USCG-approved life jackets

    One properly fitted, Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket is required for every person aboard.

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  • Engine cut-off switch lanyard

    On a boat under 26 feet, federal law requires the operator to use the engine cut-off link whenever the boat is on plane or above displacement speed — unless the main helm is inside an enclosed cabin. U.S. Coast Guard

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  • Throwable flotation device

    A Type IV cushion or ring buoy to toss to someone in the water — required on most boats 16 feet and longer.

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  • Marine fire extinguisher

    Required on boats with a permanently installed fuel tank or any space that can trap fumes. The label must read "Marine Type — USCG Approved", and since April 2022 a disposable extinguisher more than 12 years past its stamped date is expired. U.S. Coast Guard

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  • Whistle or marine air horn

    An audible signalling device so you can warn other vessels and signal in reduced visibility.

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Building a full kit? Read the complete new boater essentials checklist — ten items, what the law requires, and what is simply worth having.

BoaterExam.com vs BOATsmart! — FAQ

Is BOATsmart legit?
Yes. BOATsmart! is on Florida FWC’s and Texas Parks and Wildlife’s official lists of approved online boater courses, and its site says the course is accredited by NASBLA. It is run by OUTDOORsmart! Inc., part of Kalkomey — the company behind Boat-Ed — since 2021, and Transport Canada accredits its separate Canadian course. It serves 19 US states.
Is BOATERexam.com legit?
Yes. BOATERexam is on Florida FWC’s and Texas Parks and Wildlife’s official lists of approved online courses, and each of its state pages names it as a delegated provider for that state’s boating agency. Its terms say the site is operated by Kalkomey Enterprises, the company behind Boat-Ed. It serves 39 US states.
Is BOATERexam or BOATsmart! cheaper?
Usually neither: both are $49.95 in most states they share, and both are $39.95 in Arizona, Indiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. BOATsmart! is $10 less in Alaska ($39.95 vs $49.95) and in Texas, where its $49.95 includes the $10 state fee and BOATERexam totals $59.95. BOATERexam starts at $34.95 in four states BOATsmart! does not serve.
Which states does BOATsmart! cover?
Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Washington and West Virginia, as of our check on September 24, 2026. BOATERexam serves all 19 of those and 20 more.
How many times can I retake the final exam?
As many as you need at either. BOATERexam includes unlimited attempts at the final exam, and BOATsmart! advertises unlimited test retries. The difference is time: BOATsmart! gives lifetime course access, while BOATERexam courses must be completed within 90 days of payment.
Do BOATERexam and BOATsmart! work in Canada?
Both sell a separate Canadian course for the Pleasure Craft Operator Card: BOATsmart! is accredited by Transport Canada, and BOATERexam calls itself a delegated provider for Transport Canada. Choose the course for the country, and the state, where you will be boating.
Are BOATERexam and BOATsmart! the same company?
They share a parent. BOATERexam’s terms say its site is operated by Kalkomey Enterprises, which also makes Boat-Ed. BOATsmart! is run by OUTDOORsmart! Inc.; Kalkomey announced in February 2021 that it had acquired BOATsmart!’s parent, Campfire Collective, and BOATsmart!’s privacy and terms links point to Kalkomey. They remain separate courses with separate prices.
Sources (10)

Every factual claim on this page traces to one of these. The date is when we last checked it against the source.

  1. BOATERexam Canada — checked 2026-09-24
  2. BOATERexam state course pages — checked 2026-09-24
  3. BOATERexam terms of use — checked 2026-09-24
  4. BOATsmart! home page — checked 2026-09-24
  5. BOATsmart! US course pages — checked 2026-09-24
  6. Florida FWC, boater safety courses — checked 2026-09-24
  7. Kalkomey Enterprises, acquisition of Campfire Collective (2021) — checked 2026-09-24
  8. Texas Parks and Wildlife, online boater education courses — checked 2026-09-24
  9. U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22
  10. U.S. Coast Guard — checked 2026-09-22

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