Trying to decide on a new fish finder can be a daunting task. Even experienced boaters and anglers can become overwhelmed by the options and features available.
The Reality? There is no one “best fish finder,” and never will be.
There are over one hundred models to choose from each year. Each brand and model have its strengths and place for best use.
The purpose of this guide is to help you cut through the confusion and the marketing hype to help you choose the best fish finder for the money that fits your style of fishing.
We’ll walk you through the different types of sonar and features in today’s top fishing electronics, and they can be used to help you enjoy your time on the water and catch more fish.
How to Use this Guide
- Use the Table of Contents to jump to the most applicable sections.
- Read our other articles about models that interest you.
- Still not sure which unit is right for you? Ask us a Question!
2025 Best Fish Finder – Quick Overview
Our top fish finder recommendations for the year are mostly the same as last year. Nothing drastically new has been released. We’ve included several Side Imaging, Down Imaging, Live Sonar units, and Kayaking and Portable units.
There are great units to choose from at any budget and skill level. This list is a quick rundown of our top recommendations. Keep reading for more info on each type of fish finder.
- Humminbird XPLORE 12 with CMSI+ GPS – Editor’s Choice for best Side Imaging fish finder. MEGA+ Imaging, big screen, great value. Comes with built in Lakemaster maps, and ready for MEGA Live 2 and MEGA 360. If you can’t afford the 12, the XPLORE 10 and XPLORE 9 are also fantastic.
- Garmin ECHOMAP Ultra 106sv – Great touchscreen unit with GT56UHD-TM transducer for improved SideVu, and compatible with LiveScope.
- Lowrance Elite FS 10 Active Imaging 3-in-1 – Affordable touch screen 3-1 Imaging fish finder, compatible with new Active Target live sonar.
- Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv – Great budget full featured touchscreen unit with SideVu, DownVu, GPS, Maps and CHIRP sonar, and Livescope ready.
- Lowrance Eagle 7 TripleShot HD – Best Budget Side Scan fish finder, with innovative “Fish Reveal” technology that highlights fish on screen.
1. Top Fish Finders by Price Range
Do you have a specific budget to stick with for your new marine electronics purchase? We’ve got you covered with guides for choosing the best fish finder in many price ranges.
- Top Fish Finders Under $3,000
- Top Fish Finders Under $2,000
- Top Fish Finders Under $1,000
- Top Fish Finders Under $500
- Top Fish Finders Under $200
- Top Fish Finders Under $100
2. Latest Fish Finder Reviews
We look to be headed for another great few years in marine electronics. There are a ton of products to cover, and we’ll list and link to them here, broken out by brand.
Garmin
- ECHOMAP Ultra – The 10 and 12-inch touch units with Ultra High Def MHz SideVu and ClearVu sonar. Great units for utilizing LiveScope.
- ECHOMAP UHD2 – The smaller siblings to the Ultra units, with “Ultra High Def” side and down imaging sonars, plus some new touchscreens. Replaces the Garmin ECHOMAP Plus series.
- STRIKER Vivid– This popular series has added a 9-inch SideVu model. These units replace the Garmin STRIKER Plus series.
- Livescope – The first and still best forward facing sonar system.
Lowrance
- Elite FS – New 7 and 9-inch “Fishing System” units are the lowest-cost units compatible with the new Active Target live forward-facing sonar and sport 3-in-1 Active Imaging, Fish Reveal, and Genesis Live mapping.
- HDS PRO– The high-end HDS PRO series replaces the HDS Live units and now has a massive 16-inch unit and a new all-in-one Active Imaging transducer.
- HOOK Reveal– This is the latest refresh of the Hook series, with fresh new SolarMax displays, SplitShot, TripleShot configurations, and some very attractive prices. Replacing the discontinued Lowrance Hook2
- Active Target – The Livescope clone for Lowrance owners.
Humminbird
- HELIX G4N– The sharpest, most detailed images come from MEGA+ imaging units. This year brings a new 15-inch model, which could be great for split-screen MEGA 360 and MEGA Live.
- SOLIX G3– The new G3 SOLIX series boasts new processors, which will be helpful when you add on a MEGA 360 and MEGA Live transducer. SOLIX has become well known for crystal clear imaging. The G3 builds further on that reputation.
- MEGA 360 – The only sonar system for imaging all around the boat. 360 is still an underrated tool many anglers would never want to be without.
- MEGA Live – Humminbird’s first live sonar product. It’s had a rocky start, but if you are already in the Bird ecosystem, adding Live is an affordable way to get into forward looking sonar.
Raymarine
- Axiom+– Raymarine is making a new push into consumer fish finders with Axiom. They look fantastic, especially with the 3D imaging technology. Worth a look if you can find one.
