ZOLEO + Beamback
- Hardware$149 / €249 · pocket-size
- Monthlyfrom ~€20 airtime + €6 Beamback
- Offshore coverageGlobal Iridium · days of battery
- Weather at seaGRIB + AI by satellite text
Draw a box.
Get the weather back.
Beamback turns your ZOLEO or Garmin inReach into a weather station: text it a request, get a real GRIB forecast or an AI answer back. No phone signal, anywhere at sea.
WIND 14 kt, gusting 22, veering NW
PRES 1012 hPa, falling 3/3h ⚠
SEA 2.4 m @ 9s, building
The free app builds your request and reads the reply:
GRIB weather + AI · GFS · ECMWF · from €6/mo · satellite airtime separate
GFS · WIND · +24H
How it works
Your messenger already sends texts. We turn them into weather.
- 1 The app
Draw an area on the map. The app writes the exact satellite request and shows the message cost up front.
- 2 Your messenger
Send it from your ZOLEO or Garmin inReach like any other satellite text. No phone signal, anywhere on Earth.
- 3 Beamback relay
We fetch the latest GFS or ECMWF run and beam the forecast back to your device.
- 4 The app
Paste the reply and it decodes into a real GRIB chart you can scrub hour by hour.
The app · free on iOS, Android & browser · builds your request, reads the reply · The relay · €6/mo, invite-only in beta · your satellite airtime billed separately
The real thing
From satellite text to a living chart.
Try the live viewer Free · opens with a sample forecast · no signup
What you get
Every tool the offshore sailor needs.
WEATHERGFS · ECMWF
Wind, pressure and rain from the same GFS and ECMWF models the pros use, delivered by satellite text.
CHOOSE THE DETAILLOW / MED / HIGH
Pick the resolution of every forecast: a quick low-res snapshot, or full high-res detail. You decide how much comes back.
AI ASSISTANT◆ ONLINE
A full assistant reachable by satellite text. Interpret a forecast, ask about repairs, safe harbour or first aid. Offshore questions answered.
BOTH DEVICESPAIRED
Works with the ZOLEO or Garmin inReach you already own. No new hardware and no cables. Just pair once with a short code.
Pricing
Free while in beta. Then €6 a month.
€6/mo Skipper· after beta
- Unlimited forecast & AI requests (fair use)
- GFS & ECMWF · wind, pressure, rain
- Low / Medium / High resolution
- Pair multiple devices
- Full AI assistant · offshore questions answered
Satellite airtime is billed by your device provider, separately: ZOLEO bills its own airtime, and inReach replies count against your Garmin plan.
No satellite device yet?
A pocket messenger is the cheapest way offshore.
The classic offshore setup (an Iridium GO! with PredictWind) costs four figures before your first forecast, and Starlink's offshore mode is capped and pricey. A ZOLEO is $149 / €249 and a Garmin inReach starts around $250, add Beamback for €6 and either one gives you real GRIB weather and AI at sea.
| ZOLEO + Beamback | inReach + Beamback | Iridium GO! + PredictWind | Starlink Mini (Roam) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardware | $149 / €249 · pocket-size | from ~$250 · pocket-size | ~$1,000 (GO!) · ~$2,000 (exec) | $599 dish + 12V power draw |
| Monthly | from ~€20 airtime + €6 Beamback | from ~$15 airtime + €6 Beamback | $65–155 airtime | $55–175 + $2/GB Ocean Mode |
| Offshore coverage | Global Iridium · days of battery | Global Iridium · days of battery | Global Iridium | Ocean Mode capped: 5 days at a time, 60 days/yr |
| Weather at sea | GRIB + AI by satellite text | GRIB + AI by satellite text | GRIB via PredictWind app | Full internet, but only in coverage |
inReach + Beamback
- Hardwarefrom ~$250 · pocket-size
- Monthlyfrom ~$15 airtime + €6 Beamback
- Offshore coverageGlobal Iridium · days of battery
- Weather at seaGRIB + AI by satellite text
Iridium GO! + PredictWind
- Hardware~$1,000 (GO!) · ~$2,000 (exec)
- Monthly$65–155 airtime
- Offshore coverageGlobal Iridium
- Weather at seaGRIB via PredictWind app
Starlink Mini (Roam)
- Hardware$599 dish + 12V power draw
- Monthly$55–175 + $2/GB Ocean Mode
- Offshore coverageOcean Mode capped: 5 days at a time, 60 days/yr
- Weather at seaFull internet, but only in coverage
Prices from ZOLEO, Garmin, PredictWind & Starlink, July 2026, rounded. EU prices VAT-inc, US pre-tax. Airtime billed by each provider; one-time activation fees may apply.
Get a ZOLEO → See the full comparison → opens zoleo.com · buy from any ZOLEO retailer, then pair it with Beamback
FAQ
Questions sailors actually ask.
How do I get a weather forecast on my ZOLEO or inReach?
Pair your device with Beamback once (Beamback works with ZOLEO and Garmin inReach), then text a forecast request: an area and a time range, like any other satellite message. Beamback fetches the latest GFS or ECMWF model run and sends the forecast back to your device over satellite. No phone signal or extra hardware needed.
Can a ZOLEO or Garmin inReach receive GRIB data?
Yes. Neither device can download a GRIB file directly, which is why people assume it is impossible, but with Beamback the forecast arrives as ordinary satellite text messages, which both a ZOLEO and an inReach receive out of the box. The free Beamback viewer turns those messages back into a real GRIB file you can view on a map or open in your usual weather-routing software. The device itself needs no modification.
Does the AI assistant work over satellite?
Yes. You text a question from your ZOLEO or inReach (interpreting a forecast, repairs, first aid, finding a safe harbour) and the answer comes back over the same satellite link as a text message. It works anywhere on Earth your device has coverage, with no phone signal.
What does it cost?
The Skipper plan is €6 per month, cancel anytime, with unlimited forecast and AI requests under fair use. During the current beta, access is invite-gated and free. Satellite airtime is billed separately by your device provider: ZOLEO bills its own airtime, and on a Garmin inReach each reply counts against your Garmin plan allowance. A forecast arrives as several messages, and the app shows the count before you send.