XGate vs goTenna Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
XGate
This app provides essential communication and data services for satellite phone users in remote locations. It optimizes email, web browsing, and social media, while also offering weather forecasts and integration with navigation tools.
- Optimized email service
- Accelerated web browsing
- Photo compression and sending
- Social media posting
- Point weather forecasts
- GRIB file handling
- Integration with navigation apps
Read full descriptionHide full description
XGate is a suite of email, weather and social media services for satellite phone users. XGate is simply the fastest, easiest and most reliable satellite phone email available, saving you time, money and frustration when using your satellite phone. XGate encompasses all the services a sailor, adventurer or other remote traveler needs including optimized email, web compression, social media, pinpoint weather forecasts, GRIB file handling via PredictWind Offshore, and a robust ecosystem of compatible apps including: Expedition and SailGRIB for navigation; WeatherTrack; Weather 4D; iNavX; and Xaxero GribPlot for weather. More about XGate can be found at http://www.globalmarinenet.com XGate’s seamless integration with the world’s leading navigation and weather apps makes it simple to download critical data from many apps all within the highly optimized XGate system. With features such as mid file restart for dropped transmissions and Big Mail filters to choose what is downloaded, XGate greatly eases frustration and adds significant airtime savings. XGate services include: • Accelerated Email – Email service offers up to 20 times acceleration versus uncompressed speeds, saving up to 85% on satellite airtime. Works with a dedicated email address or third-party services such as Gmail, iCloud, Yahoo! Mail or your corporate mail address. Or, use a dedicated XGate email address for maximum security and performance. • Accelerated Web Browsing – Compression uses a web proxy service to provide users with 3-5 times average web acceleration, while also blocking ads, checking for malicious sites and compressing images. • Send photo – Compresses, resizes and sends photos over satellite. 2MB iPhone photos can be compressed to usable 25Kb images. User selectable size and quality. • Social media – Users can post text and photos to Facebook and Twitter over satellite. • Point Weather– Local and global weather forecasts including temperature, pressure, wind speed, wind direction, and precipitation. • PredictWind Offshore – XGate includes the PredictWind Offshore app with GRIB weather file requestor and viewer. XGate also works with a wide range of other weather and navigation applications from leading providers. • Sailblogs – Users get free access to a Sailblogs Premium Basic account to help them share their adventures while travelling with their satphone. This App is available for FREE to XGate users meeting one of the following requirements. 1. Iridium AxcessPoint WiFi router, Redport Optimizer routers, Sattrans and Satstation docks, or the Globalstar GSP-9600 router. 2. One of the following devices and associated services - Inmarsat FleetBroadband - Inmarsat Isatphone - Inmarsat BGAN - Iridium Open Port - Iridium GO! - Iridium 9555 or 9575 - Iridium Legacy 9500, 9505, or 9505a - Iridium fixed phone based on 9522 such as the eurocom or beam rst100 - Aurora Iridium satellite terminal - MCG-101 Iridium satellite terminal - Thuraya and Thuraya IP - Globalstar 1600, 1700, 2900, Sat-Fi - VSAT service - Internet connection via WiFi 3. An XGate and/or XWeb username and password Standard network usage fees for airtime may apply when using this software. Please check with your satellite airtime provider for details. About Global Marine Networks, LLC Global Marine Networks (GMN), offers the industry’s fastest, most reliable and easy-to-use services including email, web, hardware and software. The company’s products include XGate high-speed satellite email, satellite terminals, airtime and vessel tracking systems. GMN has numerous awards and certifications for technical innovation. For more information on how GMN is Making Airtime Count™ visit http://www.globalmarinenet.com.
goTenna Pro
This app enables mission-critical, off-grid communications by pairing with specialized radio devices. It allows users to send text messages, share locations, and mark maps without relying on cellular or Wi-Fi networks. It also supports interoperability with other tactical systems.
- Off-grid text messaging
- Real-time location sharing
- Customizable map markings
- Route and geofencing tools
- Interoperability with ATAK
- Offline map import
Read full descriptionHide full description
The goTenna Pro app is a tactical situational awareness application that pairs with goTenna Pro and goTenna Pro X2 mesh networking radio devices to enable mission-critical communications completely independent of traditional cell, Wi-Fi, or satellite connectivity. Users can download the goTenna Pro app to any iOS device, pair with a goTenna Pro or goTenna Pro X2 tactical radio, and then use the mobile device to communicate critical information like near real-time locations, share map markings, and send text messages while 100% off-grid. The app supports full interoperability with ATAK and the goTenna Android goTenna Pro app for seamless cross-platform mission coordination. goTenna Pro tactical radios have a 5W, tunable UHF/VHF output that can transmit critical data from your iOS device and also automatically act as relays that securely and anonymously “hop” messages across up to 6 devices to extend range. Key Features - Send & receive text-based messages - Automatic blue force tracking - Customizable map markers for emergencies, dangers, and objectives - Routes, perimeters, geofencing, and shape drawing tools - Individual & group messaging - Broadcasts to anyone within range on your network - Interoperability with iOS/Android goTenna Pro apps, ATAK plugin v2.2.50, and iTAK v2.10.1 - Ability to import offline maps (.sqlite files) to display custom maps on the field - Send/receive standard 2525B tactical markers
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: XGate at 33% against goTenna Pro's 0%. XGate also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15). goTenna Pro's advantage is rating (3.0 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (24 vs 4). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
goTenna Pro holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: goTenna Pro has 24 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 33% of XGate's written reviews are positive against 0% of goTenna Pro's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
XGate ships an update every 2 months, goTenna Pro monthly. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | XGate | goTenna Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (4 ratings) | 3.0 (24 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 24 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 24 MB | 72 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Global Marine Networks, LLC | goTenna Inc. |
Customer experience
XGate
goTenna Pro
In-app purchases
XGate
No in-app purchases
goTenna Pro
No in-app purchases









