# C-Maps Insight Pro vs Navionics+



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Yes I know it's been discussed in the past, but I'm rehashing it. 
I'm installing a Lowrance Elite 9ti I bought a few years ago. It's new, and so are the cards. It came with 2 options:

Navionics+ (not platinum) and C-map Insight Pro

I've read a little comparing them, and it seems it's a toss up. Navionics has been bought by Garmin, and their phone app is buggy, which gives me pause. C-map I read is owned by Simrad, and it has a live community where the maps are constantly updated, but may not have as many bells and whistles. Since they were never registered I think they both have an update for free.

So what do you guys think? Anyone have recent experience for both? For reference I'll mostly use this on the Gulf coast from Crystal River to the Ten Thousand Islands. Inshore, near shore, and an occasional river.

Don't be the guy who recommends FMT! Yes I know they are great, but I got better things to spend money on right now.


----------



## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Flip a coin and go with the cheapest to operate.


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Right now they are both free, lol.


----------



## flyclimber (May 22, 2016)

I have had the Navionics +Plat and it's okay in Jax but the overlay wasn't very great especially when a few feet mean a lot of oyster rash. It seems a lot of the map was taking on exceptionally windy days and all you can see is white caps. I would give the C-map a try.


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Thanks. This is just Navionics+, not the platinum. I don't think it has the satellite overlay. And to be honest I would likely not use it anyway. I'm not looking to skip over oysters, just good basic navigation.


----------



## GSSF (May 25, 2013)

I have both- came with my Simrad and I have both cards plugged in. Truly a toss up in you only want basic navigation, and both are good. That said, for SW FL, I use the navionics most of the time. I prefer the appearance of it over the CMAP. Just more appealing to my eye, I guess. But accuracy and detail is almost identical in both.


----------



## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I played with both on a recent trip. My unit has one SD slot so I am sticking to Navionics. It seemed to have a better mapping of Tampa Bay. 
That said the one feature I really like with the C-map on the Lowrance is the custom shading. You can assign and depth and color you want. But you must use the C-map as the option goes away with the navionics chip. With Navionics I can set my safe zones (6ft+ in white) and your danger depths (2ft- in blue with red dots) but that is about it. I don't really need anything more, but wouldn't mind the option.

On a side note, I had to fight with Navionics to get my update. I bought the Lowrance a while back, and when I went to update the card it wouldn't let me. I called and they told me I only had 2 months from the time of purchase to register for updates. Nothing on the box or packaging tells you that. They said it was on their website, lol. After a bit they let go forward and do it. There is a lot you can't see without it being registered, and once you are everything after the first year is 50% off, so it worked out after some frustration.


----------

