Today’s market offers a wide range of fish finders for different prices, starting below the price mark of $100, and going up to more than $9,000. However, not all of them offer a great price/quality ratio. When looking for a fish finder, each one of us is on a certain budget and we would most definitely want to get the best possible within that budget. Therefore, here are some of the best fish finders by price range available in 2023.
Price Range: Under $150
Humminbird PiranhaMax 4 DI  | Garmin Striker Cast  | Lowrance HOOK2-4x GPS Bullet  |
Humminbird PiranhaMax 4 DI
The PiranhaMax 4 DI is one of the oldest and most basic Humminbird fish finders available at the moment. 
However, even several years after its release, it still stands at an almost clean 5-star user rating. It’s also one of the best fish finders without GPS, perfect for small boats and kayaks.
The PiranhaMax 4 DI does not have navigation features. It does not have a GPS plotter, nor it supports maps. It’s a sonar-only fish finder, offering standard DualBeam sonar and Down Imaging sonar. It supports two frequencies, these being 200 kHz and 455 kHz. It does not have CHIRP technology.
The transducer included with the unit is the Humminbird XNT 9 DI T. This is a plastic transducer featuring a transom mount with 20 ft. (6 m) of cable. It also has an internal temperature sensor. For the DualBeam sonar, the transducer casts two beams with a coverage of 28° @ 200 kHz and 16° @ 455 kHz. For the Down Imaging sonar, it can only use the 455 kHz channel with a thin, oval beam of 75°. The maximum depth range is 600 ft. (183 m) for the standard sonar, and 320 ft. (97.5 m) for DI.
The unit does not have any networking features. It has a color display with a pixel resolution of 480H x 272V. It’s keypad-operated, IPX7 waterproof, and comes with a tilt-swivel mount.
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Garmin Striker Cast
The Striker Cast smart sonar is one of the Garmin fish finders released in 2020. It’s a castable fish finder that 
does not come with a conventional control unit. It uses your smartphone as the control unit. For reference, this is the Garmin fish finder part number 010-02246-00.
The Garmin Striker Cast fish finder is contained in a durable ABS casing with a white top cover and a bottom black cover. It has an internal battery, rechargeable via USB cable. A tether and a portable bag are also included with it.
This portable fishing sonar connects to your phone via Bluetooth and has a connectivity range of 200 ft. (61 m). In order to establish the connection between the fish finder and your phone, you will need to install the Garmin Striker Cast app. This app is free and available for both iOS and Android.
This fish finder offers a standard dual-beam sonar, without CHIRP technology. It operates at 260 kHz and 455 kHz. Its built-in transducer casts two oval beams with a coverage of 22° x 63° @ 260 kHz, and 9° x 14° @ 455 kHz. The maximum depth range is approx. 150 ft. (46 m).
The Garmin Striker Cast app offers several sonar functions including a Circular Flasher for ice fishing, Fish Symbols, A-Scope, AutoGain, and more. It does not have a split-view function. Also, this model does not have built-in GPS and cannot use the Quickdraw Contours feature.
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Lowrance HOOK2-4x GPS Bullet
The Lowrance HOOK2-4x GPS is one of the most affordable fish finders with a built-in GPS plotter. It’s one 
of the Lowrance fish finders released in 2017, but it hasn’t been discontinued yet, and still benefits from an almost clean 5-star user rating. For reference, this is the Lowrance part number 000-14014-001.
The unit features a 4-inch diagonal display with a pixel matrix of 480H x 272V, WVGA color, with LED backlight. It is keypad-operated. It does not have networking features or a microSD card slot. it comes with a standard tilt mount.
In terms of sonar, the HOOK2-4x GPS offers Wide-Angle Broadband Sonar (no CHIRP) and uses the 200 kHz channel. As the title suggests, the unit comes with the Lowrance Bullet transducer which supports this frequency. It uses a conical beam with a coverage of 40° and a depth range of 500 ft. (152 m). It offers several useful sonar features such as Fish ID, Circular Flasher, Shallow Alarm, and more.
The unit’s GPS plotter is pretty basic. It does not have any base charts, so your boat, points of interest, and the other navigation data, appear on a blank background. The system automatically tracks and draws your boat’s movement, and offers the possibility to mark waypoints.
