Lowrance vs Simrad vs Garmin – Which Is Right For You?

When it comes to the lowrance vs simrad vs garmin debate, things can get heated among anglers, and the truth is, the best fish finder likely depends on your other equipment and personal preference. However, one thing is for sure.

Having a great fish finder and depth finder at your disposal can really up your fishing game. BUT, which brand and model should you choose? How do you pick the right fish finder/depth finder for your boat? Here’s what you need to know.

Garmin vs Simrad vs Lowrance [The Basics]

In general, people who love Garmin electronics love them because they are very easy to use. Garmin generally makes devices in a way which allows people who are not great with technology to start using them immediately. They also have nice charts that are very easy to read, even if you’re not experienced with charts or marine electronics.

Garmin units are also usually cheaper than many other units, but you may end up paying more for maps. Most of their units are either coastal or inland, so if you fish both, you’ll need to budget for the extra maps most likely. Though most people really like the charts they come with. If you use a Minn Kota trolling motor, then your Garmin unit will also be able to use the motor’s built-in transducer with an adapter!

Simrad on the other hand has interfaces which are a little bit less user friendly. That does not mean they aren’t good, it just means that it might take you a bit longer to learn how to use it, and if you’re a “tinkerer” and you enjoy messing with settings, then you may love Simrad units!

Simrad units are full featured, and while they may be a bit overkill on a small boat, they are fantastic if you have a large off-shore vessel. They have a ton of fantastic features and excellent maps, including the ability to buy maps of international waters if you need them.

As for Lowrance, these units provide a nice middle-ground we think. They offer excellent charts for both coastal and inland waters, and it also has integrations for the Motorguide trolling motors and power pole if you plan to use those! This means you can actually command your autopilot function from the center console rather than using the remote if you want to.

In short, think about your fishing set-up if you want to get a unit which you’ll be happy with. Though all three units are of excellent quality, so there are no worries there. If you want to know more about these units, you can keep reading for our full overview which gives more information!

Lowrance HDS vs Simrad vs Garmin

The first product on our list is the Lowrance HDS-7, and the great thing about this unit is that it performs equally well in both saltwater and freshwater. So, if you like to do a bit of both this is likely the unit that you’ll want to go with, because they provide full inland and coastal maps for you to use.

While Lowrance and Simrad are made by the same company, when it comes to the lowrance vs simrad debate, Lowrance has some features that the Simrad is lacking that may sway your decision. For starters, you can’t use the Motorguide or Powerpole devices with a Simrad, but you can with Lowrance devices.

If you prefer to fish freshwater, then you’ll also likely be better served with a Lowrance device like this one. That’s because Simrad devices are intended for use on bigger off shore vessels, and so they tend to have features and maps that accomodate that.

This unit also features a highly responsive touchscreen, while Garmin’s unit relies solely on button control, which can be tedious at times. Plus, Lowrance has some native integrations which allow you to control Powerpole anchors and Motorguide trolling motors if you have either of those. So, as far as we’re concerned, Lowrance wins on the ‘Lowrance or Garmin’ query as well.

You’ll also have the benefit of a 3 in 1 transducer to get crystal clear images from the unit, and be able to take advantage of split-screening thanks to the impressive quad core processor in this device. This might be useful if you, for example, wanted to see a more detailed map, while still also having a zoomed out full map open as well.

These are the kind of innovative features that make Lowrance one of our favorite devices, and we think if you dive deep enough into our comparisons, you’ll see that they come out on top when it comes to high-tech fishing devices.

This unit even allows you to connect it to another HDS Live unit if you’d like, which allows you to share sonar. You might do this if you had a boat with a console and a bow unit installed, allowing you to share information between them which is quite nice.

We also like how easily this unit integrates into the Motorguide trolling motors, allowing you to perform autopilot functions on your center console. It’s pretty cool, and it’s more convenient than fumbling for the remote for your trolling motor.

It’s tough to find a negative review for a Lowrance, and on most of their units, anglers are over the moon when it comes to their quality and imaging capabilities. They’re highly versatile, reliable, and often a great choice for boats in a number of different size and use categories.

Though some anglers have reported a bit of a learning curve initially with the units, and their documentation is not the best in the world. You also need to download them online, as they aren’t included in the box typically. Click here to read reviews.

Which Lowrance do I need?

The reviewed model works will for most boats whether fresh or saltwater, but if you’d like a unit which is easier to mount and use with a Kayak, then the Elite or Hook units would be better.

Simrad GO vs Garmin vs Lowrance

Simrad offers a staggering number of features in their units, and while that’s welcome, if you’re fishing from a smaller boat it may be overkill. A unit like this is really intended for a larger off shore vessel, and you may be better served going with a Garmin or Lowrance in a smaller boats, especially if you like to fish lakes and rivers.

