Maritime & Shipping · head to head
MarineTraffic vs CargoSmart
CargoSmart
Maritime & Shipping
Global shipment visibility and intelligence
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and CargoSmart actually diverge.
| Attribute | MarineTraffic | CargoSmart |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Founded | 2007 | 2000 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android, API), 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 MarineTraffic
- Real-time vessel tracking
- Global AIS coverage
- Voyage history
- Port call data
- REST API
- Google Earth
- GIS systems
Only in CargoSmart
- Real-time tracking
- Exception management
- Carbon tracking
- SAP TM
- Oracle
- Shipping lines
- TMS
- Api support
Both cover
- ETA predictions
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
MarineTraffic
- Real-time vessel trackingnot CargoSmart
- Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot CargoSmart
- Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot CargoSmart
- Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot CargoSmart
- Vessel and company database lookupsnot CargoSmart
CargoSmart
No use cases recorded yet. See the CargoSmart 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
CargoSmart
Nothing recorded yet. See the CargoSmart 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
CargoSmart
Free- Professional$299/month
- Unlimited tracking
- ETA predictions
- Analytics
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.
Choose CargoSmart if
- You need real-time tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want exception management.
Questions people ask
- Is MarineTraffic or CargoSmart better?
- Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and CargoSmart at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or CargoSmart?
- MarineTraffic starts at Free and CargoSmart at Free.
- Does MarineTraffic or CargoSmart run on more platforms?
- MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. CargoSmart runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- 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 CargoSmart is typically brought in for.
- What can MarineTraffic do that CargoSmart cannot?
- MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. CargoSmart covers Real-time tracking, Exception management, Carbon tracking, SAP TM. Both handle ETA predictions, Web support, Ios support, Android support.