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Maritime · head to head

VesselFinder vs Yr.no

VesselFinder logo

VesselFinder

Maritime

Free AIS vessel tracking web site

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Yr.no logo

Yr.no

Weather

Norway's trusted free weather service for the world

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • 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; Yr.no full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • They diverge on capability: VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VesselFinder and Yr.no actually diverge.

Attributes where VesselFinder and Yr.no differ
AttributeVesselFinderYr.no
Pricing modelfreemiumfree
CategoryMaritimeWeather
Founded20112007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

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

Only in Yr.no

  • Hourly forecasts
  • Long-term predictions
  • Precipitation graphs
  • Wind data
  • Aurora forecasts
  • Open API
  • Widgets
  • Smart displays

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android 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 Yr.no
  • Pulling ship positions and particulars into a logistics or chartering system over an APInot Yr.no

Yr.no

  • Checking day-by-day and hour-by-hour weather forecasts with graph detailsnot VesselFinder
  • Now-cast alerts for rainfall expected within the next 90 minutesnot VesselFinder
  • Viewing UV forecasts, pollen spread, and air pollution overviewsnot VesselFinder
  • Embedding free weather widgets/modules on third-party websitesnot VesselFinder
  • Building weather features into apps via Yr's free REST APIs (forecasts, alerts, radar, ocean data)not 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

Yr.no

  • Full API/data usage requires attribution to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute and NRK per their terms, not a no-strings-attached free service
  • Product and documentation are heavily Norway/Nordic-centric in framing even though forecasts cover any location on earth
  • No paid/pro consumer tier is published, monetization/support model beyond the free service is unclear from primary sources

Pricing, plan by plan

VesselFinder

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

Yr.no

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full weather data
    • Hourly forecasts
    • Long-term outlook

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 Yr.no if

  • You need hourly forecasts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want long-term predictions.
Yr.no review

Questions people ask

Is VesselFinder or Yr.no better?
Neither clearly leads. VesselFinder starts at Free and Yr.no at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VesselFinder or Yr.no?
VesselFinder starts at Free and Yr.no at Free.
Does VesselFinder or Yr.no run on more platforms?
VesselFinder runs on Web, Ios, Android. Yr.no runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use VesselFinder for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Yr.no is typically brought in for.
What can VesselFinder do that Yr.no cannot?
VesselFinder covers Real-time tracking, Vessel database, Port information, Weather overlay. Yr.no covers Hourly forecasts, Long-term predictions, Precipitation graphs, Wind data. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android 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
Yr.no: Is Yr.no free to use?

Yes, Yr.no is a free weather forecasting service. It is a collaboration between NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute.

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
Yr.no: Does Yr.no require registration or payment to access weather forecasts?

The website does not mention any registration requirements, subscription tiers, or payment obligations. Access to weather information appears to be free without account creation.

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
Yr.no: Who funds and maintains Yr.no if it is free?

Yr.no is maintained as a public service collaboration between NRK (Norwegian public broadcasting) and The Norwegian Meteorological Institute, both government-supported organizations.

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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