# Ship Finder Lite vs VesselFinder

The clearest difference is ads: Ship Finder Lite at none against VesselFinder's shown. Ship Finder Lite also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and ratings volume (3.2K vs 232). VesselFinder's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#205 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ship Finder Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ship Finder Lite has 3.2K ratings behind it against 232, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 23% of Ship Finder Lite's written reviews are positive against 28% of VesselFinder's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Ship Finder Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, VesselFinder fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ship Finder Lite | VesselFinder |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.3 (3.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ship-finder-lite/id324177409/reviews)** | [4.1 (232 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vesselfinder/id918080862/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3.2K** | 232 |
| Positive reviews | 22.8% of reviews | **27.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#205** |
| Size | 48 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [pinkfroot limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/319726822) | [AstraPaging Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/438160792) |

## What reviewers say

### Ship Finder Lite

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ship-finder-lite/id324177409)

Track live moving ships on a global map with near real-time AIS data. Identify vessels using your device camera with Augmented Reality view. See ship details like name, type, and destination with color-coded icons for easy identification.

**Highlights:** Live worldwide ship tracking map, Augmented Reality (AR) ship identification, View ship name, type, and destination, Color-coded vessel icons, Near real-time AIS data, Global AIS coverage

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Tracks marine traffic
- 🔍 Identifies ships and boats
- 🗺️ Provides map-based visualization
- 🔍 Useful for hobbyists and enthusiasts

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🚫 Limited functionality in free version
- 💰 Paywall for key features
- 📢 Excessive ads and pop-ups
- 🔍 Inaccurate or incomplete ship tracking
- 🗺️ Missing coverage in certain regions

**Reported bugs**

- Ships not showing up on the map
- App crashes or freezes
- Outdated or incorrect ship information

**Requested features**

- Search for specific vessels
- Alerts and notifications for ship movements
- Improved data coverage and accuracy
- Less intrusive advertising model


### VesselFinder

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vesselfinder/id918080862)

**Currently charting:** #205 Top Free · Navigation (US App Store)

Track ships and monitor maritime traffic globally in real-time. Access detailed vessel information, movement history, and predicted routes. Ideal for maritime professionals and enthusiasts alike.

**Highlights:** Real-time vessel tracking, Vessel movement history, Predicted routes and ETAs, Comprehensive vessel particulars, Port call details, My Fleet for favorite vessels, Weather overlays

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and intuitive user interface
- 💰 Free version provides basic functionality
- 🗺️ Clear map display with sea blue and land green
- 📊 Comprehensive vessel information available
- ⚓ Good for casual ship tracking and hobbyists

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Severely outdated vessel position data (days old)
- 🐛 App freezes on startup/splash screen frequently
- 💸 Misleading free version with limited functionality
- 🔄 Inconsistent and unreliable data updates
- ❌ Search functionality requires paid version

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes on splash screen and won't load
- Crashes when attempting to zoom on map
- Black screen display on certain devices
- App won't open or opens after long delays
- Crashes on iOS 11 and newer versions

**Requested features**

- Real-time GPS tracking instead of delayed AIS data
- Distance measurement tool restoration
- German language support
- Destination and departure information display
- Ability to remove ads without expensive pro version


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ship Finder Lite free?

Ship Finder Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is VesselFinder free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ship Finder Lite or VesselFinder?

Ship Finder Lite is rated higher. Ship Finder Lite averages 4.3 out of 5 from 3.2K ratings, while VesselFinder averages 4.1 from 232 ratings.

### Do Ship Finder Lite or VesselFinder have ads?

VesselFinder shows ads; Ship Finder Lite does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ship Finder Lite or VesselFinder?

Ship Finder Lite ships an update every 6 weeks, and VesselFinder fortnightly. Most recently, Ship Finder Lite was updated on September 25, 2026 and VesselFinder on September 23, 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.*