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Price Range: $150 – $300
Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv  | Lowrance Hook Reveal 5x SplitShot  | Vexilar SP200 T-Box  |
Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv
The Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv is one of the fish finders released in 2020. As opposed to the older Striker Plus 5cv, 
this newer model features a slightly different design and comes with the Vivid color palette for the structure scanning sonar. For reference, this is the Garmin part number 010-02551-00.
The unit features a 5-inch color display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V and LED backlight. It is IPX7 waterproof, keypad-operated, and does not have any networking features. It also does not have wireless connectivity or a microSD card reader.
In terms of sonar, the unit offers standard CHIRP and ClearVü. It supports 50/77/200 kHz for standard and 260/455/800 kHz for ClearVü. It includes the classic GT20 transducer which casts conical beams for the standard CHIRP sonar, with a coverage of 5° @ 200 kHz, and 45° @ 77 kHz, and oval beams for CV, with a coverage of 2.5° x 53° @ 455 and 1.6° x 29° @ 800 kHz. The maximum depth range with the included transducer is 1,900 ft. (579 m) for the standard sonar and 750 ft. (228 m) for ClearVü.
The Striker Vivid 5cv is not a chartplotter but does have a basic GPS plotter. It offers the possibility to save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, 100 routes, and 50 tracks. Each track can have 50,000 points. Although it does not support charts, it does have the Quickdraw Contours feature for bathymetric mapping.
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Lowrance Hook Reveal 5x SplitShot
In terms of price and feature range, the Lowrance Hook Reveal 5x is pretty similar to the Garmin Striker Vivid 5cv.
It’s a fish finder with standard CHIRP sonar and DownScan sonar, featuring a basic plotter for navigation and a bathymetric mapping feature. For reference, this is the Lowrance fish finder part number 000-15503-001.
As the title suggests, this Hook Reveal unit comes with the SplitShot transducer which supports both DownScan and standard CHIRP. For the DownScan sonar, it can use two oval beams with a coverage of 35°/1.6° @ 800 kHz, and 55°/3° @ 455 kHz, and a maximum depth range of 300 ft. (91 m). For the standard CHIRP sonar, the transducer can only use the High CHIRP frequency with a 40° conical beam and a maximum depth range of 500 ft. (153 m).
The unit does not support charts but does have the Genesis Live feature which allows you to map your own lake and create charts with depth contours. However, without the Genesis Live feature in use, the unit’s GPS appears on a blank background on which you can save waypoints, routes, and record tracks.
The unit features a SolarMax display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It does not have touchscreen technology, just the side keypad. It also does not have any networking features but does have a microSD card slot so you can save the maps you create with the Genesis Live feature. It comes with a standard tilt mount, and a transom mount for the transducer.
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Vexilar SP200 T-Box
The SP200 T-Box is one of the most popular fish finders from Vexilar. It does not come with a control head
unit. It’s also not a castable fish finder like the Deeper PRO+ 2, for example. The whole system includes a transducer and a small sonar black box which you have to sync with your phone.
The sonar black box connects to your smartphone or tablet via the SonarPhone app by Vexilar. This app is available for both iOS and Android systems; you can download it either from the Apple App Store or from Google Play. Its interface emulates the display and keypad of a regular fish finder. It has navigation arrow buttons (up, down, left, right), a zoom button, a beam selection button, a menu button, a sonar pause button, and an escape button.
The T-Box unit connects to your phone via WiFi. In other words, it creates its own WiFi hotspot. This being said, if your phone is connected to it, you won’t be able to use the internet. The WiFi signal range is approx. 300 ft. (91 m).
The T-Box unit features dual-beam sonar. It does not have CHIRP technology. It uses two standard sonar frequencies, these being 200 kHz and 83 kHz. The transducer supports both frequencies. It casts two conical beams with a coverage of 40° @ 83 kHz, and 20° @ 200 kHz.
The SonarPhone app offers several standard sonar features. First of all, the sonar window offers several readings including depth, gain level, depth scale, water temperature, and the selected beam angle. Among the sonar functions, we can count Fish Icons, A-Scope, Fish Alarm, Depth Alarm, Split-Zoom, Bottom Lock, Noise Rejection, Surface Clarity, Sonar Speed, and more.
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Price Range: $300 – $700
Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP SI GPS G4  | Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv  | Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 TripleShot  |
Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP SI GPS G4
The HELIX 7 CHIRP SI GPS G4 (411590-1) is one of the Humminbird fish finders released in 2021, but it’s still
available in 2023, and still one of the best units of the HELIX series. It features a 7-inch color, display with a pixel resolution of 1024H x 600V, and LED backlight. The unit does not have networking features (not Ethernet, no NMEA 2000, no wireless connectivity), but does support NMEA 0183. It is equipped with a microSD port for chart cards or data transfer.
