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MarineTraffic API alternative
MarineTraffic does not publish API prices: its API services are sales-supported, and its Online Plans do not automatically include API access. AIS Trail is a self-serve vessel data API with a free plan and published prices for tracks, areas, port calls and live positions. It covers coastal waters through shore and community receivers, not the open ocean.
Checked 16 October 2026 against the public pages linked in each row.
At a glance
| Topic | MarineTraffic API | AIS Trail | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free access | No free API tier published; Online Plans do not automatically include API access. | Free plan: 500 credits a month, last 7 days, no card. | MarineTraffic help centre |
| Price | Not published; API services are sales-supported. | $29, $129 or $249 a month; credit pack $49. | MarineTraffic help centre |
| History | Archive since 2010 through Kpler, after “Request demo”; API lookback not stated. | Up to 12 months, rolling: most sources since October 2026, North Sea and western Baltic 12 months; U.S. waters: calendar year 2025. | Kpler historical AIS |
| Live positions | Yes, Vessel Positions endpoints. | Pro and Business: REST and WebSocket. | MarineTraffic API docs |
| Port calls | Yes, port call and berth call events. | Yes, detected at about 11,000 ports. | MarineTraffic API docs |
| Coverage | Terrestrial and satellite AIS. | Shore and community receivers; no global satellite AIS. | Kpler AIS |
More providers side by side: AIS data API providers compared.
Where MarineTraffic is strong
- Satellite and terrestrial AIS, so ships far from shore stay visible.
- An archive since 2010, sold through Kpler.
- Berth call events as well as port calls.
AIS Trail's limits
- No global satellite AIS. Positions come from shore stations and community receivers, plus national sources in Nordic waters, so ships far out at sea are mostly not covered. Regions and vessel classes are on Data sources.
- History goes back up to 12 months. Most sources start in October 2026; the North Sea and western Baltic archive reaches back up to 12 months.
- U.S. waters are an archive. They come from NOAA's Marine Cadastre data for calendar year 2025, not updated daily.
- No berth-level events. A port call is a stop inside a circle around the port, about 11,000 ports from the World Port Index and UN/LOCODE.
Pricing
MarineTraffic does not publish API prices. Its help centre says API services are sales-supported: you contact your account manager or request a demo.
AIS Trail publishes its prices. The Free plan gives 500 credits a month and the last 7 days of history, with no card. Starter costs $29, Pro $129 and Business $249 a month, with 15,000, 60,000 and 250,000 credits; Pro and Business include live data. A credit pack adds 20,000 credits for $49, valid for 12 months. One credit buys one vessel-day of track, one port call or one vessel's live position over REST, and empty results use none.
Prices are in US dollars and exclude VAT or sales tax. Paddle, our merchant of record, handles payments. All plans
FAQ
How much does the MarineTraffic API cost?
MarineTraffic does not publish API prices. Its help centre says API services are sales-supported, so the price comes from its sales team.
Is there a free MarineTraffic API?
We found no free API tier on its public pages, and its help centre says Online Plans do not automatically include API access. AIS Trail's Free plan gives 500 credits a month without a card.
Can AIS Trail replace MarineTraffic for ships at sea?
Not on the open ocean: AIS Trail has no global satellite AIS. It suits coastal tracks, port calls and history in the waters its sources cover, listed on Data sources.
MarineTraffic and Kpler are trademarks of their respective owners. AIS Trail is not affiliated with or endorsed by either of them.
Found a fact that is wrong or out of date? Write to [email protected] and we will correct it.
