Best Personal Locator Beacons for Sailors: Budget, Mid-Range & Premium Picks

If you're serious about offshore or coastal cruising, a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) is one piece of safety gear you hope you never need — but will be endlessly grateful for if you do. Unlike an EPIRB, which stays with the boat, a PLB is registered to you personally, so it goes wherever you go: on deck, in the dinghy, or clipped to your life jacket. Below we compare three ACR Electronics PLBs, each aimed at a different budget and level of built-in reassurance, so you can pick the one that matches how — and how far — you cruise.

Prices and stock verified September 26, 2026. West Marine prices and availability can change — click through on any option below for current pricing.

Quick Comparison

Our Recommendation

If you're mostly daysailing or coastal cruising and want a proven, no-subscription safety net without spending too much, the ACR ResQLink 400 covers the essentials — GPS-aided positioning, a strobe, and a six-year battery life — at the lowest price of the three.

For most cruisers, though, the ACR ResQLink View is the sweet spot. The onboard display means you can actually see that your beacon has a GPS fix and passed its self-test, rather than trusting a blinking light — real reassurance on a boat where confidence in your gear matters as much as the gear itself.

If you're planning offshore passages or extended time far from other traffic, the ACR ResQLink AIS earns its higher price. Its AIS beacon alerts nearby AIS-equipped vessels directly, which can mean rescue in minutes rather than hours, while its multi-constellation GNSS gives a faster, more accurate fix than GPS alone.

Ready to Choose?

ACR ResQLink 400 — $409.95

ACR ResQLink View — $469.99

ACR ResQLink AIS — $619.95

Common Questions

What's the difference between a PLB and an EPIRB?

A PLB is registered to a person, not a boat, so you can carry it with you on any vessel — or on land. An EPIRB is registered to a specific boat, is larger, floats free, and typically has a longer battery life once activated. Most cruisers carrying a PLB pair it with, rather than replace, an EPIRB kept aboard.

Do these PLBs require a subscription?

No. All three beacons here use the free, government-funded Cospas-Sarsat satellite system, so there are no monthly or annual fees to keep them active — only registration, which is also free.

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