Softwr

Maritime · head to head

Clarksons vs Dockwa

Clarksons logo

Clarksons

Maritime

World's leading shipbroker and data provider

From
$3000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dockwa logo

Dockwa

Maritime

Marina reservation, management and boater marketplace software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Clarksons no pricing published on website; Dockwa the marina absorbs the transaction cost because Dockwa forbids charging boaters more for booking through the platform, so roughly three and a half per cent of dockage revenue comes off the marina margin.
  • They diverge on capability: Clarksons covers Market intelligence, Dockwa covers Transient reservations.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Clarksons and Dockwa actually diverge.

Attributes where Clarksons and Dockwa differ
AttributeClarksonsDockwa
Starting price$3000/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer booking plus optional monthly modules
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded1852Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Clarksons

  • Market intelligence
  • Fleet database
  • Freight rates
  • Research reports
  • API
  • Excel add-in
  • Data exports
  • Web support

Only in Dockwa

  • Transient reservations
  • Seasonal contracts
  • Slip assignment
  • Boater marketplace
  • Integrated payments
  • Guest communication
  • Occupancy reporting
  • Revenue management module

What people use each for

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

Clarksons

  • Maritime brokerage and shipping servicesnot Dockwa
  • Ship finance and leasingnot Dockwa
  • Shipping market researchnot Dockwa
  • Port services and operationsnot Dockwa

Dockwa

  • A transient-heavy marina on a popular cruising route wanting booking demand as well as softwarenot Clarksons
  • A harbour replacing a paper ledger and phone-based reservation processnot Clarksons
  • A yacht club managing seasonal contracts and renewals alongside visitor dockagenot Clarksons
  • A marina group standardising slip assignment and occupancy reporting across sitesnot Clarksons

Where each one falls short

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

Clarksons

  • No pricing published on website
  • Pricing model not disclosed
  • Enterprise maritime services requiring custom quotes
  • Multiple business lines (broking, finance, research, ports, tech) with different pricing
  • Direct sales contact required

Dockwa

  • The marina absorbs the transaction cost because Dockwa forbids charging boaters more for booking through the platform, so roughly three and a half per cent of dockage revenue comes off the marina margin.
  • Pricing has shifted from purely transactional toward an annual software fee plus transaction costs, which changes the economics for marinas that signed on the original basis.
  • The revenue management and premium capability sits behind an extra monthly subscription of a few hundred dollars, so the useful version of the product is not the entry-level one.
  • Demand is heavily concentrated in North American cruising corridors; a marina elsewhere pays marketplace economics for software-only benefit.
  • A marina that comes to rely on Dockwa for occupancy has handed its customer relationship and its booking channel to a third party, which is a real strategic dependency in a fragmented industry.

Pricing, plan by plan

Clarksons

$3000/month
  • Shipping Intelligence Network$5000/month
    • Market data
    • Fleet database
    • Research reports

Dockwa

On request
  • Booking$undefined/month
    • Around 2.5% card processing plus roughly 1% service fee on platform bookings
    • Reservation management and slip assignment
    • Boater marketplace exposure
  • Premium modules$299/month
    • Additional monthly subscription on top of transaction fees
    • Revenue management and dynamic dockage pricing
    • Extended reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Clarksons if

  • You need market intelligence.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want fleet database.
Clarksons review

Choose Dockwa if

  • You need transient reservations.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want seasonal contracts.
Dockwa review

Questions people ask

Is Clarksons or Dockwa better?
Neither clearly leads. Clarksons starts at $3000/month and Dockwa at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Clarksons or Dockwa?
Clarksons starts at $3000/month and Dockwa at On request.
Does Clarksons or Dockwa run on more platforms?
Clarksons runs on Web, Api. Dockwa runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Clarksons best used for?
Clarksons is most often used for maritime brokerage and shipping services, ship finance and leasing, shipping market research, port services and operations. Of those, maritime brokerage and shipping services and ship finance and leasing are not what Dockwa is typically brought in for.
What can Clarksons do that Dockwa cannot?
Clarksons covers Market intelligence, Fleet database, Freight rates, Research reports. Dockwa covers Transient reservations, Seasonal contracts, Slip assignment, Boater marketplace.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Clarksons: How much does Clarksons charge for its services?

Clarksons does not publish pricing on its website. The company operates as a marine and shipping services provider with five business lines. Pricing is customized by service line and must be obtained by contacting Clarksons directly.

Source
Dockwa: What does Dockwa cost a marina?

Around 2.5 per cent card processing plus roughly 1 per cent service fee on bookings taken through the platform, with premium modules such as revenue management sold as an additional monthly subscription near 299 dollars.

Clarksons: Which Clarksons division should I contact for pricing?

Clarksons has five business divisions: Broking, Financial Services, Research, Port Services, and Technology. Contact their specific department for pricing relevant to your needs.

Source
Dockwa: Does the boater pay a fee?

No. Dockwa requires that boaters pay the same rate through the app as they would by calling the marina, so the cost sits with the marina.

Dockwa: Is it worth it outside the north east and Florida?

Less so. The software works anywhere but the demand side is concentrated, so marinas in thinner markets pay marketplace pricing for management software.

Dockwa: Can it handle seasonal contracts as well as transients?

Yes, both seasonal slip agreements and nightly transient dockage are managed in the same system.

Share

Related pages

More on Clarksons

More on Dockwa

Keep looking

Other head to heads