Although the unit does not have the MEGA Side Imaging sonar, it does have regular Side Imaging, as well as Down Imaging, and Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar. It supports five main frequencies. These are 50/83/200 kHz for the Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, and 455/800 kHz for DI and SI.
The unit comes with the XNT 9 HW SI T transducer. This transducer only supports the High Wide CHIRP frequencies for the standard sonar and the 455 (420-520 kHz) CHIRP range for Side Imaging and Down Imaging.
The transducer casts conical beams with 25° / 42° angles and a max. depth range of 1,000 ft. (305 m) for Dual Spectrum CHIRP. For Side Imaging and Down Imaging, the transducer casts thin oval beams. Their coverage is 86° for the Side Imaging sonar, and 72° for the Down Imaging sonar. The side range of each SI beam is 125 ft. (38 m), while the depth range of the DI beam is also 125 ft (38 m).
The Humminbird HELIX 7 CHIRP SI GPS G4 offers a fairly decent range of navigation features. To begin with, it has a 10 Hz internal GPS receiver. This being said, it can provide position updates 10 times per second. It also supports GLONASS, WAAS, MSAS, and EGNOS for position augmentation. It is pre-loaded with the Humminbird Basemap platform. It also supports LakeMaster, CoastMaster, and Navionics charts.
Finally, the unit also has the AutoChart Live feature. This is a bathymetric mapping application that lets you create your own fishing charts based on the GPS and CHIRP sonar data. The unit can save up to 8 hours of recording, but you can also opt for an AutoChart Zero Lines microSD card in case you’ll need more mapping data.
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Garmin Striker Vivid 7sv
The Striker Vivid 7sv is one of the most affordable 7-inch fish finders with SideVü sonar from Garmin. It’s 
essentially the same as the older Striker Plus 7sv model but comes with the Vivid color palette for the structure scanning sonar. It’s a keypad-operated unit (without touchscreen technology). It has a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V and LED backlight.
The unit has three sonar technologies. These are standard CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü. It supports 50/77/200 kHz for the standard sonar and 260/455/800 kHz for Sv and Cv. It includes the GT52HW-TM transducer which supports all these sonar technologies.
For the standard CHIRP sonar, the transducer only supports the 200 kHz channel. It casts a conical beam with a coverage of 24°-16° and a depth range of 800 ft. (244 m). For SideVü and ClearVü, the beams are oval, with a coverage of 2°/50° @ 455 kHz, and 1°/30°@ 800 kHz. The maximum depth/side range of the structure scanning sonars is 500 ft. (152 m).
The unit is equipped with a basic GPS plotter. However, it is not a chartplotter. This means it does not support charts such as LakeMaster or BlueChart. The GPS data appears on a blank background, but you can save waypoints, record tracks, and create routes. It also has the Quickdraw Contours feature for bathymetric mapping.
The unit does not have NMEA or Ethernet connectivity but does have wireless connectivity. Therefore, you can install the ActiveCaptain app on your phone and sync your fish finder with it. This way, you can download software updates, already-made Quickdraw Contours charts, and more.
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Lowrance Hook Reveal 7 TripleShot
The Hook Reveal 7 is one of the Lowrance fish finders released in 2020. It comes in different bundles with several 
charts and transducers but one of the best fish finders for the money is the part number 000-15513-001, the standard one that comes with the TripleShot transducer and the basemap platform.
The unit supports multiple frequencies but the included TripleShot transducer only covers the 200 kHz channel for standard CHIRP. For this CHIRP frequency range, it casts a conical beam with a coverage of 44°, with a depth range of 500 ft. (152 m). For DownScan, it casts two oval beams with a coverage of 55/2.5° @ 455 kHz & 35/1.5° @ 800 kHz, and a depth range of 300 ft. (91 m). For SideScan, the beams offer a 600 ft. (183 m) side-to-side coverage @ 455 kHz, and 300 ft. (91 m) side-to-side coverage @ 800 kHz.
The unit is equipped with an internal GPS receiver. The unit’s GPS supports GLONASS, WAAS, MSAS, and EGNOS for position augmentation. It also has the GPS speed function so it can calculate the speed of your boat via the GPS input. It comes with the C-MAP US Inland Basemap which offers coverage for more than 4,000 US lakes. You can always update the unit’s charts to Navionics or C-MAP. Plus, the unit has Genesis Live mapping, so you can create your own bathymetric charts.
