Maritime & Shipping · head to head
MarineTraffic vs Drewry
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); Drewry the World Container Index is described as free but still requires an account to read, and full access depends on subscription rights
- They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Drewry covers Market research.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and Drewry actually diverge.
| Attribute | MarineTraffic | Drewry |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $1000/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, API | Web |
| Founded | 2007 | 1970 |
Identical on both: 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
- ETA predictions
- REST API
- Google Earth
- GIS systems
Only in Drewry
- Market research
- Forecasting
- Benchmarking
- Advisory services
- Data exports
- Custom 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 Drewry
- Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot Drewry
- Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot Drewry
- Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot Drewry
- Vessel and company database lookupsnot Drewry
Drewry
- Tracking container freight rate movements through the weekly World Container Indexnot MarineTraffic
- Supporting shipping and supply chain research with published rate assessmentsnot 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
Drewry
- The World Container Index is described as free but still requires an account to read, and full access depends on subscription rights
- No subscription price is published anywhere on the index pages
- The container index publishes weekly, so it is not a source for daily rate movement
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
Drewry
$1000/month- Research Subscription$3000/month
- Market reports
- Forecasts
- Data access
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.
Questions people ask
- Is MarineTraffic or Drewry better?
- Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and Drewry at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or Drewry?
- MarineTraffic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MarineTraffic and $1000/month for Drewry.
- Does MarineTraffic or Drewry run on more platforms?
- MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Drewry runs on Web.
- Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
- Yes. MarineTraffic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drewry starts at $1000/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 Drewry is typically brought in for.
- What can MarineTraffic do that Drewry cannot?
- MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. Drewry covers Market research, Forecasting, Benchmarking, Advisory services. Both handle Web support.