AIS Explorer vs BB Run Live
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
AIS Explorer
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.
- Real-time Satellite AIS
- Real-time Terrestrial AIS
- Search Vessels
- Save To Favourites
- Last Port of Call
- Advanced Weather Forecasts
- Weather Routing - ETA
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AIS Explorer displays real-time positions and movement of Ships and Yachts anywhere in the world, using the most advanced satellite and terrestrial receivers. The best pricing for the most comprehensive Satellite AIS available. Try it Now! - Search Vessels - Save To Favourites - Real-Time Satellite AIS - Real-Time Terrestrial AIS - Vessel Types - Last Port of Call - Advanced Weather Forecasts From PredictWind - Weather Routing - ETA Terms & Conditions: https://www.aisexplorerapp.com/en/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.aisexplorerapp.com/en/privacy-policy
BB Run Live
This app provides real-time data for the Bristol Bay commercial fishing season. It includes live run statistics, weather updates, fishing openings, and boat activity. Access to this premium information requires a yearly subscription.
- Live run statistics
- Weather updates
- Fishing openings
- Port Moller data
- Boat activity tracking
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Ready for the 2026 season, BB Run Live is now free, bringing live run stats, weather, tides, openings, and Port Moller data for the Bristol Bay salmon run.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AIS Explorer at 5.0 against BB Run Live's 4.4. AIS Explorer also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription). BB Run Live's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and device support 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. AIS Explorer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $49.00 per month and BB Run Live sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $24.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
AIS Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 7 respectively.
AIS Explorer ships an update monthly, BB Run Live every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | AIS Explorer | BB Run Live |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.4 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 7 — better |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 6 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 68 MB | 21 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PredictWind Limited | Mica Linscheid |
Customer experience
AIS Explorer
BB Run Live
In-app purchases
AIS Explorer
- AIS Pro monthly$49.001 Month
- AIS Pro 3 monthly14 Days trial$99.003 Months
- AIS Pro Annual$249.001 Year
BB Run Live
- Yearly Access$24.991 Year
Questions
Is AIS Explorer free?
Is BB Run Live free?
Which has better reviews, AIS Explorer or BB Run Live?
Do AIS Explorer or BB Run Live have ads?
Which is updated more often, AIS Explorer or BB Run Live?
Other comparisons