The Hook Reveal 7 head unit features a 7-inch display, with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V, keypad-operated. It does not have any networking features (no NMEA, no Ethernet, no wireless). It does have a microSD card slot, though, for chart upgrades or data backup. It comes with the standard tilt mount.
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Price Range: $700 – $1,000
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv 010-02519-01  | Raymarine Element 7 HV E70532-05-NAG  | Lowrance Elite FS 7 AI 3-in-1 Contour+  |
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 73sv 010-02519-01
The ECHOMAP UHD73sv 010-02519-01 is one of the Garmin fish finders released in 2020. As opposed to
the older version (010-02338-01), this one comes with the newer GT56UHD transducer and supports 1000 kHz. It also has the vivid color palette for ClearVü and SideVü.
In terms of sonar, the unit supports standard CHIRP, and of course, SideVü and ClearVü. It also supports Panoptix sonar, but in order to use this sonar technology, you will need a Panoptix transducer.
The included GT56UHD transducer casts oval beams for Cv and Sv. Their coverage is 1.1° x 52° @ 455 kHz, 0.64° x 35° @ 800 kHz, and 0.52° x 52° @ 1000 kHz. The maximum depth range is 400 ft. (122 m) for the ClearVü sonar, and the maximum side range for the SideVü sonar is 500 ft. (152 m). For standard CHIRP, it can only use the high-frequency channel (150-240 kHz). The beam is conical, with a coverage of 24°-16° and a maximum depth range of 800 ft. (244 m).
The unit is equipped with a 5 Hz internal GPS. It can hold up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, and also up to 50 tracks, and 100 routes. It is pre-loaded with the LakeVü g3 charts which cover more than 17,000 lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. They’re enhanced with Navionics data and provide more information than the previous LakeVü g2. Plus, the Quickdraw Contours feature is available so you can create your own bathymetric maps.
The unit features a 7-inch color display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 400V, and LED backlight. It combines touchscreen technology with keypad technology. It supports both NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000. It also has wireless connectivity and you can pair it with your phone via the ActiveCaptain app. It comes with the standard quick-release mount, a flush mount, and a unit cover.
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Raymarine Element 7 HV E70532-05-NAG
The Element 7 HV is one of the fish finders released by Raymarine in 2019. This particular unit is available in
different bundles, with various transducers and maps. This is the E70532-05-NAG, the one that includes the HV-100 transducer and is pre-loaded with the Navionics+ charts. It’s currently one of the best fish finders for the money that has 3D sonar.
The unit offers four sonar technologies. These are standard CHIRP, DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D. For the three structure scanning sonar types, it supports HyperVision which is basically the 1.2 MHz frequency for higher detail.
The HV-100 transducer uses a High-CHIRP conical beam for the unit’s 2D sonar. For SideVision, DownVision, and RealVision 3D, the beams are thin, with an oval shape. Their exact coverage is not specified. Its depth capabilities are 900 ft. (274 m) for 2D CHIRP, 600 ft. (183 m( for DownVision, 300 ft. (91 m) for SideVision, and 300 ft. (91 m) for RealVision 3D. For all the Hyper modes, the transducer’s maximum depth capability is 100 ft. (30 m).
The unit has a 1574 MHz internal GPS receiver with 28 channels. It can hold up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, 15 tracks, and 50 routes. It includes the Navionics+ charts which offer 1-foot contours for more than 22,000 inland lakes and a lot of information for each listed point of interest. However, the unit also supports other charts from Navionics, C-MAP Essentials, C-MAP 4D MAX+, and LightHouse NC2 charts. It also has the RealBathy feature for bathymetric mapping.
The unit has a 7-inch display, with a pixel matrix of 800H x 480V. It is keypad-operated. It supports NMEA 2000 and SeaTalk and also has wireless connectivity. It comes with the standard trunnion bracket, a surface mounting kit, a sun cover, and a transom mount for the transducer.
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Lowrance Elite FS 7 Active Imaging 3-in-1 Contour+
The Elite FS 7 Active Imaging 3-in-1 unit is one of the Lowrance units released in 2020. It’s also one of the first
models that include the Contour+ charts.
