Compare the Top Ship Tracking Platforms: Real-Time Solutions for Every Fleet
When people say they “need ship tracking,” they usually mean very different things: a quick public map for situational awareness, a reliable satellite-AIS feed for open ocean coverage, an API your ops team can pipe into dashboards, or a risk and compliance layer that flags odd behavior. This cheat sheet compares 10 widely used platforms so you can match the tool to the job (and avoid paying for features you will not actually use).
Top 10 Ship Tracking Platforms to Compare (2026)
Tip: decide if you need (1) a simple map, (2) satellite AIS visibility offshore, (3) an API/data feed, or (4) risk and compliance analytics layered on top of tracking.
| # | Platform | Pricing (public / estimate) | Strengths you will actually use | Coverage + data notes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ |
VesselFinder
Simple interface with premium upgrades for wider coverage.
|
$3/mo → $119/mo (public)
Basic: $3/mo. Premium: $21/mo. Satellite: $119/mo or $1199/yr (publicly listed).
|
Fast vessel search, clean live map, straightforward premium upgrades for users who want “just tracking.” | Distinguishes terrestrial coverage vs satellite coverage by subscription tier. | API + commercial data services are separate from consumer plans. |
| 2️⃣ |
FleetMon
Tracking plus operational monitoring workflows.
|
From ~€54/mo (reported)
Plans vary by team workflows and satellite access. Higher tiers can rise quickly with monitoring features.
|
Fleet views, watchlists, alerting and monitoring for teams that track the same vessels daily. | Offers terrestrial tracking and satellite tracking options depending on plan. | Confirm which plan includes satellite AIS and what history/export limits apply. |
| 3️⃣ |
MarineTraffic
Quick visibility, port calls, fleet lists, easy sharing.
|
Free + paid tiers
Public ranges vary by plan. Many higher-value business features are paid; enterprise is often quote-based.
|
Live map checks, port call timelines, vessel pages (IMO/MMSI lookup), simple alerts, fleet lists for ops and sales. | Commonly used for near-coast/port situational awareness, with paid options that extend depth and business workflows. | If you care about offshore legs, confirm satellite AIS behavior and any per-vessel add-ons. |
| 4️⃣ |
vesseltracker
Professional tracking workflows, filtering, and alerts.
|
Quote-based (not public)
Typical model is subscription by modules and number of users (seats).
|
Deep vessel search/filter tools, watchlists, alerts and dashboards that suit high-volume users (ops, analysts). | Generally positioned for professional use with strong query tools and history workflows. | Confirm which datasets/modules you get (tracking, ship database, analytics). |
| 5️⃣ |
Seasearcher
Tracking wrapped in vessel intelligence context.
|
Enterprise subscription
Usually sold via demo + annual license, priced by users and data scope.
|
Tracking plus “what it means” context for commercial and intelligence-style workflows. | Typically positioned as a paid product with demos and enterprise licensing. | Best when you need repeatable workflows across teams, not just a map. |
| 6️⃣ |
Pole Star Global
Monitoring, alerts, and compliance-style workflows.
|
Quote-based monitoring
Pricing usually scales with fleet coverage, alerting features, history, and investigations tooling.
|
Zone alerts, incident replay style workflows, investigations support, monitoring features beyond “position only.” | Built for continuous monitoring and investigations, not only live map viewing. | Ask about alert latency, history depth, and vicinity/association tooling. |
| 7️⃣ |
Spire Maritime
AIS data APIs plus a web tracking app.
|
Custom / contract pricing
API-first data services are typically priced by usage and feed scope (quote-based).
|
Data delivery for internal dashboards and analytics; good when your “product” is your own workflow. | Strong fit for teams that need data feeds, integration, and programmatic access. | Validate API limits, history windows, and identifier matching (MMSI, IMO, call sign). |
| 8️⃣ |
ORBCOMM (AIS Data)
Satellite AIS data services for enterprise use.
|
Quote-based data service
Enterprise AIS feeds and APIs; pricing depends on data type, volume, refresh rate, and delivery method.
|
Open-ocean visibility and reliable data delivery into your own systems (fleet, security, supply chain). | Positioned as AIS data solutions for tracking and monitoring vessels beyond coastal coverage. | Ask about refresh rates, coverage expectations in your lanes, and delivery formats. |
| 9️⃣ |
ShipTracks
Customizable AIS portal plus reporting tools.
|
$150/mo (public)
Standard AIS Package is listed at $150/month; charts and weather add-ons listed separately.
|
Reporting, alerts, historical investigation workflows, and a portal you can tailor to internal processes. | Positioned as AIS tracking and reporting that scales with business needs. | Strong option when you need structured reporting, not just map viewing. |
| 🔟 |
Windward
Behavior analytics and risk signals on top of tracking.
|
Enterprise / contract pricing
Quote-based, typically annual. Often priced by users, data scope, and analytics workflows.
|
Pattern detection, anomaly alerts, and decision support for teams managing compliance and operational exposure. | Typically used as an analytics layer with workflows beyond “position only.” | Define your “risk questions” first so you do not overbuy analytics you will not operationalize. |
Picking the right ship tracking stack
The fastest way to avoid overbuying is to separate tracking into four jobs: a map for quick checks, fleet monitoring with alerts, data feeds for integration, and risk analytics for behavior and compliance questions.
If open-ocean coverage is high, satellite AIS becomes a bigger part of the decision.
Enter your own seat prices and add-on fees from quotes or plan pages. This calculator turns messy vendor pricing into one clean annual number.
Estimated monthly total
$0
Seats + vessel fees + add-ons.
Estimated annual total
$0
12 months plus any one-time setup cost.
Annual cost per vessel
$0
Helps compare quote structures across vendors.
- Pick 12 to 20 vessels that reflect your real pain: offshore legs, congested approaches, and a few “problem children”.
- Check position freshness at three times daily for a week, and log where the feed goes quiet.
- Validate port call logic: arrival, berth, sailing time, and whether it matches agent messages.
- Test alerts that matter: entering zones, AIS gaps, speed changes, destination changes, and proximity events if you use them.
- Confirm history depth and exports: how far back, what formats, and whether you can automate pulls.
- Ask how the platform handles identity: MMSI changes, name changes, IMO linkage, duplicated tracks.
- Stress the map on mobile. If it is hard to use in the field, it will not become a daily habit.
- For API users, benchmark rate limits and latency, then run a small integration proof of concept.
- For analytics tools, write three real questions you need answered and test those workflows only.
Ownership and data supply shifts that matter going into 2026 ▶
A quiet reality: the tracking experience depends on who controls the underlying AIS infrastructure and data feeds. Consolidation can change bundling, pricing leverage, and integration options.
- In March 2023, Kpler closed acquisitions of MarineTraffic and FleetMon, bringing two major tracking brands under one owner.
- Kpler announced an agreement to acquire Spire Maritime in November 2024 and later announced the successful closing in April 2025.
- S&P Global announced an agreement to acquire ORBCOMM’s AIS business in April 2025 and announced completion of the acquisition in November 2025.
A good tracking setup is the one your team uses every day without friction. Start by defining the job you need done, run a short trial on your hardest routes, then normalize pricing with a simple annual worksheet so you can compare like with like. Once you have consistent daily workflows, the “best” platform usually becomes obvious because it saves time and reduces surprises in operations, not because it has the most features.
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