Navionics boating app subscription

[SimonD]

Like many, I use the Navionics boating app and have been happy to pay a relatively small amount for the annual subscription. I got an email yesterday from Navionics announcing that my subscription expires today (i.e. yesterday) with a button to renew. I won't bore with the details of the tortuous journey through many web pages but suffice to say, it proved impossible to renew. I called Navionics helpdesk and was told that the renew button would appear today on the webpage after the subscription had expired. Guess what? It hasn't. Instead, I'm taken to a page that says my subscription has expired and that's it.. No options left. I then started the app on my phone and was told it's expired, click here to buy it again. I did, and was informed that it's now an auto-renew subscription.

So, it appears that having acquired Navionics, Garmin has decided to force boating app users onto an auto-renew subscription. Fair enough, but what an underhand, un-customer friendly way to do it.

Posted partly as a moan, but mainly to spare others the pain of trying to renew.

 

[RogerFoxTerrier]

Yeah I'm finding this a lot now. I guess their argument is that it makes it easier for you, but how hard would it be to just send you an email reminder when payment's due?

It seems the auto-renew is the default, and while maybe not hidden, it's not made very obvious. I'm also convinced I've found my preferences changed without my knowledge as have had near misses with auto renew with everything from password managers to travel insurance. It's basically taking money without your consent.

My son had Xbox live a few years ago - to be fair auto-renew was on which we knew, but I also knew the credit card I used had subsequently expired so didn't worry about it (we didn't want to renew). So imagine the surprise when another year was charged to an expired card - I had no idea this was even possible. To be fair Microsoft were fine and just refunded.

 

[ylop]

I have a suspicion that this is as much driven by Apple / Google and how they handle payments (and insist on taking a cut from certain services) as it is Garmin? That doesn't explain why garmin would not be able to tell you how to do it.

 

[SimonD]

I don't object to the auto renew as such; it seems to de rigueur these days. What I do object to is the underhand way Garmin/Navionics have gone about moving existing subscribers onto auto renew. Why could they not send an email to say this is their new policy and explaining that I need to basically start again as a new subscriber. Shoddy at best, dishonest at worst.

 

[Irish Rover]

Interesting thread and prompted me to look at my account. I have 2 subscriptions. One is for the Adriatic which I bought earlier in the year to facilitate my delivery trip from Croatia to Türkiye. I know I cancelled the auto renew on this the same day I bought it. The subscription page had a manage subscription button.
I also have a Med and Black Sea subscription which expires next week but there's no manage subscription button and no indication if it's on auto renew.

 

[davidej]

It's worse than that.

In the past, when your subscription expired, your charts remained on the device - just stopped being updated. Now everything seems to be expunged.

Still it's way cheaper than buying a chartplotter.

 

[Trident]

What annoys me is I had the original which as bought with lifetime updates, which they honoured when they changed to an annual subscription for several years (though the original app was not updated with new whistles and bells but the charts were) but as soon as Garmin bought it they said it was no longer valid. They have also made it worse and more costly

I shall never now buy Garmin products

 

[GEM43]

I found with Navionics that because I’m out of subscription I can’t now use “advanced’ features such as displaying AIS targets. Frankly that’s not an advanced function but fundamental to the app, it leaves a bad taste, I’ve not renewed.

 

[Refueler]

I renewed Baltics just a few days ago ... all went through as usual ... no hassle ...

I did not check whether charts worked if I did not renew ... but what I did see was normal screen on start up and chart opens to my position ... so I assume charts were still working whether I paid or not - of course I would not expect updates if not paid.

 

[Refueler]

I found with Navionics that because I’m out of subscription I can’t now use “advanced’ features such as displaying AIS targets. Frankly that’s not an advanced function but fundamental to the app, it leaves a bad taste, I’ve not renewed.

mmmm fundamental implies app would not work without ... which for AIS is not true. The app works whether AIS or not. AIS is an ADD-ON ... as it is with other units that can display it.

 

[Mark-1]

I found with Navionics that because I’m out of subscription I can’t now use “advanced’ features such as displaying AIS targets. Frankly that’s not an advanced function but fundamental to the app, it leaves a bad taste, I’ve not renewed.

I'm out of subscription and I can't download the areas I originally paid for but hadn't downloaded locally. (I don't expect the latest charts, but I did expect the ones I'd paid for and historically I'm pretty sure that's what I got.)

That's quite frustrating. They've squandered any goodwill so I'll leave it as late as possible to subscribe again and make sure I locally store everything I've paid for locally on every device I use.

Hopefully there will be a decent competitor by then. (Maybe there already is.)

 

[cherod]

Interesting ,,me also , when i subscribed it was supposed to be lifetime , so much for thst , for those who are not renewing what alternatives are you using

 

[Refueler]

I'm out or subscription and I can't download the areas I originally paid for but hadn't downloaded locally.

That's quite frustrating. They've squandered any goodwill so I'll leave it as late as possible to subscribe again and make sure I locally store everything I've paid for locally on every device I use.

Hopefully there will be a decent competitor by then. (Maybe there already is.)

How would you store the downloaded charts locally so that you can identify them ? Yes the app does download the charts you choose - but they are embedded in the app coding and not separately ..... that's what I've found anyway.

 

[GEM43]

mmmm fundamental implies app would not work without ... which for AIS is not true. The app works whether AIS or not. AIS is an ADD-ON ... as it is with other units that can display it.

For me it is fundamental to a navigation device that I use on board, we all have different interpretations.

 

[Mark-1]

How would you store the downloaded charts locally so that you can identify them ? Yes the app does download the charts you choose - but they are embedded in the app coding and not separately ..... that's what I've found anyway.

I meant download for local use using the App, for viewing with the app - exactly as you describe. I don't mean downloading to view in OpenCPN or whatever.

 

[KAM]

What annoys me is I had the original which as bought with lifetime updates, which they honoured when they changed to an annual subscription for several years (though the original app was not updated with new whistles and bells but the charts were) but as soon as Garmin bought it they said it was no longer valid. They have also made it worse and more costly

I shall never now buy Garmin products

Same here. Did yours stop working completely. A bit inconvenient if you're mid voyage. Mine still seems to work. Might be wort having it on a device not connected to the internet.

 

[B27]

Same here. Did yours stop working completely. A bit inconvenient if you're mid voyage. Mine still seems to work. Might be wort having it on a device not connected to the internet.

I have it on a device not connected to the internet, and it will stay that way until that device (an aged tablet) croaks completely.
Next year I will try an alternative provider.

 

[ghostlymoron2]

I found with Navionics that because I’m out of subscription I can’t now use “advanced’ features such as displaying AIS targets. Frankly that’s not an advanced function but fundamental to the app, it leaves a bad taste, I’ve not renewed.

What alternative is there to Navionics?

 

[[193211]]

Still it's way cheaper than buying a chartplotter.

I’ve been having second thoughts about my IPad and Navionics as primary plotter.

A lower end mfd with charts vs ongoing navionics subscription and at least one iPad/ tablet replacement over the next 5yrs, I don’t think there’s much in it.

 

[GEM43]

What alternative is there to Navionics?

Not sure there is but I only use Navionics as a useful addition to the plotter, consequently Navionics becomes a less useful toy and I’ll use the plotter.