The unit offers quite an impressive range of sonar technologies and capabilities. First of all, it has Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar which includes standard CHIRP sonar, DownScan Imaging, and SideScan Imaging. The unit also supports Active Target live sonar, ForwardScan, and StructureScan 3D, but you will need a different transducer to use these technologies.
The unit comes with the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer which supports 83/200 kHz for Mid/High CHIRP and 455/800 kHz for structure scanning. The maximum depth capability for the 2D CHIRP sonar that can be achieved with this transducer is 1,000 ft. (305 m). Conversely, the maximum depth for the DownScan sonar (at 455 kHz), is 300 ft. (91 m), and the SideScan sonar’s maximum side range is 300 ft. (91 m).
The Elite FS 7 unit is also a pretty complete chartplotter. To begin with, it has a 10 Hz internal GPS so it can provide position updates 10 times per second. It is pre-loaded with the Contour+ charts which cover inland and near-shore coastal areas of the continental United States, Hawaii, and Bermuda. They offer high-resolution 1-foot contours for over 8,900 U.S. lakes. Also, the unit supports a wide range of premium charts from Navionics and C-MAP. Plus, it has the Genesis Live feature which gives you the possibility to create your own bathymetric maps.
Radar support is another great feature of the FS 7 model. The unit can be paired with 4G, 3G, Halo20, Halo20, and Halo24 radar modules. It also supports AIS data as well as Weather SiriusXM via WM-4. And finally, it supports Outboard Pilot, Ghost Trolling Motor, MotorGuide Xi5 & Xi3.
Finally, the Lowrance Elite FS 7 AI 3-in-1 Contour+ has a multi-touch display. It offers an impressive range of networking features including NMEA 2000, Ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth. It has a microSD card slot and comes with the standard tilt mount and a unit cover.
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Price Range: $1,000 – $1,500
Simrad GO9 XSE Active Imaging 3-in-1 C-MAP Discover  | Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 94sv 010-02524-01  | Lowrance Elite FS 9 Active Imaging 3-in-1 Contour+  |
Simrad GO9 XSE Active Imaging 3-in-1 C-MAP Discover
The Simrad GO9 XSE is one of the fish finders released in 2016. However, several newer versions have been
released since then. In this post, we’re going to address the GO9 XSE part number 000-14840-002, the one released in 2021 which includes the C-MAP Discover charts.
The unit has Active Imaging 3-in-1 sonar and includes the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer. This being said, it offers three sonar technologies, these being standard CHIRP, DownScan, and SideScan. The unit also supports ForwardScan.
The unit supports multiple base frequencies, including 50/83/200 kHz for its standard sonar, and 455/800 kHz for StructureScanning. For the standard CHIRP sonar, the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer casts conical beams; the greatest depth range (1,000 ft.) can be achieved with the 83 kHz beam. For SideScan and DownScan, it casts oval thin beams. The maximum depth range of the DownScan beam is 300 ft. (91 m) while the maximum SideScan beam range is also 300 ft (91 m) for each side of the boat.
The GO9 XSE 000-14840-002 fish finder is also a chartplotter. It has a built-in 10 Hz, 32-channel GPS receiver. It offers the possibility to save up to 6,000 waypoints in its memory, 500 routes, and 50 tracks. It also supports radar (broadband 3G, 4G, and HALO), as well as AC12N, AC42N, SG05, or NAC-1 autopilot units.
The included C-MAP Discover chart base offers ultra-wide coverage for the inland and off-shore U.S. and Canadian waters. These charts come with several new features including High-Res Bathymetry, Vector Charts, Custom Depth Shading, Tides & Currents Information, Easy Routing, Detailed Marina Port Plans, and more. Also, the unit supports premium charts from C-MAP and Navionics. However, it does not have the Genesis Live feature.
Finally, the Simrad GO9 XSE AI 3-in-1 C-MAP Discover features a 9-inch display with a pixel resolution of 800H x 480V. It is a full-touchscreen unit with an easy-to-use interface. It has Ethernet and NMEA connectivity, as well as wireless connectivity (WiFi and Bluetooth). It comes with a bracket mount, an in-dash mounting kit, and a unit cover.
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Garmin ECHOMAP UHD 94sv 010-02524-01
The Garmin 010-02524-01 is one of the fish finders released in 2020. It is an upgraded version of the
ECHOMAP UHD 94sv as it comes with the GT56UHD transducer and has the Vivid colors for SideVü and ClearVü. It’s a 9-inch display unit featuring both touchscreen and keypad technology. It is also IPX7 waterproof, comes with the quick-release mount, flush mount, and a unit cover.
