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Maritime · head to head

Dockwa vs Sea Machines

Dockwa logo

Dockwa

Maritime

Marina reservation, management and boater marketplace software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sea Machines logo

Sea Machines

Maritime

Autonomous vessel control systems

From
$50000/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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.; Sea Machines requires hardware fitted to the vessel; the autonomy systems are retrofits or new build installations rather than a software purchase
  • They diverge on capability: Dockwa covers Transient reservations, Sea Machines covers Autonomous control.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dockwa and Sea Machines actually diverge.

Attributes where Dockwa and Sea Machines differ
AttributeDockwaSea Machines
Starting priceOn request$50000/one-time
Pricing modelPer booking plus optional monthly modulesone-time
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidEmbedded, Web, Mobile
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Dockwa

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

Only in Sea Machines

  • Autonomous control
  • Remote operation
  • Collision avoidance
  • Pattern following
  • Vessel systems
  • Communication networks
  • Shore-based control
  • Embedded support

What people use each for

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

Dockwa

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

Sea Machines

  • Intelligent voyage and transit autonomy for workboatsnot Dockwa
  • Pattern autonomy for survey and repetitive route worknot Dockwa
  • Collision avoidance using the AI-ris computer vision sensornot Dockwa
  • Remote command and control of vessels, including in GPS denied environmentsnot Dockwa
  • Fleet management and telemetry through Fleetviewer and the SMLINK APIsnot Dockwa

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Sea Machines

  • Requires hardware fitted to the vessel; the autonomy systems are retrofits or new build installations rather than a software purchase
  • Targeted at vessels from 10 to 300 ft, so it does not address the largest commercial tonnage
  • Pricing is not published and is arranged directly with the vendor
  • The SM300-NG is the class-approved unit, so the cheaper SM300-SP does not carry the same approval

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Sea Machines

$50000/one-time
  • SM300$75000/one-time
    • Autonomous control
    • Collision avoidance
    • Remote operation

Which should you pick?

Choose Dockwa if

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

Choose Sea Machines if

  • You need autonomous control.
  • You work on Embedded, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want remote operation.
Sea Machines review

Questions people ask

Is Dockwa or Sea Machines better?
Neither clearly leads. Dockwa starts at On request and Sea Machines at $50000/one-time, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dockwa or Sea Machines?
Dockwa starts at On request and Sea Machines at $50000/one-time.
Does Dockwa or Sea Machines run on more platforms?
Dockwa runs on Web, iOS, Android. Sea Machines runs on Embedded, Web, Mobile.
What is Dockwa best used for?
Dockwa is most often used for a transient-heavy marina on a popular cruising route wanting booking demand as well as software, a harbour replacing a paper ledger and phone-based reservation process, a yacht club managing seasonal contracts and renewals alongside visitor dockage, a marina group standardising slip assignment and occupancy reporting across sites. Of those, a transient-heavy marina on a popular cruising route wanting booking demand as well as software and a harbour replacing a paper ledger and phone-based reservation process are not what Sea Machines is typically brought in for.
What can Dockwa do that Sea Machines cannot?
Dockwa covers Transient reservations, Seasonal contracts, Slip assignment, Boater marketplace. Sea Machines covers Autonomous control, Remote operation, Collision avoidance, Pattern following.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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.

Sea Machines: How much does Sea Machines cost?

Pricing is not published. Sea Machines requires customers to contact their sales team directly through the Contact Us link on their website for pricing quotes tailored to specific products and use cases.

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.

Sea Machines: What is the pricing model for Sea Machines products?

Sea Machines offers autonomy systems and software solutions for maritime vessels. Pricing is determined on a per-product basis through direct sales consultation rather than published subscription tiers.

Source
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.

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