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Maritime · head to head

Harbour Assist vs Pole Star Global

Harbour Assist logo

Harbour Assist

Maritime

Marina, harbour and boatyard management software for United Kingdom and European operators

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Pole Star Global logo

Pole Star Global

Maritime

Maritime domain awareness and compliance

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Harbour Assist no pricing is published, and the mandatory setup and data migration fee means the first-year cost is materially above the recurring subscription, which is easy to miss when budgeting.; Pole Star Global no public pricing information published
  • They diverge on capability: Harbour Assist covers Berth and mooring management, Pole Star Global covers Real-time vessel tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Harbour Assist and Pole Star Global actually diverge.

Attributes where Harbour Assist and Pole Star Global differ
AttributeHarbour AssistPole Star Global
Starting priceOn request$500/month
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, API
FoundedUnknown1998

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 Harbour Assist

  • Berth and mooring management
  • Contracts and licences
  • Recurring invoicing
  • Customer portal
  • Boatyard work orders
  • Team tasking
  • Online reservations
  • Reporting

Only in Pole Star Global

  • Real-time vessel tracking
  • Sanctions screening
  • Compliance monitoring
  • Risk alerts
  • Banking systems
  • Compliance platforms
  • ERP systems
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Harbour Assist

  • A trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasingnot Pole Star Global
  • A sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer recordnot Pole Star Global
  • A boatyard scheduling lifts and winter storage alongside berth contractsnot Pole Star Global
  • A harbour office cutting phone traffic by moving invoice payment and service requests to a customer portalnot Pole Star Global

Pole Star Global

  • Detecting vessels using spoofed AIS to hide their identitynot Harbour Assist
  • Screening ship movements against sanctions lists for compliancenot Harbour Assist
  • Optimizing tanker voyage profitability through market rate comparisonnot Harbour Assist
  • Tracking perishable cargo temperatures during ocean transitnot Harbour Assist

Where each one falls short

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

Harbour Assist

  • No pricing is published, and the mandatory setup and data migration fee means the first-year cost is materially above the recurring subscription, which is easy to miss when budgeting.
  • The vendor explicitly does not discount, so a small harbour has no negotiating room even when the entry point is a stretch for its budget.
  • Ownership by ClearCourse, a private-equity-backed consolidator of vertical software, brings the pricing and roadmap risks that come with that model, and buyers should ask about uplift terms before committing.
  • It is built for United Kingdom and Irish harbour practice, so an operator elsewhere gets a system full of concepts that do not match local regulation.
  • There is no marketplace or booking demand attached, so unlike Dockwa it fills no berths for you; visitor income still depends on your own marketing.

Pole Star Global

  • No public pricing information published
  • Requires sales engagement through demo request or local office contact
  • Pricing structure and model not described publicly

Pricing, plan by plan

Harbour Assist

On request
  • Harbour Assist$undefined/month
    • Quoted by size and complexity of the operation
    • Directory listings place the entry point near GBP 400 per month
    • Mandatory setup and installation fee covering customisation, data migration and training

Pole Star Global

$500/month
  • Professional$1500/month
    • PurpleTRAC platform
    • Sanctions screening
    • Risk assessment

Which should you pick?

Choose Harbour Assist if

  • You need berth and mooring management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want contracts and licences.
Harbour Assist review

Choose Pole Star Global if

  • You need real-time vessel tracking.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want sanctions screening.
Pole Star Global review

Questions people ask

Is Harbour Assist or Pole Star Global better?
Neither clearly leads. Harbour Assist starts at On request and Pole Star Global at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Harbour Assist or Pole Star Global?
Harbour Assist starts at On request and Pole Star Global at $500/month.
Does Harbour Assist or Pole Star Global run on more platforms?
Harbour Assist runs on Web, iOS, Android. Pole Star Global runs on Web, API.
What is Harbour Assist best used for?
Harbour Assist is most often used for a trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasing, a sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer record, a boatyard scheduling lifts and winter storage alongside berth contracts, a harbour office cutting phone traffic by moving invoice payment and service requests to a customer portal. Of those, a trust port managing several hundred moorings with annual licence renewals and arrears chasing and a sailing club combining membership, berthing and bar accounts under one customer record are not what Pole Star Global is typically brought in for.
What can Harbour Assist do that Pole Star Global cannot?
Harbour Assist covers Berth and mooring management, Contracts and licences, Recurring invoicing, Customer portal. Pole Star Global covers Real-time vessel tracking, Sanctions screening, Compliance monitoring, Risk alerts.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Harbour Assist: How much does Harbour Assist cost?

It is quoted by size and complexity. Directory listings put the entry point near 400 pounds a month, and every client also pays a setup fee for customisation, migration and training.

Pole Star Global: How do I obtain Pole Star Global pricing?

Pole Star Global does not publish pricing on their website. Contact the sales team via Request Demo button, Customer Support link, or Find A Local Office contact options on their homepage. Source: https://www.polestarglobal.com

Source
Harbour Assist: Does it bring visitor bookings?

No. It takes online visitor reservations through your own website but has no consumer marketplace, so demand generation remains your responsibility.

Pole Star Global: Does Pole Star Global offer a free trial?

Pole Star Global does not describe free trials or evaluation programs on their homepage. Request a demo through their website to inquire about trial availability. Source: https://www.polestarglobal.com

Source
Harbour Assist: Who owns it?

ClearCourse, a private-equity-backed group that acquires vertical software businesses in the United Kingdom.

Pole Star Global: What payment model does Pole Star Global use?

Pole Star Global does not publicly disclose pricing structure or billing model (per-seat, usage-based, enterprise, etc.). Direct sales consultation required to discuss payment options. Source: https://www.polestarglobal.com

Source
Harbour Assist: Does it handle swinging moorings and drying berths?

Yes, and that is one of the reasons British harbours choose it over marina software designed around American pontoon dockage.

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