Submarius
Updated October 14, 2026
Fishbrain alternative: Fishbrain vs Submarius.
Both are good apps. They solve different problems. If you want a species and catch database with a weather overlay, Fishbrain is polished and has been at it longer. If you want one 0 to 10 verdict for your spot ("is today worth it?"), with wind, tides, a bite score and safety tools that never become paid features, Submarius is built for that question.
| Feature | Submarius | Fishbrain |
|---|---|---|
| Single number verdict (0 to 10) | ✓ | N/A |
| Bite forecast | ✓ bite score, every factor listed | ✓ BiteTime |
| Forecast for the days ahead | ✓ 8 days (Pro) | ✓ (check Fishbrain's plans) |
| Species list and catch log | Species near you, no catch log | ✓ extensive |
| Community spots and catch maps | N/A, your spots stay private | ✓ mature |
| Shark awareness card (Spearfishing mode) | ✓ free | Not in its feature list |
| Float plan with check in and SOS | ✓ free, needs a free account | Not in its feature list |
| Spot privacy | ✓ unlimited spots, stored on your device | Privacy settings vary |
| Modes for spearfishing and diving | ✓ current, tide and moon on one screen | Rod and reel focus |
| Visibility estimate for divers | ✓ with a confidence figure, in dive modes | N/A |
| Pricing | US: $12.99 a month, $99 a year, or $149 once | Free app, with a paid Pro plan |
Fishbrain details are from its US App Store listing and its Pro page, checked in October 2026. Submarius prices are US prices; other countries pay a different amount.
Who should use Fishbrain?
If your primary use case is logging catches, building a personal history of where and when you've fished, browsing community catch heatmaps to find new spots, and using a mature species database to identify what you caught, Fishbrain is the better choice. It's been accumulating community data for over a decade. That's genuinely hard to replicate, and the network effect is real.
Fishbrain is also excellent for bass and freshwater anglers. Its user base skews heavily toward US freshwater fishing, and the community content reflects that.
Who should use Submarius?
If your primary use case is deciding whether to go, that morning or the night before with Pro, Submarius is built for that. The home screen is engineered to give you a decisive answer in under five seconds, with every factor tappable for the full breakdown.
Specifically:
- Spearos and divers. Dive modes put current, swell, tide and a visibility estimate with a confidence figure on one screen.
- Anglers who plan around conditions. The bite score weighs light, moonlight, how fast the tide is moving, water temperature extremes, and wind and waves, so you don't have to combine them yourself.
- Anyone who values safety features being free. Safety Watch (a float plan with a "back by" time and SOS) and the shark awareness card in Spearfishing mode are free for good. Safety Watch needs a free account.
- Anglers who keep their spots quiet. Your spots are private and stored on your device, with no limit. There are no public spot pages for them to leak onto.
The philosophical difference.
Fishbrain is a database with a weather view bolted on. Submarius is a decision engine for the trip itself. Both approaches are legitimate; they just optimize for different moments in your day.
Ask yourself: am I more often trying to remember what I caught, or decide if today is worth going?
Can you use both?
Absolutely. Submarius and Fishbrain solve different halves of the trip. We're built to answer "is it worth going?" the morning of the trip, or the night before with Pro. Fishbrain is built for logging what you caught afterwards. No "delete the other apps" marketing. Use the right tool for the moment.
Common questions
Is Fishbrain's BiteTime accurate?
We can't check BiteTime from the outside, so we won't guess at how accurate it is. What we can tell you is what goes into the Submarius bite score: light (it peaks around sunrise and sunset), moonlight at night, how fast the tide is moving, water temperature extremes, wind and waves, and the habitat under your pin where we have seabed data. Each factor has its own row, so you can see what moved the score. It rates timing and habitat, not where fish are.
What's a good Fishbrain alternative?
It depends on what you use Fishbrain for. Submarius doesn't replace a catch log or a community catch map. It has neither, and your spots stay private on your device. If you mostly open Fishbrain to decide whether to go, Submarius gives you a 0 to 10 rating for your spot with wind, tides, water temperature and radar, plus a bite score in Fishing mode. Today's rating and tiles are free, and the forecast for days 2 to 8 is Pro.
Evidence and related reading.
- How the bite score works.
- Fishing forecast app: bite score, tides and wind.
- Fishing conditions by location.
- Ocean conditions glossary.
Want to see how your spot scores right now?
Pick Fishing mode and you get today's rating, wind, tide and bite score for your spot on one screen.