Need to track vessels at sea? This article reviews eighteen of the best apps for tracking ships, offering a range of marine traffic apps and vessel tracking software to suit different needs. We highlight key features like real-time location updates, vessel details, and port information, comparing popular choices such as MarineTraffic, VesselFinder, and Vessel Tracking to help you find the perfect ship tracking application for your requirements.
Top app for tracking ships
1. MarineTraffic
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Cost: Free (Free), MarineTraffic Premium ($9.99/month (USD))
MarineTraffic is the ultimate app for tracking ships, boasting the world's largest AIS receiver network—covering over 300,000 vessels daily—which makes its data far more comprehensive than competitors. I chose it because its accuracy and real-time updates are unmatched, letting me follow ships' movements with pinpoint precision, from live locations to historical tracks and even port arrival/departure times for over 4,000 locations. This level of detail, combined with features like wind forecasts and ship photos, makes MarineTraffic the best choice for anyone interested in maritime activity.
Key Features:
- Real-time vessel positions worldwide
- Comprehensive port arrival/departure information
- Access to millions of ship photos
✨ Read more: app for sea navigation
2. VesselFinder
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VesselFinder is the ultimate app for tracking ships on your phone, offering real-time location data on hundreds of thousands of vessels worldwide. Unlike other ship-tracking apps, VesselFinder boasts a significantly larger and more frequently updated database, ensuring you get the most accurate and current information. This translates to better planning and quicker decision-making, whether you're a shipping professional or simply a marine enthusiast. Its intuitive interface and detailed vessel profiles make it easy to follow your favorite ships or research specific vessels—all with the confidence of accessing a highly reliable source of maritime data.
Key Features:
- Real-time vessel location updates.
- Comprehensive ship information database.
- Tracking history and route visualization.
3. Vessel Tracking
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Cost: Free (Free), Premium ($4.99/month)
Vessel Tracking is a mobile app for tracking ships, offering armchair adventurers and maritime professionals alike the chance to follow vessels worldwide. While users praise its ease of use and the wealth of information provided in the free version, making it a useful tool for cruising, a significant drawback is the reported 1.5-day delay in showing a ship's actual position and the lack of map customization noted by some users. Despite this positional inaccuracy and the aggressive push for reviews immediately after installation, the app’s comprehensive data and engaging interface still makes it a popular choice for many, who enjoy the experience of following their vessels' journeys.
Key Features:
- Real-time vessel location updates globally.
- Comprehensive ship details and historical data.
- Intuitive interface for easy ship monitoring.
4. MarineRadar
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Cost: Free (Free), Premium ($9.99/month)
MarineRadar is a mobile application for tracking ships worldwide, leveraging AIS data to provide near real-time vessel locations. This allows users to monitor ship movements, benefiting maritime professionals with enhanced situational awareness and recreational boaters with improved safety planning. While boasting extensive AIS coverage, encompassing over 90% of major shipping lanes (according to internal data), the app's accuracy can be affected by signal limitations in certain areas, and a subscription may be required for full functionality. Despite some limitations, MarineRadar offers a powerful tool for tracking ships with significant benefits for various users.
Key Features:
- Real-time vessel location updates worldwide.
- Comprehensive AIS data coverage of ports and routes.
- Visualizes ships' movements on a map.
5. MyShipTracking
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Cost: Free Plan (Free), Premium Plan (Monthly) ($9.99/month)
MyShipTracking is a fantastic app for tracking ships, offering a surprisingly rich feature set for a free application. Users praise its intuitive interface, highlighting the helpful open sea maps overlay with nautical charts, destination and speed labels, and even a weather overlay. The app's comprehensive data and ease of use make it ideal for monitoring vessels, a sentiment echoed by users who appreciate its ability to track company ships. While specific metrics aren't available, the enthusiastic response indicates its popularity among those needing a reliable and informative ship tracking solution.
Key Features:
- Real-time vessel location monitoring globally.
- Detailed vessel information and data.
- Comprehensive port information and schedules.
Other app for tracking ships
- Marine Radar
- ShipAtlas
- ShipXplorer · Vessel Tracker
- Marine traffic
- Ship Tracker
- Ship Info
- Ship Tracker
- Ship Tracker — Ship Radar
- Ship Tracker
- Primo Nautic
- My Ship Tracker & Finder
- Ship Finder
- FindShip
The most important factors when choosing a app for tracking ships
- Real-time tracking accuracy and update frequency.
- Breadth and depth of vessel data provided (e.g., ship type, speed, destination).
- User-friendliness of the interface and ease of navigation.
- Reliability and stability of the app's service.