Comparison

MarineTraffic vs ADSBWho

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

MarineTraffic

Track vessels live worldwide using AIS data. View ship positions, movements, and voyage history with detailed vessel information and enhanced weather monitoring. Unlock advanced features for deeper visibility and extended coverage with a Pro plan.

Highlights
  • Live vessel tracking worldwide
  • Ship positions and movements
  • Voyage history and key events
  • Detailed vessel information
  • Enhanced maps with weather monitoring
  • Fleet monitoring and alerts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Welcome to MarineTraffic. You spoke, we listened. Based on feedback from our customers, the MarineTraffic app has been updated to deliver a faster, clearer, and more reliable way to track vessels and monitor maritime activity worldwide. MarineTraffic is used by maritime professionals, shipping companies, port authorities, and enthusiasts around the world. With MarineTraffic 2.0, the experience you rely on has been improved, while keeping the core tools you already know and trust. If you’ve used MarineTraffic before, you’ll feel at home straight away. The main features remain familiar, now supported by better performance, clearer maps, and a more stable foundation built for the future. With MarineTraffic, you can: Track vessels live worldwide using AIS data View ship positions, movements, and voyage history with key events along the route Build and monitor your chosen fleet by following specific vessels Access detailed vessel information such as type, destination, speed, and course Explore enhanced maps with close weather monitoring, including wind conditions A unified MarineTraffic experience The new MarineTraffic brings core tools together into one unified mobile app experience. The new app focuses on clarity, reliability, and ease of use, improving performance while keeping the experience familiar. Maps load faster, interactions feel smoother, and information is presented more clearly, supporting both everyday use and professional maritime workflows. What’s improved in MarineTraffic: Faster performance across maps and weather views Clearer visuals and smoother interactions throughout the app Improved platform stability and reliability All your key tools in one app, including close weather monitoring Unlock more with the Mobile Pro Plan The Mobile Pro Plan brings advanced capabilities together for users who need deeper visibility and extended coverage. With Mobile Pro, you can: Track vessels beyond coastal coverage using Satellite AIS, including activity in open oceans Access advanced fleet monitoring tools for wider oversight Follow vessels with extended historical data and deeper insights Gain access to additional maritime data layers for professional use Mobile Pro expands your vessel tracking capabilities when standard AIS coverage is not enough. Mobile Pro is designed for users who need a broader, more complete view of global vessel movement. Designed for real-world use MarineTraffic is used in many different ways, from fleet management to vessel tracking. MarineTraffic is designed to support these use cases without adding unnecessary complexity. You can follow vessels and fleets important to you, set up alerts, and explore global vessel traffic in real time. Vessel details, voyage history, and close weather monitoring are accessible in one place, helping you stay informed without switching between tools. MarineTraffic builds on everything users already rely on, with a faster, clearer, and more dependable mobile experience designed to support maritime activity around the world. Download MarineTraffic to explore global vessel traffic with improved speed, clarity, and reliability. --- Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/p/privacy-policy Subscriptions auto-renew at the end of each billing period unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the renewal date. Renewals are charged to your Apple ID account. You can manage and cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings after purchase.

