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Maritime · head to head

MarineTraffic vs ORBCOMM

MarineTraffic logo

MarineTraffic

Maritime

Global ship tracking intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ORBCOMM logo

ORBCOMM

Maritime

IoT solutions for maritime asset tracking

From
$25/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); ORBCOMM satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and ORBCOMM actually diverge.

Attributes where MarineTraffic and ORBCOMM differ
AttributeMarineTrafficORBCOMM
Starting priceFree$25/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APISatellite, Web
Founded20071995

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

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 ORBCOMM

  • Satellite tracking
  • Container monitoring
  • Cold chain monitoring
  • Fleet telematics
  • TMS systems
  • ERP platforms
  • Warehouse management
  • 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 ORBCOMM
  • Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot ORBCOMM
  • Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot ORBCOMM
  • Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot ORBCOMM
  • Vessel and company database lookupsnot ORBCOMM

ORBCOMM

  • Tracking shipping container temperatures for refrigerated cargonot MarineTraffic
  • Detecting vessel AIS spoofing to identify anomalous maritime activitynot MarineTraffic
  • Monitoring fuel consumption patterns across fleet operationsnot MarineTraffic
  • Screening shipments for sanctions compliance violationsnot 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

ORBCOMM

  • Satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications
  • Higher cost per message compared to terrestrial cellular IoT solutions
  • Coverage remains near-global rather than fully global in all remote regions

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

ORBCOMM

$25/month
  • Fleet Manager$99/month
    • Real-time tracking
    • Geofencing
    • Reporting

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 ORBCOMM if

  • You need satellite tracking.
  • You work on Satellite, Web.
  • You also want container monitoring.
ORBCOMM review

Questions people ask

Is MarineTraffic or ORBCOMM better?
Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and ORBCOMM at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or ORBCOMM?
MarineTraffic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MarineTraffic and $25/month for ORBCOMM.
Does MarineTraffic or ORBCOMM run on more platforms?
MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. ORBCOMM runs on Satellite, Web.
Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
Yes. MarineTraffic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ORBCOMM starts at $25/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 ORBCOMM is typically brought in for.
What can MarineTraffic do that ORBCOMM cannot?
MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking, Container monitoring, Cold chain monitoring, Fleet telematics. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ORBCOMM: What is ORBCOMM's satellite coverage?

ORBCOMM's OGx service provides nearly global coverage across over 160 countries using a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites for two-way messaging and IoT data services.

Source
ORBCOMM: How does satellite IoT compare to cellular connectivity?

ORBCOMM satellite offers immunity from cellular blind spots, network outages, congestion, and weather-related disruptions. However, satellite connectivity introduces approximately 600 milliseconds of round-trip latency.

Source
ORBCOMM: What can ORBCOMM monitor in containers?

ORBCOMM's CT 1010 device provides sensor-based monitoring for container fire detection, unauthorized access alerts, damage detection, and asset visibility, with real-time satellite-based tracking.

Source
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