Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

onWater vs Fishbox

onWater 4.5★ · Free + IAP 60
Winner Fishbox
Fishbox 4.6★ · Free + IAP 75

Choose Fishbox for a more comprehensive fishing experience.

Full reviews: onWater · Fishbox

Fishbox offers a wider range of features and better overall user satisfaction compared to onWater, despite some complaints about its subscription model. While both apps have room for improvement, Fishbox's higher lifetime rating and more extensive user base suggest it may provide better value for anglers.

Head to head

features edge: FishboxR8R42R63R94
onWater Users appreciate onWater's detailed flow reports and access point database, but many find it lacking in unique features compared to competitors.
Fishbox Fishbox users enjoy its fishing forecasts and helpful insights, though some express frustration over recent changes that limit access to features without a subscription.
ease of use tieR2R3R65R66
onWater onWater is described as intuitive by some, but others report crashes and difficulty navigating the app.
Fishbox Fishbox has a steep learning curve, but many users find it rewarding once they get accustomed to it.
reliability edge: FishboxR3R7R67R100
onWater onWater users frequently mention crashes and bugs that hinder their experience.
Fishbox Fishbox users report issues with login and data accuracy, but overall stability seems better than onWater.
price/value tieR9R29R78R102
onWater onWater is criticized for its perceived lack of value in the free tier, with many suggesting the premium features are not worth the cost.
Fishbox Fishbox also faces criticism for its subscription model, with users feeling pressured to pay for features that were previously free.
support tieR38R52R82R96
onWater onWater users have mixed experiences, with some praising customer service while others report unresolved issues.
Fishbox Fishbox users have had varied experiences, with some receiving refunds after issues, but many express frustration over customer service responsiveness.
Pick onWater if

you prefer a free app with basic features and are willing to tolerate some bugs.

Pick Fishbox if

you want a more feature-rich app and are okay with a subscription model for better insights.

Evidence note: Both apps have significant user complaints, particularly about subscription models and app functionality. Fishbox's higher rating and larger user base suggest it may offer better overall satisfaction despite its issues.

Frequently asked

Which app is better for fishing forecasts?
Fishbox provides more comprehensive fishing forecasts and insights, although some features now require a subscription, which has frustrated users who previously accessed them for free.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R8] onWater 5/5 · US Flow Reports: I love the flow reports and how updated they are.
  2. [R42] onWater 5/5 · US A must-have tool for every angler: As an avid angler, I've tried numerous fishing apps, but onWater Fish Maps & Forecast stands out as a game-changer. Its intuitive interface and comprehensive features make trip planning and on-the-water navigation seamless. Key Features I Appreciate: Extensive Access Point Database: With over 100,000 fishing access spots, boat ramps, and fly shops, I can effort
  3. [R63] Fishbox 3/5 · US Used to prefer this over Fishbrain: I’ve had this app for about a year if not a little longer, and loved it because of the fishing forecast it showed, now all of a sudden everything even where to go fishing is behind a subscription. It seemed like this happened overnight because I’ve even used these features this summer. I liked the forecast feature so much I used this over Fishbrain but reading o
  4. [R94] Fishbox 1/5 · US Not worth it at all.: Made me get a subscription before I could see anything. Turns out there’s zero reviews in my area. Lots of spots aren’t good for fishing or are illegal, private lands etc. all it showed was bodies of water. I can look that up on a map, not useful or worth the money at all.
  5. [R2] onWater 4/5 · US Solid app: I’ve found the app to be most helpful when traveling and learning the streams. Sometimes I find it clunky to move between say, “zooming in to see what is private land” and then trying to return to the stream I was looking at originally. But overall, well developed and intuitive for any angler!
  6. [R3] onWater 3/5 · US Great idea, poor execution: App crashes constantly while exploring the map and checking locations offered.
  7. [R65] Fishbox 4/5 · US Love it: It is a bit complicated, but it is good
  8. [R66] Fishbox 3/5 · US Great info needs refining: Great info and good enough to keep my premium subscription (for now) but need refining to UX
  9. [R7] onWater 1/5 · US Crashing: App crashes and closes every time I click a flow station on the map
  10. [R67] Fishbox 1/5 · US Bad: I tried signing in about 30 times it never let me sign in because apparently it couldn’t verify the verification code. I don’t know why it’s just stupid and I would not recommend buying this.
  11. [R100] Fishbox 1/5 · US It’s okay. Not as accurate: Like title says. A lot of this is not updated stuff. Like taking you to a place that’s been dried up, or no activity. There’s better apps
  12. [R9] onWater 3/5 · US Yet Another Fishing App: Effectively useless free tier, when comparing premium offerings to other big players like Fishbrain, it’s hard to justify the similar cost. Either needs a different pricing model or something immediately differentiating it from other apps in this space. Essentially, it’s hard to see how this will help anyone catch more fish than competitors offerings.
  13. [R29] onWater 1/5 · US Money Grab: They advertise it as free but it’s useless unless you pay their fees.
  14. [R78] Fishbox 3/5 · US Subscription Trap: Be aware that it’s very easy to miss the details in the free trial and if you mess it up you will be charged $27 which is NON-REFUNDABLE without jumping through a series of cumbersome loops. If the app wen out and caught fish for me I wouldn’t use it just based on how exploitive the interactions with the team felt. UPDATE: After some back and forth with the team here they fu
  15. [R102] Fishbox 1/5 · US Promotional scam: Although it offers a 7-day trial for $1, you then have six pages of attempted upsell. If you mis-click, you are charged a non-refundable $27 even if you contact them immediately.
  16. [R38] onWater 5/5 · US Love this app: Always spot on. Love this app and the customer service. Makes DIY fly fish so much easier. Thank you for all that you contribute to the sport/hobby. Bob from the PNW
  17. [R52] onWater 5/5 · US Great response from developers team: I had an issue where the fish-brain app would not sync the changes I made on the app between my iPhone and my iPad. I sent an email to the support team. They had the problem resolved in 3 days. Very responsive and great communication! Thanks team!! Mark
  18. [R82] Fishbox 1/5 · US Beware: I bought the service and then 2 later found that they don’t provide meaningful info for rivers, which I primarily fish. I sent an email cancelling well within 7 day free trial. Guess what they continue to charge $27.99. I’ve sent a copy of my dated email cancelling to the owner and he still owning that his company isn’t honoring their trial offer. So now Amex is involved. Beware! Don’t bel
  19. [R96] Fishbox 1/5 · US Apps a scam: This app is a scam, I got the trial version and tried to cancel it after I did not like the app and the instructions they give you from the site on how to cancel it are not helpful, the options it tells you to click on are not there on the app and then they offer basically garbage after they charge you and will not refund your money, don’t waste your time with this one

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store