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Maritime · head to head

ORBCOMM vs VesselFinder

ORBCOMM logo

ORBCOMM

Maritime

IoT solutions for maritime asset tracking

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only VesselFinder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: ORBCOMM satellite latency of approximately 600 milliseconds limits real-time applications; VesselFinder aPI access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • They diverge on capability: ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ORBCOMM and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where ORBCOMM and VesselFinder differ
AttributeORBCOMMVesselFinder
Starting price$25/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsSatellite, WebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19952011

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 ORBCOMM

  • Satellite tracking
  • Container monitoring
  • Cold chain monitoring
  • Fleet telematics
  • TMS systems
  • ERP platforms
  • Warehouse management
  • Api support

Only in VesselFinder

  • Real-time tracking
  • Vessel database
  • Port information
  • Weather overlay
  • API access
  • Mobile apps
  • Ios support
  • Android support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

ORBCOMM

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

VesselFinder

  • Tracking vessel positions and voyages from AIS datanot ORBCOMM
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot ORBCOMM

Where each one falls short

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

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

VesselFinder

  • API access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position
  • Credits expire 12 months after purchase
  • Credit packs start at 330 EUR for 10,000 credits, excluding VAT
  • Tracking a vessel outside terrestrial AIS range multiplies the cost of every position tenfold, so open ocean coverage is the expensive case rather than the standard one

Pricing, plan by plan

ORBCOMM

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

VesselFinder

Free
  • Basic$4.99/month
    • Ad-free
    • Extended history
    • Fleet monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose ORBCOMM if

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

Choose VesselFinder if

  • You need real-time tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want vessel database.
VesselFinder review

Questions people ask

Is ORBCOMM or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. ORBCOMM starts at $25/month and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ORBCOMM or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $25/month for ORBCOMM and Free for VesselFinder.
Does ORBCOMM or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
ORBCOMM runs on Satellite, Web. VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ORBCOMM starts at $25/month.
What is ORBCOMM best used for?
ORBCOMM is most often used for tracking shipping container temperatures for refrigerated cargo, detecting vessel ais spoofing to identify anomalous maritime activity, monitoring fuel consumption patterns across fleet operations, screening shipments for sanctions compliance violations. Of those, tracking shipping container temperatures for refrigerated cargo and detecting vessel ais spoofing to identify anomalous maritime activity are not what VesselFinder is typically brought in for.
What can ORBCOMM do that VesselFinder cannot?
ORBCOMM covers Satellite tracking, Container monitoring, Cold chain monitoring, Fleet telematics. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. 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
VesselFinder: What are the main pricing tiers for VesselFinder?

VesselFinder offers four tiers: Free (no cost), Basic (4 dollars per month), Premium (34 dollars per month), and Satellite (139 dollars per month).

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
VesselFinder: What does the Free plan include?

The Free plan provides terrestrial coverage, 1-day track history, a 10-ship fleet capacity, and 100 route planner uses.

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
VesselFinder: What tracking capabilities come with the Satellite plan?

The Satellite plan includes both satellite and terrestrial coverage, 90-day track history, 2,000-ship fleet capacity, terminal and berth data, proximity event alerts, and ETA prediction.

Source
VesselFinder: Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, subscriptions do not renew automatically. Users receive reminder notifications one week before expiration.

Source
VesselFinder: Do the listed prices include VAT?

No, the prices displayed do not include VAT. Payment options include bank transfers and credit or debit cards processed online.

Source
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