The 9 Best Marine GPS
Updated by · How we research
Nine marine GPS chartplotters and handhelds compared on charts, screens, sonar and price. The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73cv leads for small and mid-size boats. When users buy our independently chosen editorial recommendations, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Every marine GPS reads the same satellites, so position accuracy barely varies between brands. What changes is the chart loaded on the unit: inland lakes or coastal waters, full nautical charts or a bare basemap. Buy for the water you boat on. These picks suit anglers, small-boat owners, center-console skippers and sailors who want a floating handheld backup.
Editor's Notes
November 1, 2026, by Ezvid Wiki Admin:
The Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73cv now leads this list. It pairs a 7-inch screen and buttons that work with wet hands with a transducer and detailed lake charts in the box, for well under the cost of a 9-inch unit. Not one unit from the earlier version survives. The Raymarine Axiom 7 is no longer available, the rest, from the Lowrance HDS Live to the Simrad GO7 XSR, have newer replacements, and the old Garmin 78S handheld gave way to its successor, the Garmin GPSMAP 79sc, which adds coastal charts.
Since GPS accuracy hardly differs between brands, we judged each unit by which charts ship with it, whether the transducer and mount are in the box, and how it connects to radar or an autopilot, working from makers' part numbers, dealer spec sheets and a boating magazine's chartplotter roundup. No lab has published tests of these particular models. Pure fish finders without charts mostly stay on our fish finder list.
November 05, 2020:
Few advancements have made navigating a boat easier than GPS, and the models on this list take that a step further by incorporating useful features such as, depending on the model, fish and depth finders, the ability to control autopilot systems, engine integration, Bleutooth or Wi-Fi connectivity,push notifications, the ability create your own maps, and more.
We made a lot of changes during this update for various reasons. In the case of the Lowrance Hook2-7, we removed it in favor of the Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 SplitShot, which is a newer iteration. The latter has the memory card slot hidden in a more sheltered location, FishReveal and Genesis Live software, what most consider to be improved palettes, and a few other changes that make it a better unit overall. We also added the Elite-12 Ti2 for those who want a 12-inch display but for about half the cost of most other models with relatively comparable features.
The discontinued Garmin 1040xs is another model that was removed from our list. It was replaced by the Garmin GPSMap 942 Plus, which has a 1-inch smaller display, but with touchscreen functionality. It is also preloaded bluechart G3 coastal charts and LakeVü G3, whereas the 1040xs had the older version of both map databases.
Another change was replacing the Garmin Echomap Plus 74Cv with the Garmin EchoMap UHD 74Cv, the latter of which offers a enhanced resolution due to its better sonar technology, and also comes with the newest coastal maps. Additionally we eliminated the discontinued Simrad GO7 XSE in favor of the Simrad GO7 XSR, which has similar specs but a notable difference in that it is radar capable.
Some other changes include eliminating the Garmin Striker 7sv, which had very limited GPS capabilities, and the Garmin Striker 4, which simply had too small of a screen for a mounted option.
May 22, 2019:
GPS units are just as important, if not more so, on the water as on land. Whether you need one to mark favorite fishing and dive spots, navigate your way to a new port, or simply to track your vessel speed, the information they provide will come in handy when boating. These days, they are capable of so much more than simply telling you which direction to go. For example, the Lowrance HDS Live can make piloting your vessel safer. Once programmed with your boat's information, such as draft, height, and beam, it will automatically create a route to your destination that avoids any potential trouble spots. The Simrad Go7 XSE, Garmin Echomap Plus 74Cv, and Raymarine Axiom 7 all feature a touchscreen interface for convenient operation and produce high-quality images of underwater structures, while the Garmin 1040xs features a split screen mode that allows you to view two different data sets simultaneously. For those with smaller vessels, we have included the handheld Garmin 78S and compact Garmin Striker 4. If you are worried about future issues with your device, you'll appreciate the five-year upgrade policy on the Lowrance Hook2-7. Even when it goes past its one-year warranty, the company will allow you to buy one of their new GPS units for half-price if your current one breaks. Except for the Garmin 78S, all of the rest of the units on our list also double as depth and fishfinders.
Special Honors
Raymarine Axiom Raymarine, a FLIR company, makes the Axiom line of touchscreen chartplotters, from 7-inch units for small boats to large helm displays that run radar, cameras and autopilots. They use Navionics or LightHouse charts and are popular with sailors. The Axiom 7 is hard to find new from big online stores right now, so buy through a marine electronics dealer. raymarine.com
Furuno Furuno, a Japanese maker of commercial marine electronics, builds the chartplotters, radars and sonar that many fishing fleets and offshore captains rely on. Its NavNet displays cost more and are sold and installed through marine dealers, which suits big boats that run long distances. furuno.com
GPS, Chartplotter And The Charts That Matter
An electronic chart is only as good as the survey behind it.
