Maritime & Shipping · head to head
CargoSmart vs Clarksons
CargoSmart
Maritime & Shipping
Global shipment visibility and intelligence
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Clarksons
Maritime & Shipping
World's leading shipbroker and data provider
- From
- $3000/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only CargoSmart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, Clarksons covers Market intelligence.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CargoSmart and Clarksons actually diverge.
| Attribute | CargoSmart | Clarksons |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $3000/month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android, Api | Web, Api |
| Founded | 2000 | 1852 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime & Shipping).
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 CargoSmart
- Real-time tracking
- ETA predictions
- Exception management
- Carbon tracking
- SAP TM
- Oracle
- Shipping lines
- TMS
Only in Clarksons
- Market intelligence
- Fleet database
- Freight rates
- Research reports
- API
- Excel add-in
- Data exports
Both cover
- Web support
- Api support
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
CargoSmart
Nothing recorded yet. See the CargoSmart review.
Clarksons
- UK government contract award notice on find-tender.service.gov.uk shows a Clarkson Research Services Limited data subscription contract valued at 6,500 GBP excluding VAT (7,800 GBP including VAT) for the period 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026
Pricing, plan by plan
CargoSmart
Free- Professional$299/month
- Unlimited tracking
- ETA predictions
- Analytics
Clarksons
$3000/month- Shipping Intelligence Network$5000/month
- Market data
- Fleet database
- Research reports
Which should you pick?
Choose CargoSmart if
- You need real-time tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want eta predictions.
Choose Clarksons if
- You need market intelligence.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want fleet database.
Questions people ask
- Is CargoSmart or Clarksons better?
- Neither clearly leads. CargoSmart starts at Free and Clarksons at $3000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CargoSmart or Clarksons?
- CargoSmart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CargoSmart and $3000/month for Clarksons.
- Does CargoSmart or Clarksons run on more platforms?
- CargoSmart runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Clarksons runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use CargoSmart for free?
- Yes. CargoSmart has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clarksons starts at $3000/month.
- What can CargoSmart do that Clarksons cannot?
- CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, ETA predictions, Exception management, Carbon tracking. Clarksons covers Market intelligence, Fleet database, Freight rates, Research reports. Both handle Web support, Api support.