# ActiveCaptain® — Connect to Your GPS Plotter

> Mobile app for Garmin chartplotters, offering chart access, community features, and remote monitoring. (iPhone/iPad app by Garmin.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Garmin](https://appshunter.io/developer/411046952)
- Category: Navigation
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 4.00/5 from 5,011 App Store ratings · 885 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 195 MB
- Languages: American English, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Estonian, Finnish, French (France), German (Germany) and 21 more
- Released: 2017-11-07
- Data updated: 2026-08-26
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews.md

## What is ActiveCaptain®?

The free ActiveCaptain app creates a powerful connection between your compatible mobile device and Garmin chartplotter, charts, maps and the boating community. Whether you use your Garmin products for cruising, fishing, sailing or diving, this all-in-one app will help you enjoy your time on the water.

Just pair the app with your compatible chartplotter to wirelessly transfer and access charts and maps, software updates, routes, waypoints and helpful feedback from the ActiveCaptain Community. And, with the purchase of the OnDeck™ hub(1), you can track and monitor your boat from virtually anywhere.

Please note that this app is intended for Garmin chartplotter owners and is not recommended for use as a stand-alone navigational app.

FEATURES AVAILABLE:
- ONECHART™:
> New Garmin Navionics+™ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+™ cartography, featuring a Navionics® style appearance, advanced Auto Guidance+™ technology(2) and a one-year subscription to daily updates, is available now for North America and Europe, and coming soon to the rest of the world.

Purchase our newest-generation charts or legacy BlueChart® g3 charts from your mobile device, and upload them to registered Garmin chartplotters on your vessel. 

You will get exceptional coverage, clarity and detail with charts that feature integrated Garmin and Navionics data and much more. Plus, the NOAA raster cartography(3) and premium features can be downloaded for free through the ActiveCaptain app. Visit Garmin.com/marinemaps.


- PLAN A TRIP: Plan your trip, or e-scout a new fishing spot before you’re on the water. Then, transfer your data to your chartplotter where you can view your routes and waypoints.

- USER DATA SYNC: Automatically back up and sync your data between your chartplotter and the ActiveCaptain app.

- ACTIVECAPTAIN COMMUNITY: Join a community of boaters to get up-to-date feedback on marinas, boat ramps and other points of interest (POI). Check ratings, read reviews, and view pictures of POIs to make informed decisions on the water. Contribute your own POI, reviews and pictures from your compatible mobile device.

- CONTROL YOUR CHARTPLOTTER: Using the built-in Helm™ feature, the ActiveCaptain app lets you view and control your compatible(4) chartplotter from your smartphone or tablet, even when someone else is at the helm(5).

- EASY SOFTWARE UPDATES: Receive notifications about software updates from the app, and update your chartplotter wirelessly.

- ONDECK HUB: Use the ActiveCaptain app to track, monitor and control any number of switches with the OnDeck system(1) from nearly anywhere. Door open? Bilge running? Peace of mind comes in the form of text alerts and updates. 

- GARMIN QUICKDRAWTM COMMUNITY: Download the latest 1’ HD contour maps shared by your fellow boaters, and sync with your chartplotter. You can also upload your own Quickdraw Contours map data.

- SMART NOTIFICATIONS: Connect the app to your chartplotter, and turn on smart notifications(4) to see calls, text messages and more on the chartplotter display while your phone is somewhere safe and dry.


FOOTNOTES
1)OnDeck hub sold separately and requires an active subscription plan
2)Auto Guidance+ is for planning purposes only and does not replace safe navigation operations
3)NOAA raster cartography cannot be viewed on echoMAP™ CHIRP and ECHOMAP™ Plus combos but can be viewed on mobile devices via the ActiveCaptain mobile app
4)Helm feature is not compatible with ECHOMAP series chartplotters
5)Check device compatibility on the ActiveCaptain app web page; visit https://www.garmin.com/c/marine/marine-apps/

End User License Agreement: https://www.garmin.com/en-US/legal/marine-mobile-eula/

## Key features

- Wireless chart and map transfer
- Route and waypoint planning
- ActiveCaptain Community for POI reviews
- Chartplotter control via Helm feature
- Easy software updates
- OnDeck system monitoring
- Garmin Quickdraw Community map sharing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| g4 Vision U.S. South | $129.99 | per year |
| g4 Vision U.S. East | $129.99 | per year |
| g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i | $99.99 | per year |
| NSUS007R-U.S. East | $74.99 | per year |
| NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada | $99.99 | per year |
| NSUS006R-U.S. South | $74.99 | per year |
| GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In | $149.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| US+Great Lakes Detail Map | $99.99 | one-time |
| U.S. LakeVü Detail Map | $59.99 | one-time |
| HXUS604X - Download | $219.99 | one-time |
| LUS100F - Download | $149.99 | one-time |
| VUS010R - Download | $174.99 | one-time |
| BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I | $99.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. South | $149.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. East | $249.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. East | $149.99 | one-time |
| GN+ U.S. & Canada | $199.99 | one-time |
| GNV+ U.S. South | $249.99 | one-time |


