Reviews for B&G: Companion App for Sailors

Cant use because cant add my Vulcan 9 chartplotter. Able to connect to the device WiFi but the app would NOT add it as a device. Late Samsung S20 ultra phone. It would go through the process, tell me the device WAS added, but then I go into list of my devices in the app and nothing is there. Tried several times and gave up.

It has potential to be very useful. However it is very unstable and exchanging waypoints and tracks with Zeus plotter is intermittent at best. Android version often freezes and cannot select tick boxes. Whilst route planning is helpful more important they fix the connection to the Zeus plotter, otherwise it's a stand alone app.

I purchased a Vulcan 7 and installed this app purchasing the Premium version in order to setup routes prior to racing and then download at boat immediately prior to the race. Currently the app does not allow one to edit screen touched waypoints so that they reflect the accurate coordinates required for racing. It did allow this mmomentarily when first installed but not anymore therefore I am hesitant about completing the trial period. Also will not allow feedback from app to developer and has no help

The app lacks the reliability that is needed for save navigation. Tracks are often not saved and error messages are misleading (e.g. track too short to save, even though the tracking/recording has been activated for hours). Other apps on the same device don't have these issues.

I'm really unhappy with apps that make me input payment details before even basic functionality can be trialled. Against that judgement I tried it for one evening, 5 days ago only to find that there are absolutely no instructions on how to cancel the trial and impending payment. I've emailed but am now stressed about whether that will cancel payment. Just lock functionality after 2weeks unless purchased, like everyone else.

Not possible to establish a connection to a Vulcan 5 (updated firmware). As other users wrote: after going through the connection steps, the Vulcan finally does not show up in the list of connected devices. You can do the procedure over and over again with no result or error message. What do you need to detect the error?

The plotters are beautiful, but they horrendously suck in functionality. There's no information provided at all on the internet. They even miss some of the most fundamental settings like sonar depth offset and more. The gyro compass does not work at all and stopped working in the middle of the atlantic ocean many times.

The new version of the app crashes when i set an anchor alarm, and my phone is stating there are defects. I've used the app for years, a few glitches here and there that always seem to work out. I hope the new version smooths out soon as it is my go-to anchor alarm in the Caribbean when in shallow dive areas

Getting better all the time. Some hurdles in registrating the device, but managed to do so after few tries. C-map map new look is much better. Clearer than competition. However night navigation icons (which majority uses rarely) are still way too huge - it should scale to smaller when zooming in. Please compare this behaviour to Navionics. Also I have a bug when mirroring Vulcan screen - right section of the screen is green. Also the in-app feedback to B&G does not work, only shows blank...

Awful. Tried to reach for help but they are impossible to get hold of and do not respond to emails. App keeps failing to respond, does not show an accurate location, autorouting does not go the fastest or shortest route. I was hoping c-map would be a good alternative to navionics for sailing across the pacific. Happy to pay the extra for a system that has worked for me for years.

Good base to build up further and improve. Connecting to Zeus3S took time but it works. Mirroring works fine. Sometimes it's loosing connection. To create sailing trip I miss boat settings as: boat length, width and hight - which is important to avoid bridges. It would be good to have the possibility to have menu banner off. On small screen it take too much space. The wind/weather feature could be improved. Maybe add Predict wind feature? Sync option should be easier.

Link app with colours offset, wind compass gone oval and a constant flickering strip on the right of the screen. Tried with android tablet and phone, both the same. If you get the repetitive "something went wrong" when trying to get IP then restart the plotter. 2024 update. None of the previous issues are fixed but now the sync routes and waypoints mostly does not work, occasionally it does so it's possible but not worth relying on. July 2025, tried again most above issues still the same V2.5.3

doesn't work at all. they fixed this to death so it won't connect at all to the b and g system. useless as a charting program too. no redeeming value at all

it's usable, yes, on my Samsung Galaxy Tab S9FE, BUT ... graphics are poor, low res, and worst is the green vertical stripes or bands on RHS. I've tried re-install app, same on my Galaxy portable. I think it wasn't there first time I used, but as always there now. it feels buggy!

I have a lot of B&G equipment on my boat. A big fan of the products. This app, not so much. Pretty much nothing works. Have deleted it and re-installed a few times. Now I have a blank map screen. If I go into select menu items (usually download offline maps) the app closed. I know from experience, if the app closes enough times, the maps show up (not always complete however) Nothing works consistently. IF the maps show up, not all the channel markers show up . Woods hole has a sea of channel markers. None are showing up at all now. Sometimes only shows a chart segment of a select area. See like 18 boats on AIS. I KNOW there are a TON of boats with AIS on nearby ( I can see in other apps) . Using (at this writing) a new Galaxy S21 Ultra. Plenty of power and space on the device. Nice to see my plotter data here. I wish i could see details about map items in a popup (like channel marker details, etc) Been playing with the app for a couple hours. Can't get it to work with any consistency. Maybe it is me, but there is no way this could be a chartplotter replacement. Can be useful for updating chart items (waypoints, etc) It should not be this hard. Rebooted and cleared data several times. Not ready for prime time, sadly. I really wanted this app to work.

I have a full B&G setup on my boat including a Vulcan9, two Triton2 displays, and a lot of NMEA2k sensors. I was hoping this would augment the system well. Instead it is full of bugs. On both my phone and iPad, I fail to see wind data even though color legends show up, no indicators show up on the maps. There is an "explore nearby" section that eternally stays in a loading (flashing) mode regardless of internet strength. What it does do is allows a screen mirroring of my Vulcan.

So, I've subscribed to premium as I have a lot of B&G equipment on my boat already. I don't think the app is at all ready for release yet. The first route I have tried to create takes me across land at the beginning, the summary says 189km and 19 hours for a route which is 8nm long and takes a little over an hour and a half and I cannot find any tide information anywhere. I tried leaving feedback in the app but just get the message 'something went wrong' 😕

Premium chartplotter with the crappiest app ever. I can't sync with the plotter. Even though I'm connected to the plotter's hotspot, app can't find the device and asks me to retry wifi connection. Retry what, wifi is connected. iPad apps works find but android is a joke. And there is no support number either in the app or b&g website. I can't even submit support question in the app; I get submit error.

I was happy with it at first, however in order to sign into the app you must have an internet connection. Once signed in the connection is no longer needed. I had to reboot and then needed internet to get back in. Unacceptable if I depend on it. The good news. The chart download is very flexible and the charts are clear and can be zoomed in as much as you want. It offered contour lines as an option which made depths very clear. Routes are easy. Create a start & finish the app does the rest.

Constant crashes at any time. Sometimes will connect to the plotter but always crashes when trying to sync. Just got a whole new suite of b&g electronics for our sailboat absolutely terrible mistake. Should've gone with Garmin would advise the same. From the plotters lack of features and the software malfuctions, to this app experince less than 1 star. Waste of $20k back to using a tablet with navionics and aquamaps.