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Maritime · head to head

Shone vs VesselFinder

S

Shone

Maritime

AI-powered autonomous shipping technology

From
$3000/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: Shone shone Automation was acquired by Bedrock Ocean Exploration in April 2022 and the product is no longer sold under the Shone name; 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: Shone covers Autonomous navigation, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shone and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where Shone and VesselFinder differ
AttributeShoneVesselFinder
Starting price$3000/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsMaritime vesselsWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20172011

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 Shone

  • Autonomous navigation
  • Collision avoidance
  • Sensor fusion
  • Decision support
  • Bridge systems
  • ECDIS
  • Radar
  • AIS

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.

Shone

No use cases recorded yet. See the Shone review.

VesselFinder

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

Where each one falls short

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

Shone

  • Shone Automation was acquired by Bedrock Ocean Exploration in April 2022 and the product is no longer sold under the Shone name
  • shone.io no longer resolves

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

Shone

$3000/month
  • Professional$8000/month
    • Autonomous navigation
    • Collision avoidance
    • Bridge integration

VesselFinder

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Shone if

  • You need autonomous navigation.
  • You work on Maritime vessels.
  • You also want collision avoidance.
Shone 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 Shone or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. Shone starts at $3000/month and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shone or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3000/month for Shone and Free for VesselFinder.
Does Shone or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
Shone runs on Maritime vessels. 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. Shone starts at $3000/month.
What can Shone do that VesselFinder cannot?
Shone covers Autonomous navigation, Collision avoidance, Sensor fusion, Decision support. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Shone: What does Shone's autonomous technology do?

Shone retrofits ships with autonomous technologies to improve safety, security and crew quality of life. The system provides assistance through situational awareness and course recommendations, which reduces watchkeeper fatigue and helps prevent accidents.

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
Shone: How does Shone detect surrounding vessels?

Shone's proprietary detection algorithm is based on data gathered from ship sensors including AIS, radar and GPS, with additional cameras installed on board for computer vision capabilities.

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
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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