# Ellebogen vs AIS Explorer

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ellebogen at none against AIS Explorer's 3. Ellebogen also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). AIS Explorer's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 3 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. AIS Explorer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.00 per month. Ellebogen asks for nothing beyond the download.

Ellebogen ships an update every 3 months, AIS Explorer monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ellebogen | AIS Explorer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ais-explorer/id1670774413/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **3** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 27 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ellebogen S.L.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1611352291) | [PredictWind Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/477048590) |

## What reviewers say

### Ellebogen

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ellebogen/id1611352289)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### AIS Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ais-explorer/id1670774413)

Track ships and yachts globally in real-time with advanced satellite and terrestrial AIS receivers. Offers vessel search, favorites, port of call details, and integrated weather forecasts with routing for ETAs. Provides comprehensive satellite AIS data.

**Highlights:** Real-time Satellite AIS, Real-time Terrestrial AIS, Search Vessels, Save To Favourites, Last Port of Call, Advanced Weather Forecasts, Weather Routing - ETA

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| AIS Pro monthly | $49.00 | per month |
| AIS Pro 3 monthly | $99.00 | per 3 months |
| AIS Pro Annual | $249.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ellebogen free?

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

### Is AIS Explorer free?

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

### Do Ellebogen or AIS Explorer have ads?

AIS Explorer shows ads; Ellebogen does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ellebogen or AIS Explorer?

Ellebogen ships an update every 3 months, and AIS Explorer monthly. Most recently, Ellebogen was updated on October 7, 2026 and AIS Explorer on September 29, 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.*