Ship Tracker vs VesselFlow
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ship Tracker
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Ship Tracker is a fast AIS vessel map for following ships, checking ports, and understanding marine traffic from your iPhone. Search vessels by name, IMO, MMSI, callsign, or flag. Open clean vessel details with speed, heading, identity, ETA, latest position, and route context. Use the map to inspect nearby traffic, discover ports, and keep important ships in a lightweight fleet watchlist. Key features: - Live AIS vessel map - Ship search by name, IMO, MMSI, callsign, or flag - Vessel details with identity, speed, heading, flag, ETA, and latest position - Nearby ship and port discovery - Port intelligence with inbound vessel context - Maritime information including NAVTEX, port events, and navigation aids - Fleet watchlist for saved vessels with quick refresh - Native iOS design with MapKit, CoreLocation, haptics, and a focused maritime workspace Ship Tracker Pro unlocks the full workspace, including nearby vessel tools, fleet watchlist, port intelligence, and maritime intel. Built for boat watchers, maritime enthusiasts, logistics teams, port observers, and anyone who wants a clear ship tracking experience without clutter. Terms of Use: https://sites.google.com/view/shiptrackern/terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://sites.google.com/view/shiptrackern/privacy-policy
VesselFlow
Explore a live map of global marine traffic in real-time. Track cargo ships, ferries, yachts, and more, viewing their current position, speed, and destination. Enhance your experience with detailed vessel specifications and voyage information through an optional subscription.
- Real-time ship positions
- Global marine traffic map
- Detailed vessel information
- Search by name, MMSI, or IMO
- Personal watchlist
- Full vessel specifications (Pro)
- Live voyage details (Pro)
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Watch the world's ships move in real time. VesselFlow is a live ship tracker that turns global AIS data into a beautiful map of marine traffic. Follow cargo ships, tankers, cruise liners, ferries, tugs, fishing boats, and sailing yachts anywhere on the map. Maritime pro, ship spotter, or just curious about the vessel on the horizon? VesselFlow makes it effortless to find a ship, see where it's headed, and explore global shipping in a single tap. HOW IT WORKS: Open VesselFlow and explore the live map of ships worldwide. Tap any vessel for its name, type, speed, and heading. Search by name, MMSI, or IMO to find a specific ship. Add vessels to your watchlist and follow them anytime. LIVE SHIP MAP: • Real-time vessel positions from live AIS data. • Worldwide coverage of ports, coastlines, and busy shipping lanes. • A fluid, density-aware map that reveals more ships as you zoom in. • Vessels color-coded by type, so you can read the traffic at a glance. TAP ANY VESSEL: • Name, ship type, and country flag. • Live speed, course, and heading. • Its recent track, drawn right on the map. SEARCH & FOLLOW: • Instant search by vessel name, MMSI, or IMO. • Find vessels near you. • Build a personal watchlist of the ships you care about. • Jump back to recently-viewed vessels. TRACK ANYTHING AT SEA: • Cargo ships, container ships, tankers, and bulk carriers. • Cruise ships, passenger ferries, yachts, and sailing boats. • Tugs, pilot boats, fishing vessels, and more. FREE TO USE: The live map, search, watchlist, and live vessel details are free, with optional in-app purchases to unlock more. Upgrade to VesselFlow Pro: Full vessel specifications: length, beam, draught, gross tonnage, deadweight, year built, home port, and call sign (where available). Live voyage: destination, estimated arrival (ETA), and route progress. In-depth track history: recent track with speed, distance, and timeline stats. VesselFlow Pro is available as an auto-renewable subscription: Weekly, Monthly, or Annual. Subscription details: Payment is charged to your Apple Account at purchase confirmation. Auto-renews unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period, at the stated cost. Manage subscriptions and turn off auto-renewal in your Account Settings. DISCLAIMER: • VesselFlow is unaffiliated with any shipping company, vessel operator, or maritime authority. • Positions come from publicly-broadcast AIS data and may be delayed, incomplete, or unavailable. • For informational use only, not for navigation or any safety-of-life-at-sea decision. Privacy Policy: https://caseadri.com/vesselflow/privacypolicy.html Terms & Conditions: https://caseadri.com/vesselflow/termsandconditions.html Support: vesselflow-support@caseadri.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: VesselFlow at every 2 weeks against Ship Tracker's every 2 months. On price, ads, 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. Ship Tracker sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and VesselFlow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Ship Tracker ships an update every 2 months, VesselFlow every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ship Tracker | VesselFlow |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 4.1 (9 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | — | 9 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | APPMERGE TEKNOLOJI LIMITED SIRKETI | Stephen Fung |
In-app purchases
Ship Tracker
- Premium Pro3 Days trial$4.997 Days
- Weekly Pro$4.997 Days
- Premium Pro3 Days trial$7.997 Days
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- Premium Pro3 Days trial$9.997 Days
- Premium Access3 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Yearly Pro$39.991 Year
VesselFlow
- Weekly$3.997 Days
- Monthly$9.991 Month
- Yearly$39.991 Year
Questions
Is Ship Tracker free?
Is VesselFlow free?
Do Ship Tracker or VesselFlow have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ship Tracker or VesselFlow?
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