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Software · head to head

MarineTraffic vs Baltic Exchange

MarineTraffic logo

MarineTraffic

Software

Global ship tracking intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Baltic Exchange logo

Baltic Exchange

Software

Global shipping market benchmarks

From
$500/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MarineTraffic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and Baltic Exchange actually diverge.

Attributes where MarineTraffic and Baltic Exchange differ
AttributeMarineTrafficBaltic Exchange
Starting priceFree$500/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, Api
Founded20071744

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 Baltic Exchange

  • Freight indices
  • Market assessments
  • Forward curves
  • Historical data
  • API
  • Data feeds
  • Trading platforms
  • Api support

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 Baltic Exchange
  • Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot Baltic Exchange
  • Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot Baltic Exchange
  • Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot Baltic Exchange
  • Vessel and company database lookupsnot Baltic Exchange

Baltic Exchange

No use cases recorded yet. See the Baltic Exchange review.

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

Baltic Exchange

Nothing recorded yet. See the Baltic Exchange review.

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

Baltic Exchange

$500/month
  • Data Services$1500/month
    • Freight indices
    • Market assessments
    • Historical data

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 Baltic Exchange if

  • You need freight indices.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want market assessments.
Baltic Exchange review

Questions people ask

Is MarineTraffic or Baltic Exchange better?
Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and Baltic Exchange at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or Baltic Exchange?
MarineTraffic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MarineTraffic and $500/month for Baltic Exchange.
Does MarineTraffic or Baltic Exchange run on more platforms?
MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Baltic Exchange runs on Web, Api.
Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
Yes. MarineTraffic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Baltic Exchange starts at $500/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 Baltic Exchange is typically brought in for.
What can MarineTraffic do that Baltic Exchange cannot?
MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. Baltic Exchange covers Freight indices, Market assessments, Forward curves, Historical data. Both handle Web support.
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Related pages

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