What the two variants share
The IC-A25N and IC-A25C are built on the same physical platform: 300 memory channels across 15 groups, 8.33 and 25 kHz channel spacing, the same weather channel reception at 161.650 to 163.275 MHz, the same 6.0 W PEP / 1.8 W carrier output power, and the same 340 g weight with the BP-288 battery fitted. As communication radios, transmitting and receiving on the VHF air band, they are identical.
Where they diverge: NAV and COM
The specification difference is stated plainly in Icom's own product data: the IC-A25N offers NAV and COM channels, while the IC-A25C offers COM channels only. Everything that follows from that single line is the entire basis for choosing between them.
What the IC-A25N adds
Built-in GPS on the IC-A25N enables simplified waypoint navigation directly on the handheld, without needing a separate GPS device or a paired app for basic point-to-point guidance. It adds VOR navigation functions, letting the radio interpret and display VOR-based course information the way a dedicated navigation receiver would. A near-station search function helps a pilot quickly identify and tune the nearest relevant station. And flight plans can be created and managed through a companion Android and iOS app, extending the handheld's usefulness beyond the cockpit into pre-flight planning.
What the IC-A25C is, by contrast
The IC-A25C is a communication-only handheld with an otherwise identical platform: the same memory capacity, the same output power, the same weather channel monitoring, the same weight and dimensions. It exists for buyers who want everything the IC-A25 platform offers except navigation, either because that capability duplicates equipment already in the aircraft, or because it simply is not needed for how the radio will be used.
Deciding which one to buy
- Aircraft with no panel-mount GPS or VOR receiver, or wanting genuine backup navigation capability in the handheld itself: the IC-A25N is the clear choice, since its navigation features are not available on the IC-A25C at any price.
- Aircraft already well equipped with certified navigation avionics and a portable GPS such as the Aera 660 or Aera 760, where the handheld's sole job is backup communication: the IC-A25C delivers the same communication platform without paying for navigation features that would go unused.
- Buyers upgrading from an older handheld and unsure whether they will use GPS navigation on the radio: it is generally easier to justify the IC-A25N's added capability up front than to discover a genuine need for it later and be limited by the IC-A25C's communication-only feature set.
A supplement, not a replacement
Even with GPS waypoint navigation and VOR functions built in, the IC-A25N remains a handheld supplement to an aircraft's certified navigation equipment, not a substitute for it, and its navigation capability is most valuable as backup situational awareness rather than as a primary means of navigation for any flight where that distinction matters. ASPL supplies both the IC-A25N and IC-A25C and can help match the right variant to what your aircraft's panel already provides.