- Element– The Element series is a step below the Axiom, with many of the same excellent fish finder features of leading brands. This includes HyperVision DownVision and SideVision imaging (Megahertz frequencies) and RealVision 3D introduced in the Axiom series.
3. Top Fish Finders by Type of Sonar
Modern fish finders have a wide range of features and capabilities. We often don’t need a unit that does every last thing – but we need it to do a few particular things.
Some examples:
At the Console – You need good side and down imaging, CHIRP sonar, and excellent maps for navigating and locating productive fishing spots. This is where you want to put your best unit on the boat.
At the Bow – You don’t need side imaging – regular sonar, MEGA 360, and forward facing sonar are far more helpful. These are fishing tools used while fishing, and you can often buy a cheaper fish finder to utilize the advanced sonar accessories.
These are the essential types of sonar, followed by the best recommendations for each category.
- “Live” Sonar– Forward-facing sonar is the newest sensation among anglers. The technology has been around for decades, but Garmin was the first to bring it to the recreational market with the incredibly popular LiveScope. Lowrance and Humminbird have joined the party with Active Target and MEGA Live.
- 360 Imaging– Think of 360 as “rotational side imaging” because it is a rotating side imaging transducer that creates a full-circle image of what’s in front of and around your boat. This technology has flown under the radar for a long time, and only recently have more people discovered how valuable a tool it is for fishing.
- Imaging Sonar– Imaging sonar pings a very narrow beam either to the sides (Side Imaging) or straight down (Down Imaging). When your boat moves, the sonar returns stack on each other, creating a realistic image of the lake bottom and showing fish and structure up to 200 feet to either side of the boat.
- Traditional Sonar– This is your basic “2D” sonar that pings straight down in a cone, and whatever comes into view of the cone is displayed on the screen. The screen then scrolls to the left; anything on the right is newer data/returns.
- CHIRP– Traditional sonar uses a set frequency, such as 200 kHz, but CHIRP transmits over a range of frequencies, such as 70-110 kHz. CHIRP transducers put more sound energy into the water, providing better returns and more detail.
Best Live Sonar Fish Finders
Live sonar is an accessory transducer, and you’ll need a compatible fish finder to use one. The transducers all cost around the same, but there is a wide price range in compatible fish finders.
If you don’t already have a forward facing fish finder, the investment in the transducer and electronics can be costly!
For each live sonar brand below, we recommend one budget fish finder to get you started at the lowest cost possible and one high-end fish finder for top performance.
Garmin Livescope
- Budget Unit – ECHOMAP UHD2 93sv
- High-End Unit – ECHOMAP Ultra 2 126sv (no Transducer) save by skipping the GT56 transducer and going right to Livescope.
Lowrance Active Target 2
- Budget Unit – Elite FS 10 Active Imaging 3 in 1
- High-End Unit – HDS PRO 12 with Active Imaging HD
Humminbird MEGA Live 2
- Budget Unit – XPLORE 9, a great unit that includes Lakemaster maps, GPS, and MEGA Live 2 ready.
- High-End Unit – XPLORE 12, for a larger screen experience, the 12 is magnificent. Fast, sharper than its Helix predecessors.
Tip: If you can find a control head only (CHO) unit, you can save a few hundred bucks if you don’t need the transducer that is typically in the box.
Don’t know which Forward Facing Sonar to buy? We’ve used them all and have articles to help you learn how they work and comparisons between brands.
Best Side Imaging Sonar
Side imaging uses a left and right facing beam, stitching the returns together on the screen to create realistic images of the lake bottom on both sides of your boat. Side imaging can reveal contour changes, bottom hardness transitions, fish, and structure simultaneously.
Each brand has its marketing name for this type of sonar, but they all function similarly. The imaging looks very similar on all the brands, so it’s up to you to look closely at screenshots and specifications and decide what will work best for you.
- Humminbird – MEGA Side Imaging
- Lowrance – Side Scan
- Garmin – SideVü
- Raymarine – DownVision
Side imaging is an extremely useful tool for searching out fish-holding areas on the lake. It can significantly reduce the time it takes to find fish, making you more efficient and allowing you to spend more time trying to catch them. Here is a tutorial with actionable tips and tricks.
Side Imaging Fish Finder Reviews
- HELIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ GPS G4N
- Garmin Echomap UHD2 93sv
- SOLIX 10 CHIRP MEGA SI+ G3
- Lowrance Elite-9 Ti TotalScan
- Garmin STRIKER Vivid 9sv
- All Side Imaging Reviews
Best Side Imaging Fish Finders
