Charts app for Android phone?

T

trialframe

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 Nov 2003
Messages
324
Location
Weymouth UK
Visit site
Apologies if this has been covered previously, but my Navionics subscription will need renewing soon and I'm wondering if there's an alternative charts app for my Samsung Galaxy S25 ultra.
I don't use Navionics for navigating, just for outline planning.
Something relatively easy to use with a one-off fee, but allowing ongoing access to the (UK and Europe) charts would be great.
 
trialframe said:
Apologies if this has been covered previously, but my Navionics subscription will need renewing soon and I'm wondering if there's an alternative charts app for my Samsung Galaxy S25 ultra.
I don't use Navionics for navigating, just for outline planning.
Something relatively easy to use with a one-off fee, but allowing ongoing access to the (UK and Europe) charts would be great.
Click to expand...
Orca.
 
trialframe said:
Apologies if this has been covered previously, but my Navionics subscription will need renewing soon and I'm wondering if there's an alternative charts app for my Samsung Galaxy S25 ultra.
I don't use Navionics for navigating, just for outline planning.
Something relatively easy to use with a one-off fee, but allowing ongoing access to the (UK and Europe) charts would be great.
Click to expand...
Navionics ,Android, as in now called
Garmin Navionics Boating ?
Unless you need the latest rocks update, it should be fine without re- subscribing? You just dont get the updates, if you need them.
At least, that is how I am currently using it.
 
trialframe said:
Apologies if this has been covered previously, but my Navionics subscription will need renewing soon and I'm wondering if there's an alternative charts app for my Samsung Galaxy S25 ultra.
I don't use Navionics for navigating, just for outline planning.
Something relatively easy to use with a one-off fee, but allowing ongoing access to the (UK and Europe) charts would be great.
Click to expand...
If you always have internet then Orca’s free solution will work (treat all tidal stuff with submission). I *think* you can export GPX to use elsewhere.
 
gjgm said:
Navionics ,Android, as in now called
Garmin Navionics Boating ?
Unless you need the latest rocks update, it should be fine without re- subscribing? You just dont get the updates, if you need them.
At least, that is how I am currently using it.
Click to expand...

Exactly .... subscription allows you to update the charts ... when sub runs out - you still have the charts embedded into the app on your phone / tablet to use .. but you lose the additions such as AIS / Updates etc ...
 
Refueler said:
Exactly .... subscription allows you to update the charts ... when sub runs out - you still have the charts embedded into the app on your phone / tablet to use .. but you lose the additions such as AIS / Updates etc ...
Click to expand...
What happens if your phone crashes and you have to re install? Can you get back your paid for (but out of date now) charts?
 
ProDave said:
What happens if your phone crashes and you have to re install? Can you get back your paid for (but out of date now) charts?
Click to expand...
I can’t say for sure, but I upgraded my (iPhone fwiw) over the winter. I cannot re-download new charts without resubscribing on the new phone.

This season I’m using OpenCPN on my android tablet and alongside on my iPad, I’m trialing Time zero as that integrated nicely (apparently) with my new furuno radar.
 
Minerva said:
.., I’m trialing Time zero as that integrated nicely (apparently) with my new furuno radar.
Click to expand...

I stopped using Time Zero. I am very much a visual, pilotage navigator, which is a bit ironic on a good plotter, but TZ land features are abysmal, almost non existing.
 
Minerva said:
I can’t say for sure, but I upgraded my (iPhone fwiw) over the winter. I cannot re-download new charts without resubscribing on the new phone.

This season I’m using OpenCPN on my android tablet and alongside on my iPad, I’m trialing Time zero as that integrated nicely (apparently) with my new furuno radar.
Click to expand...
That is my gripe with paid for charts. They are downloaded straight into the app, no way to back them up and re install them and after a year you can't re download them.

Having been stung like that and still, on principle, peeved that I can now no longer view the charts I paid for (because the phone they were in died) I am now using the most up to date CM93 charts that I could find to download for free. And they seem to be up to date on all features that I am aware of.

Imagine if you bought paper charts and after a year the ink became invisible? Paid for charts should have some mechanism to save and restore them.
 
After Garmin took over Navionics, they delete any expired charts from your app. It used to be you could still view them but not autoroute, but now not even visible, just the base map.

