Honest comparison
GilledIt vs Fishbrain
Which Fishing App Is Better for UK Anglers?
Last updated: March 2026
Fishbrain is the world’s largest fishing app with 20 million users, but it was built for American bass anglers, not British coarse fishermen. If you fish canals, commercial fisheries, or rivers in the UK, you will find Fishbrain’s species database, fishing methods, and tackle recommendations frustrating. GilledIt is purpose-built for UK anglers with support for 150+ British species, all UK fishing methods including float and feeder, and a built-in marketplace no other fishing app offers.
Feature by feature
Side-by-Side Comparison
How GilledIt and Fishbrain compare across every feature that matters to UK anglers.
| Feature | GilledIt | Fishbrain |
|---|---|---|
| Catch Logging | ||
| UK Species (150+) | ||
| Float Fishing Support | ||
| Feeder Fishing Support | ||
| UK Bait Database | ||
| Social Feed | ||
| Marketplace | ||
| Challenges & Badges | ||
| Interactive Map | ||
| Messaging | ||
| Offline Mode | ||
| UK Focus | ||
| Free Core Features | ||
| Price | Free + Premium | £8–10/mo |
Advantages
Where GilledIt Wins
UK Species Coverage (150+ vs 4 with Bite Predictions)
Fishbrain’s bite predictions only work for four species in the UK: common carp, mirror carp, perch, and pike. A tench angler, barbel chaser, or roach pole fisherman gets nothing useful. GilledIt supports 150+ species including roach, tench, barbel, bream, chub, dace, rudd, and gudgeon, every species a UK match angler or pleasure fisherman targets.
British Fishing Methods: Float, Feeder, Ledgering
Float fishing and feeder fishing are the two most popular methods in the UK. Fishbrain has neither. You cannot log a session on the waggler or a cage feeder rod with any meaningful method data. GilledIt supports all UK fishing methods including float, feeder, ledgering, fly, lure, and sea.
Built-In Marketplace for Catches and Tackle
No other fishing app lets you buy and sell catches and tackle directly. GilledIt’s marketplace features Stripe-powered payments, offer negotiation, and seller dashboards. It replaces scattered Facebook Marketplace groups for tackle trading with a purpose-built platform.
Free Tier That Actually Works
Fishbrain’s free tier is described by its own users as “absolutely useless”. Maps, predictions, and catch locations are all paywalled. GilledIt’s core features (catch logging, social feed, map, messaging, and challenges) are completely free. No credit card, no trial period.
Being honest
Where Fishbrain Wins
We believe in honest comparisons. Here is where the competition has an edge.
Larger Global Community (20M+ Users)
Fishbrain has 20 million users worldwide. If you fish internationally or want to connect with anglers in the US, Australia, or Scandinavia, Fishbrain has the bigger network. GilledIt’s community is growing and UK-focused.
AI Bite Time Predictions (Where Available)
Where they work (four species in the UK), Fishbrain’s bite predictions use solunar data and community catch patterns. GilledIt does not currently offer bite time predictions.
The verdict
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Fishbrain if:
You fish internationally, target bass or saltwater species in the US, and want AI bite predictions for a small number of species. You do not mind paying £8–10 per month.
Choose GilledIt if:
You are a UK angler who fishes canals, commercials, rivers, or reservoirs. You want an app that understands float fishing, feeder fishing, and British species. You want a free app that actually works, with a marketplace and social community built around UK fishing.
Fishbrain is the world’s biggest fishing app, but it was built for American bass fishing. For UK anglers, GilledIt offers more relevant species, methods, and features, and the core experience is free.
Other Comparisons
FAQ: GilledIt vs Fishbrain
Fishbrain has limited UK support. Its bite time predictions only cover four species (common carp, mirror carp, perch, and pike), and it lacks float fishing and feeder fishing methods that most UK anglers rely on. GilledIt is purpose-built for UK anglers with support for 150+ species, all UK fishing methods, and a database of British baits and tackle.
Fishbrain has a free tier, but many users report it is too limited to be useful. Key features like detailed maps, bite predictions, and catch location data require Fishbrain Pro, which costs $9.99 to $12.99 per month (roughly £8–10). GilledIt offers core features including catch logging, social feed, map, messaging, and challenges for free.
GilledIt is a strong Fishbrain alternative, especially for UK anglers. It supports 150+ British species, all UK fishing methods, and includes a built-in marketplace and gamification features that Fishbrain lacks. Core features are free with no paywall.
Fishbrain has very limited coarse fishing support. It does not include float fishing or feeder fishing methods, and its species database only offers bite predictions for four species. Most UK coarse species (roach, tench, barbel, bream, chub, dace) have no meaningful support. GilledIt fully supports coarse fishing with all methods and 150+ UK species.
Fishbrain Pro costs $9.99 to $12.99 per month (approximately £8–10/month). An annual subscription may reduce the monthly cost. Fishbrain’s free tier is available but has very limited functionality. GilledIt’s core features are free.
UK anglers report frustration with Fishbrain’s lack of UK species support, missing float and feeder fishing methods, US-biased tackle recommendations, app crashes, and poor customer support. GilledIt was built specifically for UK anglers with support for 150+ British species, all UK fishing methods, and a free feature set that works.
Try GilledIt Free
The all-in-one UK fishing app. Catch logging, social feed, marketplace, challenges, and 150+ British species. Switch in two minutes.
No credit card required. No subscription needed.