Comparison

ActiveCaptain® vs BRP GO!

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ActiveCaptain®

This app connects your mobile device to compatible Garmin chartplotters, enabling wireless chart and map transfers, software updates, and route planning. It also provides access to a community of boaters for reviews and information on marinas and points of interest.

Highlights
  • 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
Read full description

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/

About

BRP GO!

This app provides a connected riding experience for powersports enthusiasts. It offers detailed maps, route planning, turn-by-turn navigation, and real-time friend tracking for snowmobiles, off-road vehicles, and watercraft. It also integrates with vehicle displays for seamless access to navigation and other apps.

Highlights
  • Turn-by-turn navigation for trails
  • Offline map downloads
  • Route planning and sharing
  • Real-time friend tracking
  • Points of interest discovery
  • Vehicle display integration (BRP Connect™)
  • Nautical charts (subscription)
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

YOUR ALL-IN-ONE SOURCE FOR A CONNECTED EXPERIENCE Whether you’re carving through snow, making waves, tearing up trails, or cruising on the open road, BRP GO! is there. Utilize advanced navigation features, group riding capabilities, and instant access to key vehicle info for your Ski-Doo, Lynx, Sea-Doo, Can-Am Off-Road or On-Road vehicle. Plus, supercharge your journey with exclusive features for your Vibe or Vibe Universal communication system. NAVIGATION FEATURES • Access thousands of snowmobile and off-road vehicles (SxS and ATV) trails* • Navigate with detailed nautical charts from Navionics™ (with subscription) • Plan your itineraries • Ride with turn-by-turn navigation • Download areas on the map for offline GPS navigation (without cellular network) • Record your trips and leave a breadcrumb • Search thousands of official points of interest (gas stations, restaurants, marinas, and more) • Save custom locations on the map • Redo past rides • Create groups and share rides with friends • Locate friends in real time on the map • Monitor your ride statistics • Access navigation features directly from the 7.8"" or 10.25"" display of some vehicle models *Clubs, federations and other official sources provide us with trail data. Clubs and federations can express their interest in being part of BRP GO! by contacting us at navigationapp@brp.com VEHICLE INFO • Access your vehicle information and owner’s manual • View key EV information for your Can-Am Pulse or Origin electric motorcycle (battery level, estimated range, vehicle location and more) VIBE™ COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS • Easily set up and manage your Vibe™ and Vibe Universal™ communication systems (audio settings, device language, firmware updates and more) NAUTICAL CHARTS FROM NAVIONICS™ With an annual subscription, benefit from high-quality detailed cartography from Navionics™ for your adventures and activities on lakes, rivers and seas. Navigating on your Sea-Doo personal watercraft or pontoon (or any other boat) has never been more convenient and intuitive than with these nautical charts. Two additional map layers are available with the subscription: • Nautical Chart: Locate navigation aids (such as buoys and lighthouses) & nearby marine services, study safety depth contours & port plans, and more • SonarChart™: Discover what lies underneath in detail with the precise bottom contours of an HD bathymetric map, perfect for better locating shallow waters and identifying fishing areas At this time, nautical chart subscriptions are not available in Brazil Terms and conditions: https://bit.ly/brpgo-terms-conditions Privacy policy: https://bit.ly/brpgo-privacy

Screenshots

ActiveCaptain®4 screens
BRP GO!4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ActiveCaptain® at 56% against BRP GO!'s 15%. ActiveCaptain® also leads on chart position (#30 vs #204). BRP GO!'s advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 3 months) and rating (4.2 vs 4.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. ActiveCaptain® sells 18 in-app purchases, starting at $74.99 per year and BRP GO! sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BRP GO! holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.2K and 3.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 56% of ActiveCaptain®'s written reviews are positive against 15% of BRP GO!'s, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, BRP GO! every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on October 2, 2026.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
ActiveCaptain® versus BRP GO!: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterActiveCaptain®BRP GO!
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (5.2K ratings)4.2 (3.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews56.2% of reviews — better14.9% of reviews
Number of ratings5.2K — better3.1K
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#30 — better#204
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS18.518.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size196 MB334 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarminBRP Inc.