About

ADSBWho

Features
Read full description

ADSBWho — Your Personal Sky Radar Ever looked up at a plane and wondered where it's going? ADSBWho turns your iPhone into a powerful aircraft tracking station, giving you real-time data on every flight overhead. Your Own ADS-B Receiver, Your Own Data ADSBWho is designed to work with your personal ADS-B receiver on your local network. Connect directly to devices like FlightAware PiAware, ADS-B Exchange feeders, or any receiver running dump1090 or readsb. Because the data comes straight from your receiver over your local Wi-Fi, there's no internet dependency and no data usage — everything stays on your home network. For times when you're away from your receiver or want extended range, remote feed support is available too. Use local only, remote only, or both together for maximum coverage. Live Aircraft Radar Watch planes appear on your map in real time. See callsigns, altitudes, speeds, aircraft types, and registrations at a glance. Local feed updates arrive instantly with no cloud latency — as fast as your receiver can decode them. Augmented Reality Sky View Point your phone at the sky and see aircraft labels overlaid in AR. Identify flights instantly with callsign, altitude, and distance — right where you're looking. The AR view filters to your configured radius so you only see what matters. Spotting Log Every aircraft you detect is automatically logged with registration, callsign history, route history, and timestamps. Filter by date range to explore your spotting history — today, last 7 days, last 30 days, or all time. Track how many times you've seen the same aircraft and watch your collection grow. Moon Transit Predictions A unique feature you won't find anywhere else. ADSBWho calculates whether an aircraft is about to pass in front of the moon from your exact location. Get notified before it happens so you can look up and watch a plane silhouette cross the lunar disc. Live Activity & Dynamic Island Keep monitoring even when the app is in the background. The lock screen Live Activity and Dynamic Island show your current aircraft count, nearest flight, and distance — all updating in real time without opening the app. Smart Notifications Receive proximity alerts when aircraft enter your chosen radius. Each notification includes the flight's altitude, distance, and compass direction from your location. Duplicate alerts are suppressed, and ground infrastructure like towers is automatically filtered out. Detailed Statistics Dive into your data with statistics on most-spotted aircraft, aircraft type breakdowns, busiest spotting days, and more. See which registrations appear most often in your skies. Aircraft Watchlist Flag specific registrations or hex codes you want to track. Watchlisted aircraft are highlighted on the map with a distinctive ring so you never miss them. Coverage Map Visualise your ADS-B reception coverage over time. See where your setup performs best and identify gaps in your tracking range. Built for Enthusiasts Whether you're a seasoned plane spotter running your own receiver, an aviation photographer timing the perfect shot, or just curious about the traffic above your house — ADSBWho gives you the tools to explore the sky like never before. • Connect to your own ADS-B receiver over local Wi-Fi • Zero internet usage with local-only mode • Real-time aircraft tracking on map • Augmented reality sky overlay • Automatic spotting log with date filtering • Moon transit prediction and alerts • Lock screen Live Activity & Dynamic Island • Proximity notifications with direction • Local and remote ADS-B feed support • Aircraft watchlist with map highlights • Reception coverage mapping • Detailed spotting statistics • Persistent data across app updates

Screenshots

MarineTraffic4 screens
ADSBWho4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is chart position: MarineTraffic at #20 against ADSBWho's unranked. MarineTraffic also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MarineTraffic sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and ADSBWho sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

MarineTraffic ships an update every 10 days, ADSBWho every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
MarineTraffic versus ADSBWho: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMarineTrafficADSBWho
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (65K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews49.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings65K — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
Best chart rank#20 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.6 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size157 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarineTraffic Applications LTDDavid Taylor

Bugs and requests

MarineTraffic

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent crashes or freezes
  • Inconsistent or unreliable ship data
  • Difficulty canceling subscriptions
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Real-time ship tracking
  • Improved map and interface design
  • More free features and data access
  • Ability to track multiple ships simultaneously
  • Integration with other maritime apps and services

ADSBWho

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

5 purchases

MarineTraffic

Subscriptions2
  • Mobile Pro Plan$4.991 Month
  • Mobile Pro Plan7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time3
  • Route Planner$0.99
  • Access Plus 24$0.99
  • Augmented Reality$2.99
3 purchases

ADSBWho

One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$4.99

Questions

Is MarineTraffic free?
MarineTraffic is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ADSBWho free?
ADSBWho is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do MarineTraffic or ADSBWho have ads?
Neither MarineTraffic nor ADSBWho shows ads.
Which is updated more often, MarineTraffic or ADSBWho?
MarineTraffic ships an update every 10 days, and ADSBWho every 8 days. Most recently, MarineTraffic was updated on November 3, 2026 and ADSBWho on October 25, 2026.

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