ShipAtlas vs StarLinkAssistant
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ShipAtlas
Track ships and port traffic in real time with live AIS data. Monitor vessel movements, explore ports, and create sea routes. Access maritime weather forecasts and receive notifications for arrivals and departures.
- Worldwide live AIS ship tracking
- Vessel search by name, IMO, or MMSI
- View ship's last and next port
- See ships nearby by sharing location
- Arrival and departure notifications
- Create sea routes and estimate ETAs
- Daily updated maritime weather forecasts
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Live AIS vessel tracking at your fingertips Track vessels and port traffic in real time, monitor areas, and create sea routes from port to port or estimate the ETA for any vessel's live position to any port. Cross platform (mobile phone and desktop)! Whether you're a shipping enthusiast or a professional, have family at sea, or are just curious about the vessels sailing nearby you, ShipAtlas gives you the tools you need to explore and track vessels. See live vessel positions around the world, search for vessels, explore ports, and get insights of vessels movements and port traffic with raw AIS data from more than 700 satellites, terrestrial sources, and dynamic AIS data. More than 125,000 vessels. All vessels with class A senders. Global coverage. Key Features: - Worldwide live AIS vessel tracking for any type of vessel: containers, car carriers, cruise ships, tankers, dry cargo, LPG, LNG, oil service etc. Search by name, IMO, or MMSI. - View a vessel's last and next port to see where it has been and where it’s headed (includes historical data for the last 3 port calls). - Stay updated on the latest maritime incidents in the app. Get notified and see which vessel or port are involved. - Get notifications when vessels arrive or depart from ports, or when they set or change their destination. - Create sea routes from any AIS position to any port and estimate arrival times based on various speeds. - Access daily updated maritime weather forecasts, including wind, waves, ocean currents, sea ice, and precipitation. Explore maritime activity worldwide. From your phone, tablet or laptop, you can view global shipping activity, locate vessels, and check vessel statuses at sea. Why ShipAtlas? - High quality AIS and maritime data for ports and any type of vessels. - Clean and easy-to-use interface. - Sync your data across mobile, desktop, and tablet. - Be notified about real-time events for vessels and ports. - Friendly in-app chat support to assist you any time you need help. - Sign up for free and test ShipAtlas out. - No ads. - Trusted by more than 500 000 casual vessel trackers and maritime professionals around the world. Sign up for free and test out ShipAtlas before upgrading. What you get: - 10 live AIS position views - 5 port views (view port activity). - 5 sea route calculations (from any vessel or port to port). - 5 historical AIS data positions (3 last port calls). - Stay updated on maritime incidents. - Arrival notifications. - Daily updated marine weather in ports. Find a plan for your needs. Standard – from €10/month Unlock for 5 vessels (swappable every 24hrs): - Live vessel positions from satellite, terrestrial, and dynamic AIS sources. - Find which port vessels sailed from and the next port with ETA. - Stay updated on the latest maritime incidents connected to any vessel or port - Notification types: - Arrivals - Departures - Destination changes - Maritime Incidents - Create sea routes from any AIS position to any port and estimate arrival times based on various speeds. - Daily updated marine weather in ports. Premium – from €65/month Unlock for all vessels in the database: - Live vessel positions from satellite, terrestrial, and dynamic AIS sources. - Find which port vessels sailed from and the next port with ETA. - Stay updated on the latest maritime incidents connected to any vessel or port - Notification types: - Arrivals - Departures - Destination changes - Maritime Incidents - Create sea routes from any AIS position to any port and estimate arrival times based on various speeds. - Historical AIS (last 3 port calls). - Vessel lists (5 lists). - Find which vessels are inside ports. - Daily updated marine weather in ports.
StarLinkAssistant
This app helps users set up, troubleshoot, and optimize their Starlink internet system. It provides detailed guides, real-time performance data, and assistance with common issues like obstructions and Wi-Fi configuration.
- Initial setup and wiring guides
- Router/Wi-Fi status and configuration
- Dishy (antenna) status and issue detection
- Real-time satellite tracking and visibility
- Internet speed and latency testing
- Obstruction identification and recommendations
- Direct access to Starlink support resources
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I wrote the Starlink Assistant App(SLA) because integrating the Starlink System into my home Internet system was a bit difficult. Another reason is that seeing how the Starlink system works is great fun. I want this app to help everyone identify and fix issues, use, and enjoy Starlink. The app uses color images and help pages to assist you navigate through most issues. The main page displays general information about how it is performing. The Initial Setup page describes how to unbox & connect all equipment and wiring, install dishy (the Starlink Antenna), and configure the WiFi router. It also has YouTube links to explain how to unbox, install Dishy, configure your wifi router, and how to run a network cable. The Router/Wi-Fi page includes a test of the connection between the app and the router, display status of Uptime, and Wi-Fi software & firmware versions. Detailed instructions on how to use your own router are also included. The Dishy page displays your antenna/Dishy uptime, physical issues (if the motors are stuck, an issue with temperature, mast not level, or unexpected location), and hardware & software versions. The Satellite page will display “No Satellites” time, view all Satellites in real time(View map), show how & when you can see the satellites in the night sky, and a satellite help section. The Satellite help section describes how to use the View Satellite Map and give you a better understanding when satellite positions will be optimal. The Internet page will display whether the Internet is up or down, average latency times, Internet Speed time for Dishy(Direct Internet times), 4 different speed test checkers and Youtube links for instruction. The Obstructions page will display if there is a current Obstruction between Dishy and a satellite, Uptime, Obstruction recommendations and status. In case the obstruction is a tree, the app has information on local tree trimming companies. The Support page how to get Starlink Support, getting the debug information and links to popular Starlink support. The Help page describes in detail how to use each page (Setup, Router, Dishy, Satellite, Internet, Obstructions, & Support).
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: StarLinkAssistant at none against ShipAtlas's 6. StarLinkAssistant also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). ShipAtlas's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (260 vs 2). On price there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ShipAtlas sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $16.49 per month. StarLinkAssistant asks for nothing beyond the download.
StarLinkAssistant holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ShipAtlas has 260 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 69% of ShipAtlas's written reviews are positive against 60% of StarLinkAssistant's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
ShipAtlas ships an update every 4 months, StarLinkAssistant every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ShipAtlas | StarLinkAssistant |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (260 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews — better | 60.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 260 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Ad-supported — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 106 MB | 28 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Maritime Optima AS | Herbert Richard Lawson |
Customer experience
ShipAtlas
StarLinkAssistant
Bugs and requests
ShipAtlas
Reported bugs
5 issues- Cannot see anything for free
- Registration process doesn't work
- Notifications not coming through
- Stuck in an endless activation link cycle
- Problem signing in, eternal link loop
Requested features
3 requests- Show lat/long for generated waypoints
- Better interface
- Show ETA instead of just estimated date
StarLinkAssistant
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
ShipAtlas
- Standard 1 month$16.491 Month
- ShipAtlas standard 3 months$45.993 Months
- Premium 1 month$76.991 Month
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- ShipAtlas Standard 6 months$78.996 Months
- Standard 12 months$129.991 Year
- Premium 3 month$209.993 Months
StarLinkAssistant
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ShipAtlas free?
Is StarLinkAssistant free?
Which has better reviews, ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant?
Do ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant have ads?
Which is updated more often, ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant?
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