Head-to-Head Comparison · 2026
MyFishingBuds vs Co-Angler
Co-Angler and MyFishingBuds both help you find someone to fish with. Co-Angler is a free, focused matchmaker. MyFishingBuds adds compatibility matching, on-water safety, AI trip planning, and a full platform. Here is how they compare.
Updated May 2026 · Co-Angler details from its public app listing
🎣 MyFishingBuds
Best for: A full fishing platform with safety
Compatibility matching, AI trip planning, float plan safety, catch heatmap, fish ID, learn library, and guides — in one app.
$6.99/mo Basic · $14.99/mo Pro · 7-day free trial · safety free on all plans
🤝 Co-Angler
Best for: A free, focused matchmaker
Browse an anglers list, set an Open to Fish status, message, rate trips, and share trip reports. Simple and free.
Free · subscription planned for upcoming features · iOS and Android
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | MFB | Co-Angler |
|---|---|---|
| Find a fishing partner | ✓ | ✓ |
| Compatibility matching (style, species, skill, availability) | ✓ | — |
| Available-now / Open to Fish status | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time messaging | ✓ | ✓ |
| Ratings and reviews | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trip alerts for new trips near you | ✓ | ✓ |
| Trip creation with crew and gear list | ✓ | ✓ |
| Catch feed / trip reports | ✓ | ✓ |
| Float plans + GPS safety | ✓ | — |
| Emergency contact auto-alerts + SOS | ✓ | — |
| AI Trip Planner (NOAA + USGS + solunar) | ✓ | — |
| AI Fish ID with regulations | ✓ | — |
| Catch heatmap | ✓ | — |
| Private waypoints + catch journal | ✓ | — |
| Learn-to-fish library | ✓ | — |
| Guides marketplace + booking | ✓ | — |
| Tackle logbook | ✓ | — |
| Free to use | ✓ | ✓ |
Who Wins Each Scenario?
You want a free, no-frills way to fill or find a seat
Co-Angler is free and focused entirely on matchmaking. If that is all you need, it is hard to beat on price.
You want compatibility matching by style, species and skill
MFB ranks anglers by fishing style, species, skill, availability and distance. Co-Angler is a browseable list with an Open to Fish status.
Safety is a priority (offshore, solo, wading, ice)
GPS float plans, automatic emergency alerts, and SOS — free on every plan. Co-Angler does not list safety tools.
You want AI trip planning with live conditions
Live NOAA, USGS, barometric, and solunar data in one plan. Co-Angler does not list AI features.
You want trip alerts when a trip pops up near you
Both notify you of nearby trips. Co-Angler uses email within 100 miles; MFB uses push and in-app with species, type, and distance filters.
You want a full platform, not just matchmaking
Catch heatmap, fish ID, learn-to-fish library, guides marketplace, and tackle logbook in one app.
You are new and want to learn while you find buddies
A full learn-to-fish library plus compatibility matching helps beginners more than a directory alone.
You want the absolute lowest price today
Co-Angler is currently free. MFB has a free 7-day trial and keeps safety features free, but full access is paid.
Where Co-Angler is Better
- 💸
Free to use
Co-Angler is currently free (a subscription is planned for upcoming features). If price is the deciding factor, that is a real edge.
- 🎯
Single-purpose simplicity
It does one thing — match anglers — without extra features to learn. Great if all you want is to fill or find a seat.
- 🌱
Focused, growing community
A dedicated matchmaker built solely around connecting anglers for trips.
Where MyFishingBuds is Better
- 🧭
Compatibility matching
Ranks anglers by style, species, skill, availability, and distance — not just a list to scroll.
- 🛟
On-the-water safety
GPS float plans, automatic emergency alerts, and SOS — free on every plan. Co-Angler does not list safety tools.
- 🤖
AI trip planning and fish ID
Live NOAA, USGS, barometric, and solunar data, plus AI fish ID with regulations by state.
- 🧰
A full platform
Catch heatmap, private waypoints and journal, learn-to-fish library, guides marketplace, and tackle logbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is MyFishingBuds a good Co-Angler alternative?
Yes. Co-Angler is a free, focused matchmaker for finding a fishing partner. MyFishingBuds does the same buddy-finding and adds compatibility matching, on-water safety (float plans and SOS), AI trip planning, a catch heatmap, fish ID, a learn-to-fish library, and a guides marketplace. If you want more than matchmaking, MyFishingBuds is the fuller platform.
What is the main difference between MyFishingBuds and Co-Angler?
Co-Angler is a single-purpose matchmaker — browse an anglers list, set an Open to Fish status, message, and rate trips. MyFishingBuds is a full fishing platform: it ranks compatible buddies for you, then adds trip planning, float plan safety, AI tools, a catch feed and heatmap, and a learn-to-fish library.
Is Co-Angler free?
Yes, Co-Angler is currently free to use. Its app listing notes a subscription is planned for upcoming features. MyFishingBuds has a 7-day free trial (no credit card), then Basic at $6.99/mo and Pro at $14.99/mo — and float plans, GPS tracking, and SOS are free on every plan.
Does Co-Angler have safety features like float plans?
Co-Angler does not list float plans, GPS tracking, or SOS alerts. MyFishingBuds includes GPS float plans, automatic emergency-contact alerts, SOS, and weather alerts — all free on every plan.
Which app has better matching?
It depends on what you want. Co-Angler keeps it simple: an anglers list plus an Open to Fish status you browse and message. MyFishingBuds ranks compatible anglers for you by fishing style, target species, skill level, availability, and distance, so you spend less time scrolling.
Which is better for finding a fishing partner — MyFishingBuds or Co-Angler?
Both work. Pick Co-Angler if you want a free, no-frills way to find a seat. Pick MyFishingBuds if you want compatibility matching, on-water safety, AI trip planning, and the rest of the platform in one place.
The Bottom Line
Use Co-Angler if you want a free, no-frills way to find a fishing partner and nothing more.
Use MyFishingBuds if you want compatibility matching, on-water safety, AI trip planning, and a full fishing platform in one app — with a 7-day free trial and safety features free on every plan.
Try MyFishingBuds free for 7 days
Full Pro access. No credit card. Float plans and SOS free on every plan.
Get Started Free →