# ShippingExplorer vs SkunkTracker

The clearest difference is update cadence: SkunkTracker at every 3 months against ShippingExplorer's every 10 months. SkunkTracker also leads on rating (4.2 vs 4.0). ShippingExplorer's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

SkunkTracker holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8 and 6 respectively.

ShippingExplorer ships an update every 10 months, SkunkTracker every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShippingExplorer | SkunkTracker |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shippingexplorer/id472310436/reviews) | **[4.2 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skunktracker/id1083759544/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **8** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 31.6% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 6 MB | 2 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ShippingExplorer](https://appshunter.io/developer/472310439) | [Mobile Geographics](https://appshunter.io/developer/286844996) |

## What reviewers say

### ShippingExplorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shippingexplorer/id472310436)

Track vessels worldwide with live data on a map. View detailed ship information, photos, and historical tracks. Access real-time vessel positions for free with a demo key.

**Highlights:** Live vessel data worldwide, Detailed ship information and photos, Track history for each ship, Search and display last known ship positions, Favorites and bookmarks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SkunkTracker

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skunktracker/id1083759544)

This app provides live, updating maps of ships and boats using AIS data. It connects to your AIS receivers or public network feeds to display vessel locations. Requires an AIS radio or access to an AIS data feed to function.

**Highlights:** Live AIS data display, Map visualization of vessels, Supports WiFi AIS receivers, Integrates with public AIS feeds, Real-time vessel location updates

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShippingExplorer free?

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

### Is SkunkTracker free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShippingExplorer or SkunkTracker?

SkunkTracker is rated higher. ShippingExplorer averages 4.0 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while SkunkTracker averages 4.2 from 6 ratings.

### Do ShippingExplorer or SkunkTracker have ads?

Neither ShippingExplorer nor SkunkTracker shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShippingExplorer or SkunkTracker?

ShippingExplorer ships an update every 10 months, and SkunkTracker every 3 months. Most recently, ShippingExplorer was updated on September 27, 2026 and SkunkTracker on September 15, 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.*