As far as maps go though, Simrad has an especially nice offering. Their basic maps will supply you with a clear path in most locations, even outside the United States, but if you want more detailed maps then you’ll have to pay more for those once you venture into international waters.

Be warned though, if you’re not very tech savvy, then you may have issues setting up this unit. Many anglers have expressed frustration with the operation of the device, but customer service is often quite helpful if you’re a little lost. For those considering lowrance vs simrad, you might want to think about your level of experience with technology, because a Lowrance device will be much, much easier to setup, though not quite as full featured.

Other than that, in pretty much every case, the Simrad is an amazing piece of equipment. It’s up to nearly any challenge that you can throw at it, and it will deliver a nauseating amount of information to you, including

However, while Simrad is made by the same company that makes the Lowrance products, it seems to be lacking some key features. Namely, you can’t use the Simrad devices with Motorguide and Powerpole, but you can with Lowrance depth finders. So, this may be a negative for you if you have or plan to purchase either of those items.

In short, Simrad and Lowrance are quite similar, but Lowrance has some key features which we think makes it win out over the Simrad units.

Which Simrad do I need?

Any of the Go series devices that we reviewed in this article would be a solid choice. They offer loads of great features, and are overall highly rated by fishermen and boating enthusiasts of all kinds.

Garmin ECHOMAP vs Simrad vs Lowrance

The Echomap 94sv is Garmin’s offshore fishing unit, and it does what you’d expect of any decent depth finder unit. However, it’s not quite in the same class as the Lowrance or the Simrad, who offer far more robust features.

You’ll also only have access to the coastal maps. That’s because Garmin sells another unit, the 93sv, which is for inshore fishing, and it contains over 17,000 maps for lakes and rivers. However, that’s a definite con if you like to fish both, and if you do we’d recommend the Lowrance instead, which performs equally well in both.

However, the Garmin unit does have some merits. If you have or are interested in acquiring a Minn Kota trolling motor, then you can use this unit with the trolling motor’s built-in transducer with the use of an adapter. So, essentially, when if you’re asking yourself whether you should go with Lowrance or Garmin, you should first ask yourself what accessories you want to use with it.

They also have an interesting feature called “Active Captain”, and any Wi-Fi enabled Garmin, like this one, can tap into it. What this gives you is access to a plethora of community features, which include community charts for you to use.

While the other choices on our list do have apps that allow you to view some of your plotter’s information on mobile devices and tablets, they don’t offer quite as much as Garmin does. You can get notifications, texts, and calls on your Garmin Echo, and you’ll be have access to a huge boating community which can give you recommendations on things like marinas, attractions in your location and more, which is pretty cool.

However, you should be warned that Garmin are big on “up sells”, and features which often are standard with other units, like Humminbird, will cost you extra with them. After a few upgrades, you may find that a Garmin is not as affordable as you thought, fair warning.

Though to be fair they do offer some pretty great up sells that you might want, including their Panoptix sonar transducer which allows you to see all around your boat in 360 degrees, which is pretty cool. This gives you live, highly detailed images of fish, structures, and obstacles 200 feet around your boat.

You can learn more about Garmin panoptix vs livescope in this article. This is really cool, and honestly, it makes Garmin look that much better if you want a fishfinder which paints a really detailed picture of what’s under your boat.

Which Garmin do I need?

We’d recommend the 94sv Plus for saltwater anglers, and the 93sv Plus for freshwater fishermen. If you need a unit that can do both, then we’d recommend the Lowrance instead honestly.

If you do opt for this unit, then you may also want the Panoptix sonar transducer so you can see 360 degrees around your boat in vivid detail. It’s a pricey add-on, but oh so worth it when you see it.

Editor’s Pick: Lowrance HDS-7

Our top pick is for the Lowrance HDS. These models have a slew of amazing features, crystal clear imaging, and highly reliable maps. They don’t nickel and dime you for everything like Garmin, and they offer basic maps of all kinds for free.

They offer a 2 year warranty on their products, and if your fish finder fails within the first 5 years, then you’re guaranteed the ability to upgrade to a new unit at a discounted price.

While when compared to the Simrad, the units are pretty close, especially seeing as they’re made by the same company, the Lowrance offers a little more for the price. If you go with the Simrad you’ll be missing out on some key features like the Motorguide and Powerpole integrations.

You can often get great prices on these units online, and you can easily compare different models here. Just make sure to read the description carefully, as many of the units look similar.

In closing, when trying to decide on lowrance vs simrad or even simrad vs garmin, you can’t just take the machine’s specs into account. There are many other things to consider before making a purchase, such as integrations, available maps, and the size of your current fishing set up.