Fishbrain Pro is worth it if you fish busy public waters and want depth charts: it unlocks exact catch locations, bait recommendations from community catches, Garmin depth maps for the US and Canada, local regulations, private waypoints and the hourly BiteTime forecast, for $79.99 a year or $12.99 to $14.99 a month on the App Store. It is poor value if you fish quiet water with few logged catches, or if you want a forecast that does not depend on other anglers' catches.
What Fishbrain Pro costs
On the US App Store in September 2026, Fishbrain lists Pro at $79.99 a year, or $12.99 to $14.99 a month, with a 3-day free trial on Fishbrain's own site. That puts it among the more expensive fishing subscriptions: FishAngler VIP is $49.99 a year, Fishing Points Premium $49.99, and a Navionics chart subscription for the US and Canada $49.99.
What Pro unlocks
Fishbrain's own Pro page lists five things:
- Exact catch locations. Where logged catches were actually made, rather than a general area.
- Bait and lure recommendations. The top baits for your target species, from the community's catch data.
- Garmin HD depth maps for the US and Canada.
- Local regulations: seasons, bag limits and size rules.
- Private waypoints on your own map.
Fishbrain's other pages also put the hourly BiteTime forecast, AI spot prediction, a public-land layer and river gauges in Pro. The free app still lets you browse the community feed and catch map and log your own catches.
Who gets their money's worth
- Anglers on busy public lakes and rivers, where hundreds of catches are logged and exact locations show real patterns.
- Boat anglers who would otherwise pay for charts. If you were going to buy Navionics anyway, Pro's Garmin depth maps take some of the sting out of the price.
- Anglers who like the community side: sharing catches, groups, local chatter.
Who probably does not
- Anglers on quiet or private water. If few people log catches where you fish, exact catch locations add little.
- Anglers who mainly want to know when to go. Pro does include an hourly forecast, but it learns partly from logged catches, so it is weakest on the water where the catch map is weakest too.
Cheaper ways to get what you want
- For the community map on a budget: FishAngler's free tier, or VIP at $49.99 a year.
- For depth charts alone: Navionics Boating.
- For knowing when and where to fish: BiteCast gives any spot a 0 to 100 Fish Score for every hour of the next eight days, for your species, with the reasons behind today's, and its yearly subscription costs less than Fishbrain Pro's. See BiteCast vs Fishbrain.
BiteCast
Best for: Knowing when and where to go, with the reasons why
A 0 to 100 Fish Score for any spot, freshwater or saltwater, hour by hour for eight days, with the reasons behind today's scores. Adds a map of 300,000 scored spots with 3D terrain and offshore depth contours, a photo fish identifier, ranked baits for 300 species and an AI coach that knows your conditions.
Strengths
- A 0 to 100 score for every hour of the next 8 days, and the reasons behind today's
- A map of 300,000 fishing spots, each with its own score
- The score follows the fish you target, fresh or salt, with tides on the coast
- Photo fish ID, an AI coach and ranked baits for 300 species
Trade-offs
- iPhone only
- No community feed or other anglers' catch locations
- Depth charts offshore only, not on inland lakes
FishAngler
Best for: The most you get free, and a cheaper paid tier
Community fishing spots, access points and structure on one map, a free solunar fishing forecast and 7-day weather with tides, a logbook with 45+ attributes per catch and AI fish ID. VIP adds hourly bite windows, a 14-day forecast, exact catch locations, Garmin Navionics depth charts and FINN AI credits.
Strengths
- Generous free tier: map, forecast, weather, tides and logbook
- VIP adds Navionics depth charts and exact catch locations for less than Fishbrain Pro
- Structure layers: reefs, wrecks, FADs, platforms
Trade-offs
- Its fishing forecast is built on solunar theory, the moon's timing
- No fishing regulations
Navionics Boating
Best for: Depth charts and navigation on a boat
Garmin's marine and lake charts on your phone: nautical charts, high-resolution depth contours, community edits and offline use, synced with Garmin plotters.
Strengths
- The reference for depth contours and structure
- Offline charts
- Syncs with onboard Garmin units
Trade-offs
- A charting app, not a bite forecast
- Charts need a yearly subscription after the trial
Common questions
How much is Fishbrain Pro?
Fishbrain Pro is listed on the US App Store at $79.99 a year, or $12.99 to $14.99 a month, with a 3-day free trial on Fishbrain's own site, as of September 2026.
Can you use Fishbrain without Pro?
Yes. The free version lets you browse the community feed and catch map and log your own catches. Exact catch locations, bait recommendations, depth maps, regulations, private waypoints and the BiteTime forecast need Pro.
Is there a free alternative to Fishbrain Pro?
FishAngler gives away its community map, a solunar fishing forecast, weather, tides and logbook for free. For a forecast of when to fish rather than a catch map, BiteCast offers a free trial before its subscription.