Maritime & Shipping · head to head
Freightos vs MarineTraffic
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Freightos no pricing, fees or commissions are published anywhere on the pricing page; MarineTraffic specific numeric prices for the Basic/Essential tiers are not published on a directly accessible page (plans pages are bot-protected)
- They diverge on capability: Freightos covers Instant quotes, MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Freightos and MarineTraffic actually diverge.
| Attribute | Freightos | MarineTraffic |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | Unknown |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Web, iOS, Android, API |
| Founded | 2012 | 2007 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Maritime & Shipping).
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 Freightos
- Instant quotes
- Online booking
- Shipment tracking
- Rate comparison
- ERP systems
- E-commerce platforms
- TMS
- Api support
Only in MarineTraffic
- Real-time vessel tracking
- Global AIS coverage
- Voyage history
- Port call data
- ETA predictions
- REST API
- Google Earth
- GIS systems
Both cover
- Web support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Freightos
- Comparing freight quotes from multiple forwarders in one placenot MarineTraffic
- Booking international freight online rather than by email quotenot MarineTraffic
MarineTraffic
- Real-time vessel trackingnot Freightos
- Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot Freightos
- Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot Freightos
- Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot Freightos
- Vessel and company database lookupsnot Freightos
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Freightos
- No pricing, fees or commissions are published anywhere on the pricing page
- Rates and costs are only visible after signing up to the platform
MarineTraffic
- Specific numeric prices for the Basic/Essential tiers are not published on a directly accessible page (plans pages are bot-protected)
- Enterprise tier is sales-assisted, quote-only
- API access is credit-consumption based with cost varying by AIS data source and detail level, making cost opaque
- Commercial API access now routes through parent company Kpler via demo request
Pricing, plan by plan
Freightos
Free- Enterprise$500/month
- Bulk pricing
- API access
- Custom integrations
MarineTraffic
Free- Basic$undefined/mo
- Free vessel tracking account
- Essential$undefined/mo
- Expanded tracking features
- Enterprise$undefined/mo
- Quote-only, sales-assisted
Which should you pick?
Choose Freightos if
- You need instant quotes.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want online booking.
Choose MarineTraffic if
- You need real-time vessel tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
- You also want global ais coverage.
Questions people ask
- Is Freightos or MarineTraffic better?
- Neither clearly leads. Freightos starts at Free and MarineTraffic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Freightos or MarineTraffic?
- Freightos starts at Free and MarineTraffic at Free.
- Does Freightos or MarineTraffic run on more platforms?
- Freightos runs on Web, Api. MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API.
- Can I use Freightos for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Freightos best used for?
- Freightos is most often used for comparing freight quotes from multiple forwarders in one place, booking international freight online rather than by email quote. Of those, comparing freight quotes from multiple forwarders in one place and booking international freight online rather than by email quote are not what MarineTraffic is typically brought in for.
- What can Freightos do that MarineTraffic cannot?
- Freightos covers Instant quotes, Online booking, Shipment tracking, Rate comparison. MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. Both handle Web support.