Review Insights · App Store
Navionics® Boating
Garmin · 2,294 ratings · ★ 2.9
2.9
★★★★★
2,294 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 81 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"subscription"
26 negative reviews mention this · 32% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Useless now. They took everything away from us! Now you can’t even use it unless you pay for a subscription! I had so many spots saved in this app and now I can’t even see them any more. Y’all are such a greedy company!" - ITS-CHAD
2
"garmin"
25 negative reviews mention this · 31% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Pathetically Overpriced, better options out there. I used this app for years. Used to be reasonably priced. Apparently Garmin bought them and now wants $49/yr to be able to do anything, even to see the most basic maps. I’m uninstalling and moving to another app." - George316!
3
"years"
17 negative reviews mention this · 21% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Pathetically Overpriced, better options out there. I used this app for years. Used to be reasonably priced. Apparently Garmin bought them and now wants $49/yr to be able to do anything, even to see the most basic maps. I’m uninstalling and moving to another app." - George316!
4
"navionics"
16 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "I don’t do Garmin. Always been a huge fan of Navionics, but I refuse to spend money on Garmin which is not a real marine brand. Switched to Orca and always used Raymarine instruments and now with Lighthouse gen 2 charts." - Jan Zaad
5
"year"
16 negative reviews mention this · 20% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Pathetically Overpriced, better options out there. I used this app for years. Used to be reasonably priced. Apparently Garmin bought them and now wants $49/yr to be able to do anything, even to see the most basic maps. I’m uninstalling and moving to another app." - George316!
6
"maps"
14 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Pathetically Overpriced, better options out there. I used this app for years. Used to be reasonably priced. Apparently Garmin bought them and now wants $49/yr to be able to do anything, even to see the most basic maps. I’m uninstalling and moving to another app." - George316!
7
"money"
13 negative reviews mention this · 16% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Huge battery drain + crashes. Will randomly crash, and you’ll lose your recording. It’ll silently pause recording in the background. It’ll run in the background even when not recording and drain your battery without you realizing until you touch your phone and it’s hot,…" - Sksjwhvwvans
8
"chart"
11 negative reviews mention this · 14% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Huge battery drain + crashes. Will randomly crash, and you’ll lose your recording. It’ll silently pause recording in the background. It’ll run in the background even when not recording and drain your battery without you realizing until you touch your phone and it’s hot,…" - Sksjwhvwvans
9
"phone"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Huge battery drain + crashes. Will randomly crash, and you’ll lose your recording. It’ll silently pause recording in the background. It’ll run in the background even when not recording and drain your battery without you realizing until you touch your phone and it’s hot,…" - Sksjwhvwvans
10
"charts"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Huge battery drain + crashes. Will randomly crash, and you’ll lose your recording. It’ll silently pause recording in the background. It’ll run in the background even when not recording and drain your battery without you realizing until you touch your phone and it’s hot,…" - Sksjwhvwvans
11
"boat"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Horrible controls and menus. I am on a seven day trial and nothing is user friendly, the control are nothing like my Garmin unit on my boat. It’s says it has fishing charts but has nothing at all. Follow up… On a 7 day trial all features should be included or a least…" - Paul-J-M
12
"subscribe"
10 negative reviews mention this · 12% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Overpriced for the exact same features as before. Been a navionics subscriber for years, back when it was $24.99 a year. It had all of the same features as it does today. I don’t understand the price increase, especially when there’s also the Garmin Active Captain that also does the same t…" - sampdrizzt
📋 All 81 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
Useless now
They took everything away from us! Now you can’t even use it unless you pay for a subscription! I had so many spots saved in this app and now I can’t even see them any more. Y’all are such a greedy company!
Pathetically Overpriced, better options out there
I used this app for years. Used to be reasonably priced. Apparently Garmin bought them and now wants $49/yr to be able to do anything, even to see the most basic maps. I’m uninstalling and moving to another app.
App not working
Not working. Want refund
Scam app
Constantly asks to sell your data. Forces you to create an account BEFORE it forces you to pay a subscription.
I don’t do Garmin
Always been a huge fan of Navionics, but I refuse to spend money on Garmin which is not a real marine brand. Switched to Orca and always used Raymarine instruments and now with Lighthouse gen 2 charts.
Overpriced for the exact same features as before
Been a navionics subscriber for years, back when it was $24.99 a year. It had all of the same features as it does today. I don’t understand the price increase, especially when there’s also the Garmin Active Captain that also does the same thing except worse. I guess I’m going old school because I’m not paying $50 a year for mid mapping software.
Downhill since Garmin took over
I have Navionics charts in my boat chart plotter and have always backed up the system with Navionics charts on my iPhone. They used to be free, but since Garmin took over, they are now charging some $40 or so per year. Not worth it when there are plenty of good free charting apps available.
