# ShipAtlas vs StarLinkAssistant

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShipAtlas | StarLinkAssistant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (260 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shipatlas-ship-tracker/id1478737074/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlinkassistant/id1578034983/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **260** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **68.8% of reviews** | 60.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 106 MB | 28 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Maritime Optima AS](https://appshunter.io/developer/1478737073) | [Herbert Richard Lawson](https://appshunter.io/developer/1578034985) |

## What reviewers say

### ShipAtlas

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shipatlas-ship-tracker/id1478737074)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Standard 1 month | $16.49 | per month |
| ShipAtlas standard 3 months | $45.99 | per 3 months |
| Premium 1 month | $76.99 | per month |
| ShipAtlas Standard 6 months | $78.99 | per 6 months |
| Standard 12 months | $129.99 | per year |
| Premium 3 month | $209.99 | per 3 months |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly and informative for seafarers
- 👍 Makes dock operator job easier
- 👍 Great for tracking loved ones at sea
- 👍 Provides peace of mind
- 👍 Modern UI and smooth operations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Free tier is very limited or non-functional
- 😞 Registration/activation process fails
- 😞 High cost
- 😞 Unethical plan changes, demanding more money
- 😞 Crippled standard plan, no refunds/grandfathering

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Show lat/long for generated waypoints
- Better interface
- Show ETA instead of just estimated date


### StarLinkAssistant

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starlinkassistant/id1578034983)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShipAtlas free?

ShipAtlas is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is StarLinkAssistant free?

StarLinkAssistant is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant?

StarLinkAssistant is rated higher. ShipAtlas averages 4.6 out of 5 from 260 ratings, while StarLinkAssistant averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant have ads?

StarLinkAssistant shows ads; ShipAtlas does not.

### Which is updated more often, ShipAtlas or StarLinkAssistant?

ShipAtlas ships an update every 4 months, and StarLinkAssistant every 3 weeks. Most recently, ShipAtlas was updated on October 29, 2026 and StarLinkAssistant on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*