## Chart rankings

- #102 in Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)
- #23 in Top Grossing · Navigation (US App Store)

## What do users think of ActiveCaptain®?

Overall sentiment: neutral

**Pros**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Seamless integration with Garmin devices
- 💡 Useful for planning trips and managing waypoints
- 🚀 Convenient for updating software and charts
- 👍 Great app for Garmin users

**Cons**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and connection issues
- 🔍 Limited chart and mapping functionality compared to competitors
- 🤔 Difficult to transfer data between devices
- 🤔 Confusing and not very intuitive user interface
- 💰 Expensive for the features provided

**Commonly reported bugs**

- Charts and maps not loading properly
- Waypoints and routes not syncing correctly
- Constant prompts to purchase additional charts
- Compatibility issues with older Garmin devices

**Most requested features**

- Ability to duplicate and edit existing routes
- Sync user data across multiple devices
- Improved chart detail and coverage
- Animated tides and currents
- Better integration with other navigation apps

## Recent user reviews (10 of 885)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/activecaptain/id1116089313/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Fishy Finder

*2026-08-23, version 44.0*

It is very easy to use and the data and track or exact and help find fish and your way to the fish

### 1/5 — Many Issues

*2026-08-23, version 44.0*

It refuses to stay connected to each other at the boat. Routes dont transfer. The whole idea of the app i assumed was to NOT have to spend time at the screen console once your on the boat. Its not intuitive and no robust sync connection. I hate ot frankly. Lol. The app Its garbage.

### 1/5 — It sucks

*2026-08-21, version 44.0*

Not as good as the boat app . Clunky needs much improvements

### 5/5 — Fantastic guide

*2026-08-17, version 44.0*

Activated my Echomap in conjunction with the app and this works wonders. I can use it by itself to which I’ve done and works as advertised.

### 1/5 — Garbage

*2026-08-15, version 44.0*

Really the worst app and interface to devices I have ever dealt with.

### 5/5 — Excellent

*2026-08-14, version 44.0*

Easy to understand , very friendly and powerful

### 1/5 — Sucks

*2026-08-12, version 44.0*

Spent 200 bucks on a chart to download on my sd card…but the files won’t copy to sd card so I got this app per instructions and now my download is on my phone and not a sd card and I can’t connect to my Garmin plotter to upload because it is older….scam…should have just order the disk and had it mailed

### 5/5 — Excelente

*2026-08-11, version 44.0*

Muy útil

### 1/5 — Non user friendly

*2026-08-10, version 44.0*

No sign off option

### 1/5 — CONFUSING

*2026-08-09, version 44.0*

This is ridiculously confusing. It’s not intuitive in any way shape or form. It’s an all day affair to update maps after paying hundreds of dollars for various optional Maps. It’s the most frustrating experience ever.

## Frequently asked questions about ActiveCaptain®

### What does the ActiveCaptain app do?

The ActiveCaptain app connects your compatible mobile device to your Garmin chartplotter. It allows you to wirelessly transfer charts, maps, software updates, routes, and waypoints. You can also access a community of boaters for reviews on marinas and points of interest, and even control your chartplotter remotely.

### What are the key features of the ActiveCaptain app?

Key features include OneChart for purchasing and transferring new Garmin Navionics+ and Vision+ cartography, Plan a Trip for route planning, User Data Sync for backing up data, the ActiveCaptain Community for POI information, the Helm feature to control your chartplotter, easy software updates, OnDeck system monitoring, and the Garmin Quickdraw Community for HD contour maps.

### Is the ActiveCaptain app free to use?

The ActiveCaptain app itself is free to download and use. However, it offers in-app purchases for new Garmin Navionics+ and premium Garmin Navionics Vision+ cartography. Some features, like NOAA raster cartography, can be downloaded for free.

### What devices is the ActiveCaptain app compatible with?

The app is designed to connect with compatible Garmin chartplotters. It is intended for Garmin chartplotter owners and is not recommended as a stand-alone navigational app. Specific compatibility details for chartplotters and mobile devices can be found on the Garmin website.

### How can the ActiveCaptain app help with boating trips?

The app helps with trip planning by allowing you to plan routes and e-scout fishing spots before you are on the water, then transfer this data to your chartplotter. The ActiveCaptain Community provides valuable insights into marinas, boat ramps, and other points of interest through user reviews and ratings, helping you make informed decisions.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 44.0 — 2026-06-25

Bug fixing and optimization

### 43.0 — 2026-04-01

- Improved chart handling: The lake level can now be set independently from the vessel position
- Bug fixing and optimization

### 42.0 — 2026-01-07

- Improved device registration workflow
- Bug fixing and optimization

### 41.0 — 2025-10-22

Bug fixing and optimization

### 40.1 — 2025-08-20

Bug fixing and optimization

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-26.*