Awful. Ready to sue
Failed and put me at risk during a time of critical need. I happily used Navionics for many years as a secondary backup to my chartplotter. Yesterday I suffered engine failure at sea and when I brought up this app for help navigating a very challenging channel under light winds and no power, it kept cycling through a request to renew despite my subscription being active.
Horrible purchase
I subscribe to a set of charts, they won’t download or show - it starts prompting me to select coverage “It’s time to explore charts and features” - “choose your coverage” so I do … again!! Then it prompts me with “your already subscribed” and the loop goes on and on and on
App is broken
I’ve confirmed my subscription but the maps will not download and just keeps asking to subscribe in a loop over and over. Deleting and reinstalling does nothing. Waste of $50. Do not purchase.
Stuck in a loop
Haven’t been able to use the app at all this year as I’m permanently stuck in a subscription loop. What am I paying for??!!
Nivard
I have made a purchase to subscription and as I go back on the app it keep on saying purchase the subscription
Good app, unreasonable cost
I stopped renewing my subscription when they went to $49.99/yr. I own multiple on board chartplotters and could no longer justify the cost when I only do the occasional route planning or chart viewing on my phone. The app has its own usability issues. I’ll pay maybe $20/yr.
Broken
What once was a solid app, has slowly but methodically degraded to one of the worst. Time to look elsewhere for this onetime Garmin subscriber!
Bait consumer
Deceptive advertising by not disclosing the true cost of program prior to downloading and setting up an account.
The collection of data/emails is deceptively based-as such information is demanded prior to disclosure of what the actual cost of the program is.
The collection of data/emails is deceptively based-as such information is demanded prior to disclosure of what the actual cost of the program is.
App doesn’t work
I subscribed for$50 a year and the app just keeps looping me back to choosing my subscription. I have gotten my confirmation from Apple, saying I’ve successfully subscribed and my free 7 day trial has started. The app will not let me do anything. It just keeps popping up to shop subscriptions. Very frustrating
Horribly Greedy
I got this app years ago and paid a set price that was supposed to be forever. Garin bought the company and said I had to update it and now wants $50 a year. They even hide the price. I just went to see if the subscription price has changed in it says that the price is temporarily unavailable. The price is the price although extremely expensive but I had the app in payday set price years ago and they flipped it on me.
Overpriced
I bought this app for an upfront cost to access all of my spots and maps but now they want to charge $50 a year. Overpriced and ridiculous. If it isn’t illegal, it is highly unethical. I hope a competitor can undercut their prices and stop Garmin from raising prices even more. I won’t be buying any Garmin devices in the future.
Stopped working
I had relied on Navionics for years to plan and calculate trips. But without notice or update the route calculation tool stopped working. No matter the distance or complexity, I receive a "Not Able to Calculate Route" error. Guess I'm in the market for a new solution.
They killed it
It used to be incredible. Then garmin acquired Navionics and destroyed it.
Garmin steals your money
Purchased the subscription through the app. Maps will not load. Keeps asking me over and over to subscribe to see maps. Click subscribe for it to just tell me I am already subscribed (which I know…). Maps still won’t load and re-prompt for a subscription. Repeat on loop with no way to contact support. Yes, i purchased the correct map subset. Will be disputing the charge with my credit card.
Subscription Loop
The app is currently broken for new users. I keep being prompted to subscribe even after having already purchasing a subscription. I’m not able to download load any maps. Put a request for refund in with apple.
Dangerously unreliable
We have been using this app for over 3 years and it in general has worked well. But in the last 6 months or so the app randomly stops updating our position or freezes altogether. This can happen at the worst possible time - navigating a tricky inlet or shallow anchorage, etc. Restarting the app usually but not always restores normal operation. Fortunately we have a chartplotter and Aquamap as alternatives but not being able to rely on accurate position data makes Navionics Boating a danger to safe navigation. I am not the only one with this problem. YouTubers Sailing Magic Carpet recently reported the same exact issue that we have observed. The overall quality of Navionics map data is good but the quality of the app itself is unacceptable.
Greedy
Not worth the subscription price of !!!!!$50!!!!!
Do better greedy goblins.
Do better greedy goblins.
Got way too expensive
This was a decent app when it was more reasonably priced. $50/year feels very steep. Would not recommend.
No good
This app does not work. Does not show my location on the map. Shows my arrow jumping all over the map. Got ripped off 50$ on this app.
Dangerous app
The apps new updates has false bottom features and lies about depth, seamount and many critical navigation landmarks. Reported the problem and was told that they make false features as a way to copyright their maps. False depth and bottom contours are dangers. Don’t trust this app to be accurate
Scammers
I paid for this years ago then they take it away when you upgrade your phone and want you to pay $50 a year
No longer works and no support
I’ve happily used this for years, but this app no longer works on my iPhone. A couple of my friends are having a similar issue as well. When trying to download maps, it asks me to subscribe, and because I’m already subscribed I get a message that I’m already subscribed and then I’m caught in a continuous error loop. I emailed for support and still have never received a response.
