FishNerd vs Fishbox: forecasts and bathymetry vs a free catch log (2026)
Fishbox is a forecasting-and-maps app. Its listings lead with wind, pressure, solunar and tide forecasts, saved spots, offline map tiles and bathymetric maps described as covering 50,000-plus U.S. lakes, rivers, reservoirs and coastal areas. The advanced features sit behind Fishbox Premium, which the Brazilian App Store sells at eight price points from R$32,90 to R$229,90.
FishNerd is a catch log. One photo, the species identified by AI, the conditions of that moment attached automatically, shared with your own group — and no Premium at all. The two apps overlap on the conditions data and part ways on everything else. Here is what each one does, what each one costs, and who each one is for.
Side by side
| Feature | FishNerd | Fishbox |
|---|---|---|
| No in-app purchases at all | Yes | No |
| Catch log | Yes | Yes |
| AI species identification | Yes | — |
| Conditions attached to each catch automatically | Yes | Partial |
| Tides | Yes | Yes |
| Solunar / bite windows | Yes | Yes |
| Bite forecast / activity score | No | Yes |
| Local regulations per catch | Yes | — |
| Private groups with a shared feed | Yes | — |
| Public community feed | No | — |
| WhatsApp catch cards | Yes | No |
| Tackle box with barcode scan | Yes | — |
| GPS trip track recorded automatically | No | — |
| Smartwatch app | No | — |
| Depth / bathymetric charts | No | Paid tier |
| Offline maps | No | Paid tier |
Yes / No / Paid tier / Partial / — = not stated on the store listing
What it costs · FishNerd
No in-app purchases
What it costs · Fishbox
- Fishbox Premium (eight price points) — R$ 32,90 – R$ 229,90 / year
What Fishbox does well
Maps and forecasts for U.S. water. Its Play Store description covers 50,000-plus U.S. lakes, rivers, reservoirs and coastal areas with bathymetric maps, and the listing pairs that with wind, pressure, solunar and tide forecasts, saved spots and offline map tiles. For an American lake or reservoir angler who wants depth contours without a signal, that is a specific and useful thing, and FishNerd does not offer it.
The Brazilian App Store rating is 4.6 stars across 424 ratings — a small base, but a decent score.
Where Premium sits, and where the app is from
The core — forecasts, spots, offline tiles, bathymetry — is what Fishbox is; the advanced features are Premium, and the listing sells that at eight price points, R$32,90 to R$229,90 in Brazil. Depth and offline maps are marked paid in the table above for that reason.
Two listing facts matter more than the price. The app is sold on the Brazilian App Store under the title "Pesca Inteligente", but the same listing states its languages as English and Japanese — Portuguese is not listed. And the maps are described as U.S. waters. A capable app, built for a different country than its Brazilian title suggests.
What FishNerd does differently
FishNerd identifies the fish. One photo, species by AI — Fishbox's listing does not say whether it identifies species, so the table marks that unknown — with the weather, pressure trend, moon phase, solunar window and tide of that moment attached automatically. Fishbox forecasts those conditions; FishNerd records the ones you actually caught fish in.
It also shares: private groups with a shared feed, map, album and leaderboard, joined by code, link or QR, mirrored into WhatsApp as catch cards. A barcode-scanning tackle box, local regulations on each catch, and the whole app in English, Portuguese and Spanish. No Premium, no in-app purchases, free forever as the homepage states.
What FishNerd does not have
No bathymetric maps, no depth contours, no offline map tiles. That is Fishbox's core and FishNerd has none of it. If you fish U.S. reservoirs by depth, Fishbox is the tool and this page will not pretend otherwise.
No forward forecast as a product. FishNerd shows the conditions your catches happened under; it does not project tomorrow's bite.
Who should pick which
Pick Fishbox if you fish U.S. lakes and reservoirs and want bathymetry offline, and you are fine with the Premium tier for the advanced features.
Pick FishNerd if you want the catch logged from a photo — species and conditions filled in — and shared with your own group, in your own language, for free. If you fish in Brazil, note that only one of these two apps is actually in Portuguese.
The honest verdict
Fishbox is a forecasts-and-maps app for U.S. water with a Premium tier. FishNerd is a free catch log that identifies the fish and records the conditions. If you need depth maps of American reservoirs, Fishbox. If you want the free app that remembers what you caught and when, FishNerd — and if you read Portuguese, that choice is easier than the Brazilian title makes it look.
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