Comparison

XGate vs irARM Connect

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • Optimized email service
  • Accelerated web browsing
  • Photo compression and sending
  • Social media posting
  • Point weather forecasts
  • GRIB file handling
  • Integration with navigation apps
Features
Read 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.

About

irARM Connect

Features
Read full description

The application allows hunters and others to pinpoint their position, their direction of aim, and geo coordinates by Geotagging of the target when using Armasight optional clip-on rangefinder or unit's integrated, using both terrain map or satellite map features on their respective mobile device. In addition to that, irARM Connect App allows users to select a tab for system level remote operations to change all functions normally reserved for the wireless remote via cell phone in a very simple and intuitive graphic interface. Also there is option for Kestrel 4500/5500 series weather station data directly to the mobile device and ballistic calculations based on the received data. The application also supports real time video stream over Wi-Fi for numerous irARM devices.

Screenshots

XGate4 screens
irARM Connect3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: XGate at every 2 months against irARM Connect's every 15 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

XGate ships an update every 2 months, irARM Connect every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on June 2, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
XGate versus irARM Connect: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterXGateirARM Connect
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (4 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings4 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size24 MB75 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGlobal Marine Networks, LLCAEMC

In-app purchases

None

XGate

No in-app purchases

None

irARM Connect

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is XGate free?
XGate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is irARM Connect free?
irARM Connect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do XGate or irARM Connect have ads?
Neither XGate nor irARM Connect shows ads.
Which is updated more often, XGate or irARM Connect?
XGate ships an update every 2 months, and irARM Connect every 15 months. Most recently, XGate was updated on June 2, 2026 and irARM Connect on August 20, 2026.

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