You can check if they are saved on your device by zooming out and looking for white areas.


Screenshot_20260510-122259_Boating.jpg


Screenshot_20260510-122329_Boating.jpg
 
Last edited:
Personally, don’t be a cheapskate and pay the subscription annually and keep the chart set up to date. The OP doesn’t state where they sail but if it’s the UK then all of the OP criteria is met with the free Memory Maps for All application, and a one off annual subscription for a full set of UKHO raster charts quilted for seamless in app viewing via scroll and zoom. Can be downloaded onto your device for ever, for about £28.
 
Garmin are getting a dodgy name for sharp practice, buying up competitors and then dumping their products and there have been a number of iterations of failing support over the years - reported and moaned about on here.
The rental model seems to be the US business scam of the 2020's. I will avoid personally.

.
 
wonkywinch said:
I just double checked by zooming into several areas where I sailed using those previous subscriptions. Definitely nothing there except the blocky generic base map.
Click to expand...
My understanding is that with the subscription model and the entire chart that you bought, you have 12 months to decide how much of that chart you actually want to fill up your phone storage, and you get 12 months of updates etc. You can also apply the app and chart detail to multiple devices at this time. After 12 months you can continue to use the DOWNLOADED chart detail.
Of course, if you didn't download an area of interest or deleted it, then it isnt in your app/on your phone.
Chart depending, it costs about £40, and unless you need that latest update, I think you may well be ok for 2 to 3 years.
Sounds a bargain to me!
 
Wonky is correct that I error'd in my link ... that the link referred to purchased SD card format.

On further search - it appears that a short while back - Garmin issued an App update that removed the use of out of sub charts downloaded to your phone / tablet ... with a number of forums saying that you should NOT update the App if you want to keep the charts !!

TBH - given the cost of sub ... for me it works out about 1 euro per week for Baltics .. I cannot see point of not paying ... when I compare to the SD card sub I am being asked for .. over 180 euro to update what is actually less area coverage than my Boating Charts .. I think Boating App is better value .. even with Garmins change of 'ToS' .....
On the subject of SD cards ... I can buy a recent subscription ended card for about 50 euros ..... that serves in my plotter ... and the 50 euro subscription means my boating app charts are updated .. the two can talk to each other - so routes / plans etc are as safe as I can make them ... So for an annual total of about 100 euro - I can have good coverage and data ...

Remains to be seen how long Garmin goes before having another 'knee-jerk' reaction !!
 
Refueler said:
Wonky is correct that I error'd in my link ... that the link referred to purchased SD card format.

On further search - it appears that a short while back - Garmin issued an App update that removed the use of out of sub charts downloaded to your phone / tablet ... with a number of forums saying that you should NOT update the App if you want to keep the charts !!
!
Click to expand...
Something a little unclear here, even from Garmin !
In 2023 there was an app update to V20 that removed some functionality when your subscription expired , and there seems alot off guff about quite what , especially AI. So this was a long time ago. Surely no one is now doing an update to an App from some years ago? Or maybe they are !!
I am on V24.2 and still have access to downloaded charts on expired subscription.
On one hand Garmin say you will not have access to downloaded charts and elsewhere say they will stay on your device as they are already on the device.
What does access and downloaded, mean here? I think it means that just bcz you once downloaded that part of a chart does not entitled you to download it again or onto another device once your subscription has expired. So, if you change phone, delete the chart or App etc etc, you cannot get it back without a new subscription.
As they say, you have subscribed for a year, you have not bought a lifetime access.
However, I have been reading their notes from the viewpoint of my charts DO work. Perhaps if someone reads them from a viewpoint that their charts do not work , they may either read it differently or understand why they have lost the charts .
So, I believe that if you have an up to date App anyway , have downloaded charts, you continue to have access after the subscription ends, but that is not to say that you cannot do something to lose those downloaded charts.
 
As you say "gigm" .. all is NOT clear ....

But what is clear - if your phone / tablet fails and your subscription has lapsed - you are unlucky and lose the charts ... unable to load them to a new phone / tablet without paying sub.

The Charts on the Boating App ... are embedded and encrypted inside the app ... unlike most other charting .. you cannot find any folder or listing to separate them out ... even the "r********" who have hacked navionics for years cannot get to them !!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top