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Software · head to head

VesselFinder vs Clarksons

VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Software

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Clarksons logo

Clarksons

Software

World's leading shipbroker and data provider

From
$3000/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only VesselFinder has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: VesselFinder aPI access is billed in credits, and a satellite AIS position costs 10 credits against 1 for a terrestrial position; Clarksons uK government contract award notice on find-tender.service.gov.uk shows a Clarkson Research Services Limited data subscription contract valued at 6,500 GBP excluding VAT (7,800 GBP including VAT) for the period 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026
  • They diverge on capability: VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Clarksons covers Market intelligence.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VesselFinder and Clarksons actually diverge.

Attributes where VesselFinder and Clarksons differ
AttributeVesselFinderClarksons
Starting priceFree$3000/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Api
Founded20111852

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

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 VesselFinder

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

Only in Clarksons

  • Market intelligence
  • Fleet database
  • Freight rates
  • Research reports
  • API
  • Excel add-in
  • Data exports
  • Api support

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

VesselFinder

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

Clarksons

No use cases recorded yet. See the Clarksons review.

Where each one falls short

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

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

Clarksons

  • UK government contract award notice on find-tender.service.gov.uk shows a Clarkson Research Services Limited data subscription contract valued at 6,500 GBP excluding VAT (7,800 GBP including VAT) for the period 1 November 2025 to 31 October 2026

Pricing, plan by plan

VesselFinder

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

Clarksons

$3000/month
  • Shipping Intelligence Network$5000/month
    • Market data
    • Fleet database
    • Research reports

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Clarksons if

  • You need market intelligence.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want fleet database.
Clarksons review

Questions people ask

Is VesselFinder or Clarksons better?
Neither clearly leads. VesselFinder starts at Free and Clarksons at $3000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VesselFinder or Clarksons?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for VesselFinder and $3000/month for Clarksons.
Does VesselFinder or Clarksons run on more platforms?
VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android. Clarksons runs on Web, Api.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clarksons starts at $3000/month.
What is VesselFinder best used for?
VesselFinder is most often used for tracking vessel positions and voyages from ais data, pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an api. Of those, tracking vessel positions and voyages from ais data and pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an api are not what Clarksons is typically brought in for.
What can VesselFinder do that Clarksons cannot?
VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Clarksons covers Market intelligence, Fleet database, Freight rates, Research reports. Both handle Web support.
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