The unit has three sonar technologies, including standard CHIRP, ClearVü, and SideVü. It also supports Panoptix sonar. As we’ve already mentioned, it comes with the GT56UHD which has a transom mount, 25 ft. (7.6 m) of cable, and an internal temperature sensor.
This transducer supports only the High Wide range for the CHIRP standard sonar. It uses a conical beam with a coverage of 24° – 16° @ 150-240 kHz, with a depth range of 800 ft. (244 m). For SideVü and ClearVü, the transducer uses oval beams and supports three CHIRP channels. The beams coverage is 0.52° x 52° @ 1000 kHz (940-1100 kHz), 0.64° x 35° @ 800 kHz (790-850 kHz), and 1.1° x 52° @ 455 kHz (425-485 kHz). The maximum side range that can be reached by the SideVü beams is 500 ft. (152 m); the maximum depth that can be reached with the ClearVü sonar is approx. 400 ft. (122 m).
The unit has a 5 Hz internal GPS receiver. It can save up to 5,000 waypoints in its memory, 100 routes, and 50 tracks. It is pre-loaded with the BlueChart g3 map platform which essentially covers the U.S. coastal waters, but also supports LakeVü g3, as well as these charts’ superior versions, BlueChart g3 Vision and LakeVü g3 Ultra. It also has features such as Depth Range Shading and AutoGuidance. Plus, it has the Quickdraw Contours feature for bathymetric mapping.
In terms of networking, the unit supports NMEA 0183 and NMEA 2000. It has an Ethernet port for the Panoptix sonar. It also has wireless connectivity and is compatible with the ActiveCaptain app. Plus, it has a microSD card slot for chart updates, data transfer, or data backup.
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Lowrance Elite FS 9 Active Imaging 3-in-1 Contour+
The Elite FS 9 is one of the Lowrance fish finders released in 2020 and comes with a few improvements over
the older model. As the title suggests, the unit has the new Contour+ charts, and also supports ActiveTarger Live sonar technology. For reference, this is the Lowrance part number 000-15692-001.
The unit has Active Imaging sonar and comes with the Active Imaging 3-in-1 transducer. This transducer allows you to use the standard CHIRP sonar, DownScan, and SideScan. It can use the 83 kHz and 200 kHz channels for the standard CHIRP sonar, and 455/800 kHz for structure scanning. It cast conical beams for the CHIRP sonar, and oval beams for the structure scanning sonar. Their exact angles are not specified. But their max. range is 1,000 ft. (305 m) for the CHIRP sonar beam, 300 ft. (91 m) for the DownScan beam, and 300 ft. (91 m) on each side of the boat for SideScan.
The unit offers multiple standard sonar features as well. The first on the list is FishReveal which allows you to blend the DownScan imaging with the CHIRP view. The list also includes A-Scope, Bottom Lock, Fish ID, Sonar Zoom, various alarms, and more.
The unit integrates a 10 Hz, 16-channel GPS receiver. The pre-loaded C-MAP Contour+ charts cover more than 8,900 U.S. lakes and have a depth shading feature. The unit also supports Navionics+, Navionics Platinum+, Navionics Gold, Nautic Insight, Nautic Insight HD, C-MAP MAX N, and C-MAP MAX N+. Plus, the unit has StructureMap which allows you to overlay SideScan sonar images with the map, as well as the Genesis Live feature for bathymetric mapping.
The unit’s display has a 9-inch diagonal with a pixel matrix of 800 x 480. It has both touchscreen and keypad technology. It has NMEA 2000, Ethernet ports, as well as a microSD card slot. It also has Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. It supports 4G, 3G, Halo20, Halo20+, and Halo24 radar, as well as Ghost trolling motors, Motor Guide Xi3 & Xi5, Sirius XM weather sensors, AIS, and more.
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Price Range: $1,500 – $2,000
Raymarine Element 12 HV LightHouse Nc2  | Raymarine Element 12 HV Navionics+  | Humminbird HELIX 9 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G4N  |
Raymarine Element 12 HV LightHouse Nc2
The Raymarine Elements series of fish finders was released in 2019 but these models are still available in 2023. 
The Element 12 comes in several bundles with different charts and transducers. This post refers to the part number E70536-05-101, the one that comes with the LightHouse Nc2 charts and includes the HV-100 transducer.