A GPS receiver only works out where you are. A chartplotter draws that position on an electronic nautical chart, and that's what boaters now mean by a marine GPS (Wikipedia: Chartplotter). Because every brand reads the same satellites, position accuracy is broadly the same from one maker to the next; Powerboat & RIB's buyer's guide points to charts, screen, sonar and networking as the real differences (Powerboat & RIB).
Check the chart region before you buy. Garmin sells the same ECHOMAP UHD2 hardware with inland charts (the 73cv and 53cv) or coastal charts (the 74cv and 54cv), and the wrong one leaves you with a bare basemap where you boat. Simrad and Lowrance use C-MAP charts, Garmin uses its own charts with Navionics data, and Humminbird ships a basic map that takes optional chart cards. Update the charts before the season, since channels and markers move.
An electronic chart is only as good as the survey behind it. Official U.S. charts come from the NOAA Office of Coast Survey, and a sensible skipper still carries a paper chart or a second device for the same water.
Screen Size, Buttons And What Comes In The Box
Match the screen to the console. A 4- or 5-inch unit suits a kayak, canoe or jon boat; about 7 inches fits most boats from 16 to 20 feet; 9 inches and up makes sense on a center console with a wide dash. A bigger screen matters most when you split it between chart and sonar.
Buttons or touch is a real choice. Keys and a rocker work with wet or gloved hands and when the boat is pounding, which is why units like the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73cv keep them. Touchscreens, as on the Simrad GO9, are quicker for panning and zooming a chart at the dock or in calm water. Ease of use varies more between brands than accuracy does, so try the menus at a dealer if you can (Powerboat & RIB).
Read the box contents. Most combo units here include a transom transducer and a tilt-and-swivel bracket, but the Garmin GPSMAP 943xsv comes without a transducer, and some high-end units ship as the screen alone. A side-scanning transducer costs more and only helps if you fish. Mount the screen where the driver can see it without leaning, and keep a sun cover on it at the dock.
Power, Networking And A Backup
Chartplotters run on the boat's 12-volt system and should be wired to their own fused circuit, not clipped onto a bilge pump or light wire. A loose or corroded connection is the usual cause of a unit that reboots in rough water.
Networking matters only if you plan to add more gear. NMEA 2000 is the standard wiring that lets a chartplotter show engine data, talk to a VHF radio and steer an autopilot; Simrad's GO9 and Garmin's GPSMAP line support it, and radar adds a separate cable. If your boat has none of that, a simpler unit with Wi-Fi sharing is enough.
No screen replaces a lookout. The federal Navigation Rules require every vessel to keep a proper lookout by sight and hearing at all times (U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center). Carry a charged handheld GPS or phone with charts as a backup, and know how to read a paper chart. If finding fish matters more than finding your way, see our best fish finders.
How we researched this
We compared 21 marine GPS units, chartplotters and handhelds from Garmin, Simrad, Lowrance, Humminbird and Raymarine, read the makers' part-number specs and dealer spec sheets for the nine finalists, used a boating magazine's chartplotter roundup for the buying factors, analyzed owner feedback patterns, and checked every brand against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's recall database. We found no recalls.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a marine GPS and a chartplotter?
A GPS reports your position. A chartplotter shows that position on an electronic nautical chart, with depth, markers and hazards. Most marine GPS units sold today are chartplotters, often with a built-in fish finder.
Is Garmin or Simrad better?
Neither is better across the board. Garmin offers more keyed models and its own charts with Navionics data; Simrad leans on touchscreens and C-MAP charts with strong networking for radar and autopilots. Pick the charts and controls you prefer.
Do I need a transducer with a marine GPS?
Only for depth and sonar. Most combo units include one, but some high-end displays, such as the Garmin GPSMAP 943xsv, are sold without it. A handheld or a GPS-only plotter needs no transducer.
Do I still need paper charts?
On a recreational boat it's wise to carry them, or at least a second device with charts. A chartplotter can lose power or fail, and an electronic chart is only as accurate as the survey behind it.
What is the best marine GPS for a small boat?
A 5-inch keyed unit with a transducer, such as the Humminbird Helix 5 G3 for lakes or the Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 54cv for coastal water. On a kayak, the Garmin Striker Vivid 4cv or a floating handheld is enough.
