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Maps & Navigation · head to head

HERE Technologies vs NAVTOR

HERE Technologies logo

HERE Technologies

Maps & Navigation

Location data and technology company that provides mapping and location services to businesses globally

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
NAVTOR logo

NAVTOR

Maritime & Shipping

Digital navigation and maritime compliance

From
$200/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only HERE Technologies has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: HERE Technologies pricing is complex and unpredictable, with additional fees for common functionalities creating surprise costs at scale; NAVTOR specialized product focused only on maritime industry, not suitable for other domains
  • They diverge on capability: HERE Technologies covers Core Functionality, NAVTOR covers Digital chart services.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which HERE Technologies and NAVTOR actually diverge.

Attributes where HERE Technologies and NAVTOR differ
AttributeHERE TechnologiesNAVTOR
Starting priceFree$200/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, Cross-platformWeb
CategoryMaps & NavigationMaritime & Shipping
Founded19852011

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 HERE Technologies

  • Core Functionality
  • User Interface

Only in NAVTOR

  • Digital chart services
  • Passage planning
  • Compliance management
  • Fleet monitoring
  • ECDIS systems
  • Fleet management
  • Classification societies
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

HERE Technologies

  • Map data for automated and assisted drivingnot NAVTOR
  • Connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysisnot NAVTOR
  • Supply chain planning and logistics digital twinsnot NAVTOR
  • Geocoding, search and map rendering through hosted location servicesnot NAVTOR
  • Fleet tour planning and routing across 200 countriesnot NAVTOR

NAVTOR

No use cases recorded yet. See the NAVTOR review.

Where each one falls short

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

HERE Technologies

  • Pricing is complex and unpredictable, with additional fees for common functionalities creating surprise costs at scale
  • Lack of transparency in cost projections makes budgeting and forecasting difficult
  • Requires separate API keys and subscriptions for different feature categories, complicating integration
  • Customer support quality and responsiveness is inconsistent compared to competitors like Google Maps

NAVTOR

  • Specialized product focused only on maritime industry, not suitable for other domains
  • Requires subscription to PRIMAR or IC-ENC chart sources

Pricing, plan by plan

HERE Technologies

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the HERE Technologies review.

NAVTOR

$200/month
  • NavStation$500/month
    • Digital charts
    • Passage planning
    • Compliance tools

Which should you pick?

Choose HERE Technologies if

  • You need core functionality.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform.
  • You also want user interface.
HERE Technologies review

Choose NAVTOR if

  • You need digital chart services.
  • You also want passage planning.
NAVTOR review

Questions people ask

Is HERE Technologies or NAVTOR better?
Neither clearly leads. HERE Technologies starts at Free and NAVTOR at $200/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, HERE Technologies or NAVTOR?
HERE Technologies has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for HERE Technologies and $200/month for NAVTOR.
Does HERE Technologies or NAVTOR run on more platforms?
HERE Technologies runs on Web, iOS, Android, Cross-platform. NAVTOR runs on Web.
Can I use HERE Technologies for free?
Yes. HERE Technologies has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. NAVTOR starts at $200/month.
What is HERE Technologies best used for?
HERE Technologies is most often used for map data for automated and assisted driving, connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysis, supply chain planning and logistics digital twins, geocoding, search and map rendering through hosted location services. Of those, map data for automated and assisted driving and connected driving, including hazard alerts and road surface analysis are not what NAVTOR is typically brought in for.
What can HERE Technologies do that NAVTOR cannot?
HERE Technologies covers Core Functionality, User Interface. NAVTOR covers Digital chart services, Passage planning, Compliance management, Fleet monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

HERE Technologies: What does HERE Technologies provide?

HERE Technologies provides a comprehensive location platform including digital maps, routing and navigation APIs, geocoding, search, traffic, positioning, and telematics services for automotive, logistics, and enterprise applications.

Source
NAVTOR: What are Electronic Navigational Charts (ENCs)?

ENCs are official digital charts used for maritime navigation. NAVTOR distributes ENCs from PRIMAR and IC-ENC in S-63 format and NAVTOR SENC format, covering over 15,800 official charts.

Source
HERE Technologies: Does HERE offer a free tier?

Yes. HERE provides a free tier with 30,000 map requests per month, 5,000 routing transactions, and 30,000 geocoding transactions. Usage beyond these limits is charged on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Source
NAVTOR: What is NAVTOR's PAYS pricing model?

PAYS (Pay As You Sail) charges vessels only for the chart cells they pass through during a voyage, while allowing navigators free access to any ENC for planning purposes before sailing.

Source
HERE Technologies: What SDKs and APIs does HERE offer?

HERE provides REST APIs for maps, routing, geocoding, and search, plus SDKs for Android, iOS, Flutter, and JavaScript. The HERE SDK enables turn-by-turn navigation and location services for mobile and web applications.

Source
NAVTOR: What is NavStation used for?

NavStation is NAVTOR's voyage planning software that integrates official ENC charts with overlays of navigational data to assist in route planning and voyage optimization.

Source
HERE Technologies: Is HERE's pricing transparent?

No. HERE uses a complex transaction-based pricing model with separate costs for different API categories. The pricing structure lacks transparency, making it difficult for customers to forecast costs at scale.

Source
NAVTOR: What platforms does NAVTOR serve?

NAVTOR focuses on the maritime shipping industry, serving vessel operators, fleet managers, and navigation professionals with e-Navigation solutions and digital logbooks.

Source
HERE Technologies: How has HERE's pricing changed?

HERE moved to a simplified transaction-based pricing model with free monthly allowances for common APIs. Users pay per transaction beyond the free tier, though the structure has been criticized for complexity and lack of cost transparency.

Source
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