This Raymarine chartplotter offers four sonar technologies. These are standard CHIRP, SideVision, DownVision, and RealVision 3D. The included HV-100 transducer supports all these sonar technologies. It features a transom mount, 20 ft. (6 m) of cable, and has an internal temperature sensor.
For the CHIRP standard sonar, the transducer casts a conical beam with a depth range of 900 ft. (274 m). For DownVision, the beams are oval, with a depth range of 600 ft. (183 m) @ 350 kHz, and 125 ft. (38 m) at 1.2 MHz. For RealVision 3D and SideVision, the beams are also oval and thin and have similar ranges. They reach approx. 300 ft. (91 m) @ 350 kHz, and 125 ft. (38 m) @ 1.2 MHz.
The unit is equipped with an internal GPS receiver that operates in a range of 1574 MHz and 1605 MHz. It features 28 channels. It supports GLONASS, EGNOS, MSAS, WAAS, QZSS, and GAGAN. In terms of charts, it has the LightHouse NC2. These cover the contiguous U.S. area, the Great Lakes with their related waterways, Alaska, Hawaii, and the Bahamas. They also cover the Canadian west coast and B.C. area. Differently put, these charts offer coverage for more than 80,000 miles of saltwater coastline, and 6,000+ inland lakes, reservoirs, and rivers. The unit also supports charts from Navionics and C-MAP, and also has the RealBathy feature for live bathymetric mapping.
The unit features a 12-inch diagonal display, with a pixel resolution of 1280H x 800V. It is IPX6 and IPX7 waterproof. It has touchscreen technology but also has a side keypad. It runs on the LigthHouse Sport OS which has an easy-to-use interface. It supports NMEA 2000 and SeaTalk. It also has WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity for easy downloads and data transfer.
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Raymarine Element 12 HV Navionics+
The Element 12 HV is one of the Raymarine fish finders released in 2019. As the title suggests, this particular model 
comes with the Navionics+ charts. Also, this is the Raymarine Element 12 part number E70536-05-NAG, the one that includes the HV-100 transducer.
Similar to the other Element models, the Raymarine E70536-05-NAG has four sonar technologies, these being CHIRP standard, DownVision, SideVision, and RealVision 3D. It also has the Hyper Vision mode (1.2 MHz) for the structure scanning sonar technologies. However, it does not support 50 kHz or 83 kHz.
The included HV-100 transducer supports all four sonar technologies available with the unit. For the 2D sonar, it operates at 200 kHz and casts a conical beam with a depth range of 900 ft. (274 m). For the other sonar technologies, the transducer uses oval beams. The DownVision beams reach 600 ft. (183 m) @ 350 kHz, and 125 ft. (38 m) in Hyper mode. The RealVision 3D beams have ranges of 300 ft. (91 m) @ 350 kHz, and 125 ft. (38 m) in Hyper mode. The SideVision sonar has similar ranges to the RealVision sonar, but the beams scan on each side of the boat.
The unit has a 28-channel internal GPS that supports GLONASS, MSAS, WAAS, EGNOS, QZSS, and GAGAN. It is equipped with the Navionics+ charts that offer coverage for the U.S. and Canada inland and coastal waters. They cover more than 22,000 inland lakes, with a huge database of points of interest and listed data for each point of interest. Of course, the unit also supports Navionics Platinum+, C-MAP charts (C-MAP Essentials, C-MAP 4D MAX+), as well as the Raymarine LightHouse NC2 charts. It also has the RealBathy feature for live bathymetric map creation and also supports the Navionics’ SonarChart application which is similar.
The unit’s display is 12″ in diagonal, with a pixel matrix of 1280 x 800, and a super-bright LED backlight. It has touchscreen technology but also has a side keypad. It runs on the LightHouse sport OS which has a very easy-to-use interface. It also offers superior networking features such as NMEA 2000 support, SeaTalk support, Bluetooth, and WiFi.
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Humminbird HELIX 9 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G4N
The HELIX 9 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G4N (411380-1) is one of the Humminbird units released at the end of 2020. 
It’s currently the most complete 9-inch unit from Humminbird. It features a WSVGA display with a pixel matrix of 1024H x 600V. It offers the full range of networking features, including NMEA 2000, Ethernet, Bluetooth, WiFi, and has two microSD card ports.
