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Maritime · head to head

VesselFinder vs Xeneta

VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Xeneta logo

Xeneta

Maritime

Ocean and air freight rate intelligence

From
$1000/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; Xeneta pricing is by quote only, with no public rate card or published tiers
  • They diverge on capability: VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Xeneta covers Rate benchmarking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VesselFinder and Xeneta actually diverge.

Attributes where VesselFinder and Xeneta differ
AttributeVesselFinderXeneta
Starting priceFree$1000/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Api
Founded20112012

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 VesselFinder

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

Only in Xeneta

  • Rate benchmarking
  • Market intelligence
  • Trend analysis
  • Contract optimization
  • TMS platforms
  • Procurement systems
  • BI tools
  • 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 Xeneta
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot Xeneta

Xeneta

  • Benchmarking ocean and air freight rates against market datanot VesselFinder
  • Supporting freight procurement and contract negotiation with rate benchmarksnot VesselFinder

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

Xeneta

  • Pricing is by quote only, with no public rate card or published tiers
  • Access is gated behind a sales demo rather than any self serve signup

Pricing, plan by plan

VesselFinder

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

Xeneta

$1000/month
  • Professional$2500/month
    • Rate benchmarking
    • Market trends
    • Analytics

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 Xeneta if

  • You need rate benchmarking.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want market intelligence.
Xeneta review

Questions people ask

Is VesselFinder or Xeneta better?
Neither clearly leads. VesselFinder starts at Free and Xeneta at $1000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VesselFinder or Xeneta?
VesselFinder has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for VesselFinder and $1000/month for Xeneta.
Does VesselFinder or Xeneta run on more platforms?
VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android. Xeneta runs on Web, Api.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Yes. VesselFinder has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Xeneta starts at $1000/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 Xeneta is typically brought in for.
What can VesselFinder do that Xeneta cannot?
VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Xeneta covers Rate benchmarking, Market intelligence, Trend analysis, Contract optimization. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Xeneta: Does Xeneta publish pricing tiers online?

No. Xeneta uses a custom, quote-based pricing model. Prospects must request a demo or contact their team at [email protected] for pricing tailored to their needs and data volume.

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
Xeneta: Is a free trial or demo available without contacting sales?

A free demo is available through their website. Xeneta also offers a free benchmarking analysis when prospects talk to their team.

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
Xeneta: What are Xeneta's free access terms?

The site references 'Free Access Terms' in the footer but does not disclose specifics on the main page. Details require contacting their team.

Source
VesselFinder: Do subscriptions automatically renew?

No, subscriptions do not renew automatically. Users receive reminder notifications one week before expiration.

Source
Xeneta: How quickly does Xeneta's pricing pay for itself?

Xeneta states customers typically recover the platform cost within a single tender cycle, but this varies based on implementation and usage.

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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