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Maritime · head to head

DTN vs VesselFinder

DTN logo

DTN

Maritime

Weather, markets, and agronomic intelligence

From
$50/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only VesselFinder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DTN no pricing published on vendor website; requires contacting sales team; VesselFinder aPI access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • They diverge on capability: DTN covers Hyperlocal weather forecasts, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DTN and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where DTN and VesselFinder differ
AttributeDTNVesselFinder
Starting price$50/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19842011

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 DTN

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

Only in VesselFinder

  • Real-time tracking
  • Vessel database
  • Port information
  • Weather overlay
  • API access
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

DTN

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

VesselFinder

  • Tracking vessel positions and voyages from AIS datanot DTN
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot 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

VesselFinder

  • API access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • Credits expire 12 months after purchase
  • Credit packs start at 330 EUR for 10,000 credits, excluding VAT
  • Tracking a vessel outside terrestrial AIS range multiplies the cost of every position tenfold, so open ocean coverage is the expensive case rather than the standard one

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

VesselFinder

Free
  • Basic$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Extended history
    • Fleet monitoring

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 VesselFinder if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want vessel database.
VesselFinder review

Questions people ask

Is DTN or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. DTN starts at $50/month and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DTN or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $50/month for DTN and Free for VesselFinder.
Does DTN or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
DTN runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DTN starts at $50/month.
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 VesselFinder is typically brought in for.
What can DTN do that VesselFinder cannot?
DTN covers Hyperlocal weather forecasts, Commodity market data, Severe weather alerts, Agronomic insights. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android 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
VesselFinder: What are the main pricing tiers for VesselFinder?

VesselFinder offers four tiers: Free (no cost), Basic (4 dollars per month), Premium (34 dollars per month), and Satellite (139 dollars per month).

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
VesselFinder: What does the Free plan include?

The Free plan provides terrestrial coverage, 1-day track history, a 10-ship fleet capacity, and 100 route planner uses.

Source
VesselFinder: What tracking capabilities come with the Satellite plan?

The Satellite plan includes both satellite and terrestrial coverage, 90-day track history, 2,000-ship fleet capacity, terminal and berth data, proximity event alerts, and ETA prediction.

Source
VesselFinder: Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, subscriptions do not renew automatically. Users receive reminder notifications one week before expiration.

Source
VesselFinder: Do the listed prices include VAT?

No, the prices displayed do not include VAT. Payment options include bank transfers and credit or debit cards processed online.

Source
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