The unit’s sonar capabilities, include Dual Spectrum CHIRP, MEGA Side Imaging, and MEGA Down Imaging. It also supports MEGA Live Imaging and MEGA 360 Imaging. It comes with the XM 9 HW MSI T transducer which supports all three sonar technologies built-in the unit including their MEGA modes.
For the Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar, the transducer casts conical beams with a coverage of 42° in Wide and Full modes, and 25° in Narrow Mode. The maximum depth range of the Dual Spectrum CHIRP sonar is 1,000 ft. (305 m).
For the Down Imaging and Side Imaging, the transducer casts thin oval beams. For Down Imaging, the beams offer a coverage of 75° @ 455 kHz, 45° @ 800 kHz, and 75° in Mega Mode. The maximum depth range of the Down Imaging sonar with the included transducer is 400 ft. when using the 455 kHz beam. The depth range of the 800 kHz beam is 125 ft. (38 m), while the depth range of the MEGA DI beam is 200 ft. (61 m).
For Side Imaging, the beams have a coverage of 86° for all frequencies. Their range vary, though. They’re 800 ft. (244 m) @ 455 kHz, 250 ft. (76 m) @ 800 kHz, and 400 ft. (122 m) @ 1200 kHz.
In terms of navigation features, the Humminbird HELIX 9 411380-1 has an internal 10 Hz GPS receiver. It comes pre-loaded with the Humminbird Basemap, but also supports Navionics, LakeMaster, CoastMaster, and SmartStrike charts. It has the AutoChart Live feature, and also supports i-Pilot Link, radar modules, AIS, and more.
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A Few Things To Know Before Buying Your Fish Finder
Even though in the sections above we’ve covered some of the best fish finders for the money, you may still want to see what other models are available. Therefore, if none of the above fit your budget and needs, here are a few things to look for when choosing your fish finder.
Brand Name
Currently, there aren’t too many top fish finder brands out there. The most popular are Humminbird, Lowrance, Garmin, Simrad, Raymarine, and Furuno. There’s also Vexilar and MarCum, but their offers consist mostly of ice fish finders. There’s also Deeper, which offers some of the best castable fish finders available at the moment. We’ve already covered at least one model from each one of these brands. But nonetheless, they offer many other models, and some of them have also gathered an almost clean 5-start rating from users. Thus, if you want to check out other models, these are the names to look for
Sonar Technologies
There have been quite some innovations over the past few years in terms of sonar technology for fishing. For example, even though CHIRP sonar technology has been developed in the 1950s, most CHIRP sonar fish finders have become available to the average consumer only after 2010. Also, in 2018, Garmin introduced the first Panoptix Live sonar, while Lowrance developed a similar live sonar technology, which is called Active Target.
Of course, models with the newest, most advanced sonar technologies are the most expensive. The Side Imaging fish finders and the Down Imaging fish finders also cost an extra buck. The most affordable models are the ones with standard or CHIRP standard sonar.
Type of Transducer
A transducer is not always included with a fish finder, so it’s pretty important to make sure that the unit you want comes with one. It’s definitely a plus to have a full fish finding system out of the box and not have to look for a compatible transducer once you’ve got your unit. Also, you can be sure that the transducer included with your fish finder is compatible with it. All the fish finders on this page include a transducer.
GPS, Charts, and Other Navigation Features
GPS, charts, bathymetric map creation, engine data, or trip planning are features that will always increase the cost of a fish finder. Now, depending on where you’re going to be fishing, you may or may not need these. But especially if you’ll be fishing out at sea, or even on a large lake, extra navigational awareness and the ability to mark waypoints for the best fishing spots are always a plus. The list above covers some of the best fish finders for the money with and without navigation features.
Connectivity
Similar to navigation features, networking features like NMEA or Ethernet ports will also increase the price of a fish finder. But then again, these are features great to have if you want to easily connect your new unit to an already existing boat grid. Also, WiFi and Bluetooth are great features to have as they usually offer the possibility to easily download software updates for your unit, chart downloads, or data upload on the web, or on your mobile device. Fish finders with features of this sort usually start at approx. $500.
Bottom Line
All the fish finders that we’ve covered here have a user rating of at least 4.5 on most retailer and manufacturer websites. They’re most definitely the best fish finders for the money that you can get at the moment. We’ve covered here, models for all budgets, starting as low as $150. Also, each one comes with a transducer, so you’ll have a complete fishing sonar system right out of the box, without having to purchase additional accessories.
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