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Software · head to head

MarineTraffic vs Alphaliner

MarineTraffic logo

MarineTraffic

Software

Global ship tracking intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Alphaliner logo

Alphaliner

Software

Container shipping data and analysis

From
$800/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MarineTraffic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MarineTraffic specific numeric prices for the Basic/Essential tiers are not published on a directly accessible page (plans pages are bot-protected); Alphaliner now delivered through AXSMarine rather than independently, and alphaliner.com redirects there
  • They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Alphaliner covers Fleet database.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and Alphaliner actually diverge.

Attributes where MarineTraffic and Alphaliner differ
AttributeMarineTrafficAlphaliner
Starting priceFree$800/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb
Founded20071998

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

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 MarineTraffic

  • Real-time vessel tracking
  • Global AIS coverage
  • Voyage history
  • Port call data
  • ETA predictions
  • REST API
  • Google Earth
  • GIS systems

Only in Alphaliner

  • Fleet database
  • Charter rate tracking
  • Capacity analysis
  • Market reports
  • Data exports
  • Excel reports

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

MarineTraffic

  • Real-time vessel trackingnot Alphaliner
  • Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot Alphaliner
  • Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot Alphaliner
  • Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot Alphaliner
  • Vessel and company database lookupsnot Alphaliner

Alphaliner

  • Tracking liner services and containership deploymentsnot MarineTraffic
  • Port and terminal call analyticsnot MarineTraffic
  • Fleet monitoring with technical and commercial vessel datanot MarineTraffic
  • Suez and Panama canal traffic analysisnot MarineTraffic
  • Feeding shipping data into internal systems through the API hubnot MarineTraffic

Where each one falls short

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

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

Alphaliner

  • Now delivered through AXSMarine rather than independently, and alphaliner.com redirects there
  • Neither the subscription model nor any price is published
  • A market intelligence data service for shipping professionals rather than an operational tool

Pricing, plan by plan

MarineTraffic

Free
  • Basic$undefined/mo
    • Free vessel tracking account
  • Essential$undefined/mo
    • Expanded tracking features
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Quote-only, sales-assisted

Alphaliner

$800/month
  • Professional$1500/month
    • Fleet database
    • Charter rates
    • Weekly reports

Which should you pick?

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.
MarineTraffic review

Choose Alphaliner if

  • You need fleet database.
  • You also want charter rate tracking.
Alphaliner review

Questions people ask

Is MarineTraffic or Alphaliner better?
Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and Alphaliner at $800/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or Alphaliner?
MarineTraffic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MarineTraffic and $800/month for Alphaliner.
Does MarineTraffic or Alphaliner run on more platforms?
MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Alphaliner runs on Web.
Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
Yes. MarineTraffic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Alphaliner starts at $800/month.
What is MarineTraffic best used for?
MarineTraffic is most often used for real-time vessel tracking, port call and eta tracking for logistics, fleet monitoring for shipping and chartering, maritime research and analytics via api feeds. Of those, real-time vessel tracking and port call and eta tracking for logistics are not what Alphaliner is typically brought in for.
What can MarineTraffic do that Alphaliner cannot?
MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. Alphaliner covers Fleet database, Charter rate tracking, Capacity analysis, Market reports. Both handle Web support.
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