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Maritime · head to head

Baltic Exchange vs VesselFinder

Baltic Exchange logo

Baltic Exchange

Maritime

Global shipping market benchmarks

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only VesselFinder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Baltic Exchange no pricing published on website, membership and data services require contacting the organization; VesselFinder aPI access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • They diverge on capability: Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Baltic Exchange and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where Baltic Exchange and VesselFinder differ
AttributeBaltic ExchangeVesselFinder
Starting price$500/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded17442011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Baltic Exchange

  • Freight indices
  • Market assessments
  • Forward curves
  • Historical data
  • API
  • Data feeds
  • Trading platforms
  • Api support

Only in VesselFinder

  • Real-time tracking
  • Vessel database
  • Port information
  • Weather overlay
  • API access
  • Mobile apps
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Baltic Exchange

  • Shipping market freight data and indicesnot VesselFinder
  • Freight derivatives tradingnot VesselFinder
  • Vessel investment decision makingnot VesselFinder
  • Dry bulk and tanker rate assessmentsnot VesselFinder
  • Container freight market analysisnot VesselFinder

VesselFinder

  • Tracking vessel positions and voyages from AIS datanot Baltic Exchange
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot Baltic Exchange

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Baltic Exchange

  • No pricing published on website, membership and data services require contacting the organization
  • Custom pricing based on organization type and data needs

VesselFinder

  • API access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • Credits expire 12 months after purchase
  • Credit packs start at 330 EUR for 10,000 credits, excluding VAT
  • Tracking a vessel outside terrestrial AIS range multiplies the cost of every position tenfold, so open ocean coverage is the expensive case rather than the standard one

Pricing, plan by plan

Baltic Exchange

$500/month
  • Data Services$1500/month
    • Freight indices
    • Market assessments
    • Historical data

VesselFinder

Free
  • Basic$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Extended history
    • Fleet monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Baltic Exchange if

  • You need freight indices.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want market assessments.
Baltic Exchange review

Choose VesselFinder if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want vessel database.
VesselFinder review

Questions people ask

Is Baltic Exchange or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. Baltic Exchange starts at $500/month and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Baltic Exchange or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $500/month for Baltic Exchange and Free for VesselFinder.
Does Baltic Exchange or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
Baltic Exchange runs on Web, Api. VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Baltic Exchange starts at $500/month.
What is Baltic Exchange best used for?
Baltic Exchange is most often used for shipping market freight data and indices, freight derivatives trading, vessel investment decision making, dry bulk and tanker rate assessments. Of those, shipping market freight data and indices and freight derivatives trading are not what VesselFinder is typically brought in for.
What can Baltic Exchange do that VesselFinder cannot?
Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices, Market assessments, Forward curves, Historical data. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Baltic Exchange: How much does Baltic Exchange membership cost?

Baltic Exchange does not publish pricing on their website. Membership and data service pricing is customized and requires direct contact with the organization.

Source
VesselFinder: What are the main pricing tiers for VesselFinder?

VesselFinder offers four tiers: Free (no cost), Basic (4 dollars per month), Premium (34 dollars per month), and Satellite (139 dollars per month).

Source
Baltic Exchange: What services does Baltic Exchange provide?

Baltic Exchange provides shipping market data services including daily published indices (200+), freight derivatives trading facilities, member fixtures database, and analytical tools for shipping professionals.

Source
VesselFinder: What does the Free plan include?

The Free plan provides terrestrial coverage, 1-day track history, a 10-ship fleet capacity, and 100 route planner uses.

Source
VesselFinder: What tracking capabilities come with the Satellite plan?

The Satellite plan includes both satellite and terrestrial coverage, 90-day track history, 2,000-ship fleet capacity, terminal and berth data, proximity event alerts, and ETA prediction.

Source
VesselFinder: Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, subscriptions do not renew automatically. Users receive reminder notifications one week before expiration.

Source
VesselFinder: Do the listed prices include VAT?

No, the prices displayed do not include VAT. Payment options include bank transfers and credit or debit cards processed online.

Source
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