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Maritime · head to head

DNV Maritime vs VesselFinder

DNV Maritime logo

DNV Maritime

Maritime

Quality assurance and risk management

From
On request
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: DNV Maritime pricing not published; all services require custom quotes and sales consultation; 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: DNV Maritime covers Fleet management, VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DNV Maritime and VesselFinder actually diverge.

Attributes where DNV Maritime and VesselFinder differ
AttributeDNV MaritimeVesselFinder
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Windows, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded18642011

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 DNV Maritime

  • Fleet management
  • Planned maintenance
  • Compliance tracking
  • Document management
  • ERP systems
  • Procurement
  • Classification systems
  • Windows 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.

DNV Maritime

  • Maritime vessel classification and certificationnot VesselFinder
  • Autonomous ship technology assessment and verificationnot VesselFinder
  • Cybersecurity and software solutions for maritime operationsnot VesselFinder
  • Fleet compliance and risk management across 160+ years of maritime expertisenot VesselFinder

VesselFinder

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

Where each one falls short

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

DNV Maritime

  • Pricing not published; all services require custom quotes and sales consultation
  • No published technical specifications or system requirements
  • Enterprise-only model; no self-service pricing or standard tier options published

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

DNV Maritime

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the DNV Maritime review.

VesselFinder

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

Which should you pick?

Choose DNV Maritime if

  • You need fleet management.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Api.
  • You also want planned maintenance.
DNV Maritime 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 DNV Maritime or VesselFinder better?
Neither clearly leads. DNV Maritime starts at On request and VesselFinder at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DNV Maritime or VesselFinder?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DNV Maritime and Free for VesselFinder.
Does DNV Maritime or VesselFinder run on more platforms?
DNV Maritime runs on Web, Windows, Api. 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. DNV Maritime starts at On request.
What is DNV Maritime best used for?
DNV Maritime is most often used for maritime vessel classification and certification, autonomous ship technology assessment and verification, cybersecurity and software solutions for maritime operations, fleet compliance and risk management across 160+ years of maritime expertise. Of those, maritime vessel classification and certification and autonomous ship technology assessment and verification are not what VesselFinder is typically brought in for.
What can DNV Maritime do that VesselFinder cannot?
DNV Maritime covers Fleet management, Planned maintenance, Compliance tracking, Document management. VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DNV Maritime: What solutions does DNV Maritime provide?

DNV offers modern classification solutions that meet current and future market needs, combining technical and operational expertise with risk methodology and in-depth industry knowledge.

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
DNV Maritime: How does DNV support new maritime technologies?

DNV rules increasingly cover new technologies to support quick adoption of advancements in the maritime industry and smooth implementation of existing technologies while maintaining safety standards.

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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