Iridium GO! vs AIS Explorer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Iridium GO!
Connect your iPhone or iPad to a global satellite network for calls, texts, and social media updates anywhere on Earth. This app provides essential communication capabilities even in areas without terrestrial network coverage, including emergency SOS functionality.
- Satellite calling
- SMS messaging
- Twitter integration
- Emergency SOS activation
- Global network coverage
- Wi-Fi connectivity
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Iridium GO! enables satellite connectivity for your iPhone/iPad where terrestrial networks are non-existent, unreliable, or costly. With Iridium GO! and the power of the Iridium global satellite network, your iPhone/iPad will now work anywhere on the planet. The Iridium GO! app enables users to connect over Wi-Fi and make phone calls, send SMS, post Twitter updates, or activate SOS in the event of an emergency (requires registration). Visit www.iridiumgo.com for Iridium GO! product details and information on where to buy. The Iridium GO! app supports English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Japanese languages. Note: The Iridium GO! device is required to use this app.
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
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: AIS Explorer at 5.0 against Iridium GO!'s 1.9. AIS Explorer also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 5 months). Iridium GO!'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ads (none vs shown). On price 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. Iridium GO! asks for nothing beyond the download.
AIS Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 1.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Iridium GO! has 58 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Iridium GO! ships an update every 5 months, AIS Explorer monthly. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Iridium GO! | AIS Explorer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 1.9 (58 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 6.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 58 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 67 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Iridium | PredictWind Limited |
Customer experience
Iridium GO!
AIS Explorer
In-app purchases
Iridium GO!
No 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
