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Maritime · head to head

DTN vs ORBCOMM

DTN logo

DTN

Maritime

Weather, markets, and agronomic intelligence

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ORBCOMM logo

ORBCOMM

Maritime

IoT solutions for maritime asset tracking

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DTN no pricing published on vendor website; requires contacting sales team; ORBCOMM satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • They diverge on capability: DTN covers Hyperlocal weather forecasts, ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DTN and ORBCOMM actually diverge.

Attributes where DTN and ORBCOMM differ
AttributeDTNORBCOMM
Starting price$50/month$25/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiSatellite, Web
Founded19841995

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 DTN

  • Hyperlocal weather forecasts
  • Commodity market data
  • Severe weather alerts
  • Agronomic insights
  • Crop condition reports
  • Historical data analysis
  • Custom notifications
  • Mobile applications

Only in ORBCOMM

  • Satellite tracking
  • Container monitoring
  • Cold chain monitoring
  • Fleet telematics
  • TMS systems
  • ERP platforms
  • Warehouse management
  • Mobile support

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

DTN

  • Weather planningnot ORBCOMM
  • Market monitoringnot ORBCOMM
  • Grain marketingnot ORBCOMM
  • Risk managementnot ORBCOMM
  • Spray timingnot ORBCOMM

ORBCOMM

  • Tracking shipping container temperatures for refrigerated cargonot DTN
  • Detecting vessel AIS spoofing to identify anomalous maritime activitynot DTN
  • Monitoring fuel consumption patterns across fleet operationsnot DTN
  • Screening shipments for sanctions compliance violationsnot DTN

Where each one falls short

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

DTN

  • No pricing published on vendor website; requires contacting sales team
  • Customized pricing model makes comparison difficult without direct vendor engagement

ORBCOMM

  • Satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • Higher cost per message compared to terrestrial cellular IoT solutions
  • Coverage remains near-global rather than fully global in all remote regions

Pricing, plan by plan

DTN

$50/month
  • DTN Ag Weather$50/month
    • Hyperlocal weather
    • Hourly forecasts
    • Radar & maps
  • DTN ProphetX$150/month
    • Weather + markets
    • Commodity prices
    • Futures & options
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • API access
    • Custom integrations
    • Historical data

ORBCOMM

$25/month
  • Fleet Manager$99/month
    • Real-time tracking
    • Geofencing
    • Reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose DTN if

  • You need hyperlocal weather forecasts.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want commodity market data.
DTN review

Choose ORBCOMM if

  • You need satellite tracking.
  • You work on Satellite, Web.
  • You also want container monitoring.
ORBCOMM review

Questions people ask

Is DTN or ORBCOMM better?
Neither clearly leads. DTN starts at $50/month and ORBCOMM at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DTN or ORBCOMM?
DTN starts at $50/month and ORBCOMM at $25/month.
Does DTN or ORBCOMM run on more platforms?
DTN runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. ORBCOMM runs on Satellite, Web.
What is DTN best used for?
DTN is most often used for weather planning, market monitoring, grain marketing, risk management. Of those, weather planning and market monitoring are not what ORBCOMM is typically brought in for.
What can DTN do that ORBCOMM cannot?
DTN covers Hyperlocal weather forecasts, Commodity market data, Severe weather alerts, Agronomic insights. ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking, Container monitoring, Cold chain monitoring, Fleet telematics. Both handle Web support, Api support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DTN: How much does DTN cost?

DTN does not publish pricing on their website. The company uses a custom pricing model where costs vary by industry vertical (agriculture, aviation, refined fuels, utilities, marine & offshore) and specific solution requirements. Interested customers must contact their sales team through the 'Talk With an Expert' form for pricing information.

Source
ORBCOMM: What is ORBCOMM's satellite coverage?

ORBCOMM's OGx service provides nearly global coverage across over 160 countries using a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites for two-way messaging and IoT data services.

Source
DTN: What is DTN's pricing model?

DTN offers industry-specific solutions with custom pricing based on client needs and deployment model. The company does not use standard tiered pricing or publicly available rate cards.

Source
ORBCOMM: How does satellite IoT compare to cellular connectivity?

ORBCOMM satellite offers immunity from cellular blind spots, network outages, congestion, and weather-related disruptions. However, satellite connectivity introduces approximately 600 milliseconds of round-trip latency.

Source
ORBCOMM: What can ORBCOMM monitor in containers?

ORBCOMM's CT 1010 device provides sensor-based monitoring for container fire detection, unauthorized access alerts, damage detection, and asset visibility, with real-time satellite-based tracking.

Source
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