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Maritime · head to head

MarineTraffic vs StormGlass

MarineTraffic logo

MarineTraffic

Maritime

Global ship tracking intelligence

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
StormGlass logo

StormGlass

Maritime

Global weather data API for maritime

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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); StormGlass the free tier allows 10 API requests per day and is not licensed for commercial use
  • They diverge on capability: MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, StormGlass covers Marine weather data.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MarineTraffic and StormGlass actually diverge.

Attributes where MarineTraffic and StormGlass differ
AttributeMarineTrafficStormGlass
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIApi
Founded20072017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • Google Earth
  • GIS systems
  • Web support

Only in StormGlass

  • Marine weather data
  • Wave forecasts
  • Tide data
  • Historical weather
  • Webhooks
  • SDKs
  • Api support

Both cover

  • REST API

What people use each for

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

MarineTraffic

  • Real-time vessel trackingnot StormGlass
  • Port call and ETA tracking for logisticsnot StormGlass
  • Fleet monitoring for shipping and charteringnot StormGlass
  • Maritime research and analytics via API feedsnot StormGlass
  • Vessel and company database lookupsnot StormGlass

StormGlass

  • Pulling marine weather and sea state forecasts into a vessel routing or planning toolnot MarineTraffic
  • Adding tide, wave and wind data to a maritime or coastal applicationnot 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

StormGlass

  • The free tier allows 10 API requests per day and is not licensed for commercial use
  • Commercial use and any support at all start at the Medium plan, 49 euros a month
  • The Small plan at 19 euros a month has no support and no commercial licence
  • Request allowances are daily rather than monthly, so a burst of traffic cannot borrow against a quiet week

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

StormGlass

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 requests per day
    • All weather parameters
    • Not for commercial use
  • Small$19/month
    • 500 requests per day
    • All weather parameters
    • 10% annual discount available
  • Medium$49/month
    • 5000 requests per day
    • All weather parameters
    • Full support
  • Large$129/month
    • 25000 requests per day
    • All weather parameters
    • Full support

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 StormGlass if

  • You need marine weather data.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Api.
  • You also want wave forecasts.
StormGlass review

Questions people ask

Is MarineTraffic or StormGlass better?
Neither clearly leads. MarineTraffic starts at Free and StormGlass at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MarineTraffic or StormGlass?
MarineTraffic starts at Free and StormGlass at Free.
Does MarineTraffic or StormGlass run on more platforms?
MarineTraffic runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. StormGlass runs on Api.
Can I use MarineTraffic for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 StormGlass is typically brought in for.
What can MarineTraffic do that StormGlass cannot?
MarineTraffic covers Real-time vessel tracking, Global AIS coverage, Voyage history, Port call data. StormGlass covers Marine weather data, Wave forecasts, Tide data, Historical weather. Both handle REST API.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

StormGlass: Is there a free tier available?

Yes, Stormglass offers a free plan with 10 API requests per day, including all weather parameters, but it is not permitted for commercial use.

Source
StormGlass: What does the Medium plan include?

The Medium plan costs 49 EUR per month and includes 5000 daily requests, all weather parameters, and full support for commercial use.

Source
StormGlass: Is annual billing available?

Yes, a 10% discount is available when paying annually on Small, Medium, and Large plans.

Source
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