Garmin inReach Subscription Cost Breakdown

Garmin changed their inReach subscription plans, and along with that came new names, pricing, and just enough fine print to make it confusing. I’ll break down what each plan actually gives you, what’s worth paying for, and when it’s smarter to just pay per message or tracking point instead of upgrading your plan. I’ll also cover some alternatives that let you pay per day, share an account across multiple devices, or even rent one if you only need it once in a while.

New inReach Plans

Garmin used to offer two types of plans: an annual option and a “freedom” plan you could turn on and off if you only used your inReach seasonally. That’s gone now. Everything’s been merged into one monthly plan structure. But here’s the part they don’t promote, there’s still a way to suspend your service if you’re not using it. It’s a bit buried, but it works. Here’s a breakdown (in USD) of all the Garmin options, including that hidden one.

Important to note:

• All plans include SOS dispatch using Garmin Response
• Weather forecast counts as one message
• Incoming messages count as a message, including replies to check-ins
• Messages sent through Wi-Fi or cell (Messenger app) don’t count against your plan
• Sending a group message counts as a single message, replies still cost a message
• All plans have a one-time $39.99 activation fee
• You can switch between plans at no extra charge
• You can have multiple devices on one consumer account at no extra charge, but only one can be active at a time

inReach Cost Calculator

Want to figure out which Garmin inReach plan actually makes sense for you? This calculator lets you enter your estimated monthly usage, including messages, tracking hours, and photo or audio messages, and shows you the total cost for each plan. You can also click “Edit Charges” to adjust the pricing for your local currency or region.

inReach Essential Plan

This $14.99 plan is often the most attractive for people. Assuming you hike every weekend, it gives you about 12 messages per hike. In my experience, that’s plenty. Most folks aren’t out on the trail to have a full text conversation. I usually see people send one or two custom messages, something like “I’m running late,” not casual back-and-forths.

Where the 50 messages might come in handy is if something happens at home and you're exchanging updates. But that’s an edge case. And if you think 50 messages is overkill, there’s another option, keep reading.

Newer models like the inReach Messenger+ support photo and voice note messages. These are treated as their own message type, with separate monthly limits depending on your plan. I think this kind of message could be helpful in an emergency, but with the $1 overage cost, I don’t see most people using it regularly. That said, I included it in the cost calculator in case you do.

What this plan doesn’t really cover is tracking, which I think is more valuable. Breadcrumb-style tracking means that if something serious happens, like a stroke or heart attack, rescuers can follow your last known path. On the Essential plan, you’ll pay $0.10 per point for that. At 10-minute intervals, that’s about $0.60 per hour.

While messages won’t count toward your allotment when sent over Wi-Fi or cellular using the Messenger app, location tracking points always go out via satellite and are always charged for.

Do the math for your own use. For example, if you hike 6 hours each weekend, and you're spending $3.60 per week, or $14.40 per month on tracking. Add that to the $14.99 base cost, and you’re now paying $29.39, about the same as the Standard plan, which includes unlimited tracking.

• If you use 25 hours or more of tracking, the Standard Plan makes more sense.
• If you send over 80 messages a month, the Standard Plan makes more sense.

inReach Standard Plan

If you hike a lot with tracking on, the Standard Plan probably makes sense. This is the one I often recommend to thru-hikers. You can use tracking as much as you want, and do about 37 messages a week.

• If you send more than 190 messages per month on the Standard plan (150 included + 40 overage), it’s cheaper to switch to Premium.

inReach Premium Plan

If you're off the grid most of the time and just want to stay in touch, this plan makes sense. It's also the only option if you need higher fidelity tracking, dropping from 10-minute intervals on the other plans to 2-minute intervals here. While Premium might sound like overkill for most people, it’s a smart pick if you’re guiding or managing a team and need to actively track their location. I’d say the same for bluewater sailors who have an inReach plugged into power and want a constant connection with friends and family.

inReach Enabled Plan

I think the Enabled Plan is the budget sweet spot. It costs less than $100 a year for SOS coverage, and otherwise you just pay for what you use. Let's just run through a probable use case here.

• Let's say you hike 80 hours a year out of cell phone range ( for example 10 long hikes @ 8 hours each)
• You enable tracking at a 10 minute interval so a family member can follow along - $48.00
• Assume you only send a message occasionally if you're running late ( say 5 out of 10 long hikes) - $2.50
• Annual cost $95.88
• That comes out to $146.38 a year

You can do the math yourself, but you can see that the Enabled plan with pay-per-use might make more sense.

