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Maritime · head to head

MarineTraffic vs ShipNet

MarineTraffic logo

MarineTraffic

Maritime

Global ship tracking intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ShipNet logo

ShipNet

Maritime

Complete ship management software

From
$400/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); ShipNet no pricing information published online
  • They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, ShipNet covers Technical management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and ShipNet actually diverge.

Attributes where MarineTraffic and ShipNet differ
AttributeMarineTrafficShipNet
Starting priceFree$400/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIWeb, Windows
Founded20071984

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 ShipNet

  • Technical management
  • Crew management
  • Procurement
  • Accounting
  • ERP systems
  • Payroll
  • Classification societies
  • Windows 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 ShipNet
  • Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot ShipNet
  • Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot ShipNet
  • Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot ShipNet
  • Vessel and company database lookupsnot ShipNet

ShipNet

  • Fleet operations and compliance management for shipping companiesnot MarineTraffic
  • Profitability tracking across vessel operations and charteringnot MarineTraffic
  • Technical asset management and vessel maintenance schedulingnot MarineTraffic
  • Commercial voyage and chartering operations managementnot MarineTraffic
  • Marine financial accounting and reporting integrationnot MarineTraffic
  • Dry docking and vessel maintenance project managementnot 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

ShipNet

  • No pricing information published online
  • Requires demo request to obtain pricing details
  • Targets large shipping operators with 150+ customers globally

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

ShipNet

$400/month
  • Professional$1000/month
    • Technical management
    • Crewing
    • Procurement

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 ShipNet if

  • You need technical management.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want crew management.
ShipNet review

Questions people ask

Is MarineTraffic or ShipNet better?
Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and ShipNet at $400/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or ShipNet?
MarineTraffic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MarineTraffic and $400/month for ShipNet.
Does MarineTraffic or ShipNet run on more platforms?
MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. ShipNet runs on Web, Windows.
Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
Yes. MarineTraffic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. ShipNet starts at $400/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 ShipNet is typically brought in for.
What can MarineTraffic do that ShipNet cannot?
MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. ShipNet covers Technical management, Crew management, Procurement, Accounting. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ShipNet: How much does Shipnet cost?

Shipnet does not publish pricing on their website. Interested customers must request a demo to receive pricing information from their sales team.

Source
ShipNet: Who uses Shipnet?

Shipnet serves over 150 shipping companies across 31 countries, including major operators like Golar LNG, Wilson, and COSCO Shipping. The platform is described as built by mariners for mariners.

Source
ShipNet: What modules does Shipnet offer?

Shipnet provides eight integrated solution modules: Safety, Technical, Analytics, Commercial, Financial, Procurement, Dry Docking, and Shipnet ONE for unified ecosystem management.

Source
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