Lifetime subscription stolen by garmin
I was an avid user of Navionics and ponied up the money for a lifetime subscription only to have it stolen and taken away when garmin acquired the company. They decided greed was more important than grandfathering and honoring paid subscriptions. Never will I use this trash and fund this greedy, two timing company.
Way to expensixe
I have a garmin on my boat , i can’t get maps for a phone for ice fishing?
Trash
The last 3 months regardless of WiFi or device I have with me if I zoom at all on the app the lake simply disappears. I absolutely refuse to pay 50 dollars a year on something I only use a handful of times. The real question is why does it not render big lakes? WiFi nor data work.
Professional Mariner
This app is absolute trash. Do not waste your money with a subscription. Garmin was great for the mini van in 2009, but they have horrible marine products.
big bug of App
When I use this app, it often crashes. This has happened on both my iPhone and iPad. I purchased the service from the China region of the Apple App Store. Please release an improved version as soon as possible.
Overpriced
Garmin ruined this app I paid for a lifetime subscription over 10 years ago and they ended that. I hope that you do not ruin JL audio now that they purchased them.
No Magnetic Heading 👎
I genuinely like many/most of the features of Navionics, I like the interface, I love the infinite direction pointer, fast to load, dashboard is OK, but that all is lost because it delivers heading and bearings in True North and not Magnetic North. This makes the app almost useless for real navigation and true chart plotting. Without Magnetic North this is only a little better then Google maps with navigation boys overlay.
I honestly can’t believe they would put out a serious nautical navigation tool without Magnetic North, it makes it feel like a toy.
I honestly can’t believe they would put out a serious nautical navigation tool without Magnetic North, it makes it feel like a toy.
Crash Course!!
Just upgraded to the 17 Pro Max. App crashes constantly!! I re-downloaded. Argo and other apps work fine!
Do not purchase for Lake Powell
This app is extremely inaccurate for Lake Powell, I was in place where it sad there was no water and the depths was 75 feet and then other areas where islands were just under the surface but it didn’t show an island and it was hundreds of feet deep. Don’t waste your money.
Subscription required
Makes you create a log in, gets your information then informs you need a subscription. Says there are free features but can’t access anything without subscribing or starting free trial.
Garmin RUINED Navionics
Nothing works since Garmin took over Navionics. Most of the time I can’t even open the app because it times out. I’d possibly subscribe if it were at least reasonable for a occasional users (and worked more reliably)….sad to see a good thing gone.
Failed
Unreliable data
Dangerous
While in the middle of my subscription, while boating my charts disappeared! No notice and the subscription had not ended. This company appears to have no concern about the safety of their boating consumers! Be very careful that all your eggs are not in one basket!
Bloated, Overpriced
The app was on, definitely bloated, fine for the old $10 annual subscription for mobile app. The new $49.99 annual subscription will a the deal breaker. Going to C-MAP.
Garmin step up your game
App worked perfectly until garmin came and kooked it, progressively getting worse…
Vhere is Navionics Europe :( give my money
Vhere is Navionics Europe :( give my money
Still terrible
Subscribed again after taking a year off, hoping things might have improved. They haven’t. If you have a Garmin chart plotter and subscribe to Garmin’s charts for it, Active Captain is a much better option. Otherwise there are better and much less expensive options available (TZ iBoat)
Corporate greed ruins everything
Paid for this app years ago and once Garmin got ahold of it they’ve ruined it. That’s why their ratings are so low. They’ve slowly taken away features and made it useless just to make you pay their yearly subscription.
Can't download maps
I loved this app till Garmin took it over. Si ce then I can't download maps. It keeps telling me to subscribe to download, then when I try to, it tells me I'm already subscribed. I've tried everything. Delete the app. Repurchase the app. New account. New password. Still the same problem. Tried support several times. Waiting, waiting, waiting then you hung up on me. Very difficult to contact support or even the chat option. Only a few hours for us around the world. Please improve this support. I've purchased other apps to try and solve this but I am so used to this one and it has all my photos on it, I prefer to keep using it.
Garmin messed this up
Have used this applicator years before Garmin took it over. All my old charts disappeared . Tried to renew and they took my money but can’t access the renewal. They hot my money but program still says it is expired. Will look elsewhere for chart plotter program. Very disappointed.
Not happy
Just not happy with this app. My location constantly gets flipped around. Especially when reversing route. When I chart a new course sometimes it makes a straight line from point a to point b over land. Very frustrating to use. Will not be renewing if it doesn't get better.
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Sentiment summary
42%
Positive (4-5★)
11%
Neutral (3★)
47%
Negative (1-2★)