If you are first signing up, you may not see the Enabled plan as an option. Sign up for the Standard Plan, then once you are setup, go into Manage Plans and switch, it should be an option there.

inReach Suspended Plan

Good news: as of June 5, 2025, Garmin now lets you suspend your inReach plan for up to 12 months. When suspended, anything that relies on satellites is completely disabled: SOS, location sharing, messaging, and weather. So unless you're using it just for built-in navigation, your inReach is essentially a brick during that time. The upside? You can turn it back on anytime and roll into a new plan whenever you're ready.

3rd Party inReach Plans

Most folks don’t realize this, but Garmin lets select third-party partners sell service plans that use the inReach hardware and Iridium network, and ProteGear is one of the most interesting options out there.

The general idea with Protegear is:

• You pay €49 per year.
• Pick the plan and term that you want. For example, if you just want a day of unlimited tracking with some messages, you pay €3 per day.
• If you are on a short term plan for multiple days and the cost equals or exceeds the next higher plan, you are charged for that. For example Tracking weekly is €15. If you are on the daily €3 plan and use six days (€18), you are only charged €15 for the week.

Other perks include:

• A dedicated email address for your inReach device. You can also forward your regular email to it.
• The ability to change your check-in messages. Garmin offered this with inReach until 2022 when they took it away.
• Being able to query ChatGPT, Wikipedia, or Google News by sending a question or keyword from your inReach.

Having tried Protegear, the only downside is that the interface can be confusing for casual users. That said, the support is top-notch and whenever I needed help, they responded promptly.

Are you in Australia or NZ? Check out TrackMeNZ which has custom plans, including a dedicated phone number.

inReach Rentals

There was a time when you could rent an inReach at local REI stores, but I think that's gone. Don't worry though, there are still outfitters that will send you a rental unit through the mail for your trip. Renting makes sense if you only go off-grid occasionally and want to avoid investing in an inReach device. Costs are generally around $10-15/per day with a few days minimum.

The typical workflow is:

• Order your device online, along with choosing a data plan, insurance, etc.
• Devices can be shipped directly to your home, a nearby location, or picked up in-store, depending on the provider.
• You'll get an email with instructions on how to set up your device and customize it.
• Use the device and then send it back.

I don't have a specific company that I recommend, just Google "Garmin inReach Rentals" and compare prices. You should get some options like this.

inReach Professional

Garmin also offers Professional inReach plans, designed for teams, organizations, and even families who want centralized management and billing. With a Pro account, you can manage multiple devices under one login, assign them to users, and monitor them from a single dashboard. It’s ideal for guides, SAR teams, land managers, and anyone coordinating a group in the field.

You can also set custom preset messages per device, which isn’t possible on the standard consumer plans. While a consumer account does let you register multiple devices, you can only have one active at a time, Pro plans lift that restriction and make managing multiple users much easier.

The downside? The plans cost $5/extra per month, and if you want to suspend a device on the account, it costs $5 a month with no SOS service.

Search & Rescue Costs

When you get "SOS" service you are paying for a dedicated team that can respond to your call for help and hand it off to the appropriate local team. It doesn't mean SOS is necessarily paid for. And the cost is often what keeps people from hitting the SOS button: fear of a huge bill. The reality is that most backcountry rescues are free when handled by public agencies. But if a private air ambulance or medical transport gets involved, it can run over $50,000. That’s where having SAR coverage helps.

Garmin SAR 100 (Insurance)

• Cost: Starts at $29.99/year, added through your Garmin account
• Covers: Up to $100,000 in eligible rescue costs
• How it works: You pay the bill, then file a claim
• Limitations: Not available outside the U.S. and Canada
• High-Risk Premiums: $299.95/year for activities like free climbing or mountaineering
• High Altitude Add-On: $999/year if you're climbing or hiking above 5,000m (16,404 ft)

Overwatch & Rescue (Not Insurance)

• Cost: $79.99/year, covers up to 3 devices, including inReach, sat phones, or iPhones - use code HIKEGUY15 for a discount
• How it works:  It's not insurance, they cover the costs directly, just send them the bill.
• What’s included: Emergency response, evacuation, civil unrest, natural disasters, even things like helping get your car back from the trailhead or flying in a family member if you are injured overseas
• Limitations: No sport or altitude restrictions like Garmin
• SOS Routing: Uses their own emergency center instead of Garmin Response