Maritime & Shipping · head to head
Clarksons vs CargoSmart
Clarksons
Maritime & Shipping
World's leading shipbroker and data provider
- From
- $3000/month
- Rated
- -
CargoSmart
Maritime & Shipping
Global shipment visibility and intelligence
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only CargoSmart has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- They diverge on capability: Clarksons covers Market intelligence, CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Clarksons and CargoSmart actually diverge.
| Attribute | Clarksons | CargoSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $3000/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web, Ios, Android, Api |
| Founded | 1852 | 2000 |
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 Clarksons
- Market intelligence
- Fleet database
- Freight rates
- Research reports
- API
- Excel add-in
- Data exports
Only in CargoSmart
- Real-time tracking
- ETA predictions
- Exception management
- Carbon tracking
- SAP TM
- Oracle
- Shipping lines
- TMS
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.
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
CargoSmart
Nothing recorded yet. See the CargoSmart review.
Pricing, plan by plan
Clarksons
$3000/month- Shipping Intelligence Network$5000/month
- Market data
- Fleet database
- Research reports
CargoSmart
Free- Professional$299/month
- Unlimited tracking
- ETA predictions
- Analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose Clarksons if
- You need market intelligence.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want fleet database.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Clarksons or CargoSmart better?
- Neither clearly leads. Clarksons starts at $3000/month and CargoSmart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Clarksons or CargoSmart?
- CargoSmart has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3000/month for Clarksons and Free for CargoSmart.
- Does Clarksons or CargoSmart run on more platforms?
- Clarksons runs on Web, Api. CargoSmart runs on Web, Ios, Android, 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 Clarksons do that CargoSmart cannot?
- Clarksons covers Market intelligence, Fleet database, Freight rates, Research reports. CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, ETA predictions, Exception management, Carbon tracking. Both handle Web support, Api support.