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Maritime · head to head

Dockwa vs Terminal49

Dockwa logo

Dockwa

Maritime

Marina reservation, management and boater marketplace software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Terminal49 logo

Terminal49

Maritime

Container tracking for freight forwarders

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Terminal49 has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Terminal49 aPI access and webhooks start at the Essential plan
  • They diverge on capability: Dockwa covers Transient reservations, Terminal49 covers Automated tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dockwa and Terminal49 actually diverge.

Attributes where Dockwa and Terminal49 differ
AttributeDockwaTerminal49
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelPer booking plus optional monthly modulessubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Api
FoundedUnknown2019

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 Dockwa

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

Only in Terminal49

  • Automated tracking
  • Terminal appointments
  • Demurrage alerts
  • Customer portals
  • TMS platforms
  • Carrier websites
  • Terminal systems
  • Web 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 Terminal49
  • A harbour replacing a paper ledger and phone-based reservation processnot Terminal49
  • A yacht club managing seasonal contracts and renewals alongside visitor dockagenot Terminal49
  • A marina group standardising slip assignment and occupancy reporting across sitesnot Terminal49

Terminal49

  • Tracking ocean containers and shipments across carriers and terminalsnot Dockwa
  • Feeding container milestones into an internal system over an APInot 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.

Terminal49

  • API access and webhooks start at the Essential plan
  • The free plan is limited to 3 users and 50 document credits
  • The Lite and Complete plans require an annual contract
  • No plan above the free tier publishes a price, so every paid tier requires contacting sales

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

Terminal49

Free
  • Pro$299/month
    • Unlimited tracking
    • Terminal data
    • API access

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 Terminal49 if

  • You need automated tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want terminal appointments.
Terminal49 review

Questions people ask

Is Dockwa or Terminal49 better?
Neither clearly leads. Dockwa starts at On request and Terminal49 at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dockwa or Terminal49?
Terminal49 has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Dockwa and Free for Terminal49.
Does Dockwa or Terminal49 run on more platforms?
Dockwa runs on Web, iOS, Android. Terminal49 runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Terminal49 for free?
Yes. Terminal49 has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Dockwa starts at On request.
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 Terminal49 is typically brought in for.
What can Dockwa do that Terminal49 cannot?
Dockwa covers Transient reservations, Seasonal contracts, Slip assignment, Boater marketplace. Terminal49 covers Automated tracking, Terminal appointments, Demurrage alerts, Customer portals.

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.

Terminal49: Is there a free plan available?

Yes, Terminal49 offers a Free Forever plan with no commitment required. It includes up to 3 users, basic shipment tracking, and 50 document credits.

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.

Terminal49: What plans require payment?

Terminal49 offers four tiers: Free (free forever), Lite (annual contract), Essential (annual or pay-as-you-go), and Complete (annual contract). Lite, Essential, and Complete require direct contact with sales for pricing.

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.

Terminal49: What features are in the Essential plan?

Essential (Most Popular) includes unlimited users, full shipment & container dashboards, API access & webhooks, intermodal rail tracking, container assignments, and team collaboration features. It offers both annual contract and pay-as-you-go billing options.

Source
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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