A standalone fish finder shows you sonar — depth, fish, bottom. A combo (chartplotter/fishfinder) adds full GPS charts, waypoints and navigation on the same screen. The right choice comes down to whether you need maps and nav, or just want to see what's below.
New to all this? Start with the beginner's guide; to pick an actual combo, see the GPS combo guide.
01Standalone sonar
A standalone unit focuses on sonar. It's cheaper, simpler and lighter, which makes it ideal for kayaks, small tiller boats, a familiar home pond, or as a second screen. Worth knowing: many modern "standalone" units (like Garmin's STRIKER line) still include a GPS for waypoints — you can mark and return to spots — they just don't carry preloaded navigation charts.
- Pros: lowest cost, simple, low power draw, compact.
- Cons: no preloaded charts or real navigation; less future-proof.
02GPS combo
A combo merges sonar with full charting — preloaded lake/coastal maps, contour lines, waypoints, routes and navigation — on one display. It's the mainstream choice because it does everything in a single screen and grows with you (imaging, networking, often live sonar). The trade-off is price and a little more complexity.
- Pros: charts & navigation, waypoints, mapping, room to grow, one screen.
- Cons: costs more; slightly more to learn.
03Side by side
| Standalone | GPS Combo | |
|---|---|---|
| Sonar | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded charts | No | Yes (Navionics+/C-MAP/LakeMaster) |
| Waypoints | Often (GPS models) | Yes, full |
| Navigation | Minimal/none | Full |
| Cost | Lowest | Higher |
| Best for | Kayak, small pond, backup | Most boats & anglers |
If you fish familiar water and want to mark spots but don't need navigation charts, a GPS-equipped standalone (e.g. a Garmin STRIKER) gives you most of the benefit at a much lower price.
04Which should you buy first?
- Most boat anglers → a combo. Charts and waypoints pay off quickly, and it won't box you in later.
- Kayak, small pond, tight budget, or backup screen → a standalone. Simple, affordable and effective.
Garmin STRIKER 4
$A simple, affordable standalone: dual-frequency CHIRP, GPS waypoints (no charts) and a flasher mode. Perfect as a first finder, a kayak unit, or a backup.
Garmin ECHOMAP UHD2 73sv
$$A do-everything combo: CHIRP and imaging, preloaded Navionics+ charts, waypoints and trails, and LiveScope compatibility. The mainstream choice that grows with you.
Picked a combo? Compare the ecosystems in Garmin vs. Humminbird vs. Lowrance.