Customer experience

ActiveCaptain®

All ratings5,159 ratings
Positive72.9%
Neutral3.7%
Negative23.4%
Written reviews909 reviews
Positive56.2%
Neutral4.7%
Negative39.1%

BRP GO!

All ratings3,098 ratings
Positive77.9%
Neutral6.9%
Negative15.1%
Written reviews382 reviews
Positive14.9%
Neutral14.9%
Negative70.2%

User reviews

ActiveCaptain®

From 5.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 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

Room to improve

  • 🐛 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

BRP GO!

From 3.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great app
  • 🚀 Works well
  • 🚀 Decent app
  • 🚀 Accurate
  • 🚀 Functional

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Glitchy app
  • 🐛 Crashes frequently
  • 🐛 Connectivity issues
  • 🐛 Unreliable
  • 🐛 Buggy

Bugs and requests

ActiveCaptain®

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

BRP GO!

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Connectivity issues with vehicle
  • Music playback problems
  • Navigation not working as expected
  • Offline maps not loading properly
Show 1 more
  • App logging users out unexpectedly

Requested features

10 requests
  • Add offline map viewing
  • Improve trail reporting
  • Allow custom map overlays
  • Integrate with more music apps
  • Add ability to view friends' locations offline
Show 5 more
  • Improve route planning and navigation
  • Add support for more regions/countries
  • Improve map accuracy and trail coverage
  • Add more customization options
  • Integrate with popular navigation apps like Google Maps

In-app purchases

18 purchases

ActiveCaptain®

Subscriptions7
  • NSUS007R-U.S. East$74.991 Year
  • NSUS006R-U.S. South$74.991 Year
  • g4 U.S. Lakes & Rivers Built-i$99.991 Year
Show 4 more
  • NSUS001L-U.S. & Canada$99.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. South$129.991 Year
  • g4 Vision U.S. East$129.991 Year
  • GN+ US & Coast Canada Built-In$149.991 Year
One-time11
  • U.S. LakeVü Detail Map$59.99
  • US+Great Lakes Detail Map$99.99
  • BlueChart g3+LakeVu g3 Built-I$99.99
Show 8 more
  • LUS100F - Download$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. South$149.99
  • GN+ U.S. East$149.99
  • VUS010R - Download$174.99
  • GN+ U.S. & Canada$199.99
  • HXUS604X - Download$219.99
  • GNV+ U.S. East$249.99
  • GNV+ U.S. South$249.99
11 purchases

BRP GO!

Subscriptions11
  • United States & Canada$19.991 Year
  • Australia & New Zealand$19.991 Year
  • China Sea & Japan$24.991 Year
Show 8 more
  • Pacific Islands$24.991 Year
  • Indian Ocean & South China$24.991 Year
  • Mexico, Caribbean to Brazil$26.991 Year
  • Baltic Sea$31.991 Year
  • Mediterranean & Black Sea$32.991 Year
  • Central & West Europe$42.991 Year
  • Africa & Middle East$47.991 Year
  • Adriatic & Ionian Sea$59.991 Year

Questions

Is ActiveCaptain® free?
ActiveCaptain® is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BRP GO! free?
BRP GO! is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, ActiveCaptain® or BRP GO!?
BRP GO! is rated higher. ActiveCaptain® averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5.2K ratings, while BRP GO! averages 4.2 from 3.1K ratings.
Do ActiveCaptain® or BRP GO! have ads?
Neither ActiveCaptain® nor BRP GO! shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ActiveCaptain® or BRP GO!?
ActiveCaptain® ships an update every 3 months, and BRP GO! every 4 weeks. Most recently, ActiveCaptain® was updated on October 2, 2026 and BRP GO! on October 2, 2026.
Which is more popular, ActiveCaptain® or BRP GO!?
ActiveCaptain® currently peaks at #30 in the App Store charts, and BRP GO! at #204. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

Other comparisons