VesselFinder
VesselFinder is a Bulgarian maritime intelligence platform that aggregates AIS data from a global crowdsourced network of 1,364+ receiving stations to provide real-time vessel tracking, container tracking, and AIS data feeds to maritime professionals, enthusiasts, and enterprise API customers worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersSliven, Bulgaria
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What VesselFinder does
VesselFinder Ltd is a privately held Bulgarian maritime intelligence company founded in 2011 and headquartered in Sliven. The company operates a vessel tracking platform built on AIS (Automatic Identification System) data aggregated from a global network of 1,364+ community-contributed receiving stations (1,187 online at any given time), providing real-time visibility into 119,000+ vessels worldwide. Coverage spans 26+ countries across Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, and other regions. The technical stack combines shore-based AIS reception infrastructure with web, native iOS/Android mobile applications, embeddable JavaScript maps, and REST-based APIs for programmatic data access.
The product portfolio is organized around a freemium core: free web access with limited features and advertising-supported display, premium fixed-term subscriptions unlocking extended historical data, satellite coverage, and advanced filtering, plus specialized add-on modules including Container Tracking, Fleet Explorer, and a Route Planner sub-product. Revenue is generated through three streams: premium subscriptions, API and data feed plans for enterprise users with plan-based usage limits, and advertising on the free tier (Publift on web, Google AdMob on mobile). Payment processing and tax compliance are handled by Paddle and 2Checkout acting as Merchants of Record.
VesselFinder serves a horizontally diversified customer base including maritime industry professionals (shipping companies, port authorities, logistics providers), individual mariners and enthusiasts, supply chain and freight operators, and API/enterprise data consumers. The AIS Partner Program functions as both a community-building mechanism and a critical data acquisition channel: contributors who connect AIS-receiving stations to the network receive free premium accounts in exchange for data sharing. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding, operates with 11-50 employees, and has no disclosed management team, acquisitions, or patents.
VesselFinder firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- VesselFinder
- Legal name
- VesselFinder Ltd
- Website
- https://vesselfinder.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- VesselFinder is a Bulgarian maritime intelligence platform that aggregates AIS data from a global crowdsourced network of 1,364+ receiving stations to provide real-time vessel tracking, container tracking, and AIS data feeds to maritime professionals, enthusiasts, and enterprise API customers worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
VesselFinder industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Maritime Vessel Tracking Software
- NAICS
- Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (488390)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Ocean Container Visibility (Vessel, Container, Demurrage/Detention) (TLAEADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Maritime Security Technology & Systems (CCTV, Radar, AIS, Perimeter Sensors) (BPAKALAI)
Keywords
Where VesselFinder is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sliven
- HQ country
- Bulgaria
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
VesselFinder business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Premium Subscriptions: Paid subscription tiers providing enhanced features including extended historical AIS data, satellite coverage, advanced filtering, and export capabilities. Subscriptions are fixed-term with no auto-renewal and non-refundable fees.
- API and Data Feeds: Programmatic access to AIS data for business users with various plan limits on API calls, throughput, and data retention. Targeted at internal operational and informational use for organizations.
- Advertising (Free Tier): Web advertising served to free plan users via Publift platform, and mobile advertising through Google AdMob. Personalized ads require appropriate consent.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free tier with basic vessel tracking features |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Premium subscription tiers |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
VesselFinder product offering
Product offeringCore offering
VesselFinder is a maritime intelligence platform that aggregates AIS (Automatic Identification System) data from a global network of community-contributed receiving stations to provide real-time and historical vessel position tracking, container tracking, fleet management, and route planning. The service operates on a freemium model with free web and mobile access supported by advertising, alongside premium subscriptions and API/data feed products for enterprise customers.
Product overview
VesselFinder is a maritime intelligence platform built around AIS (Automatic Identification System) data aggregation. The core offering consists of the VesselFinder Platform providing real-time vessel tracking and maritime data. The service operates on a tiered model combining free web access with paid subscription plans (Paid Subscriptions) that unlock premium features including extended historical data, satellite coverage, and exports. The product portfolio includes specialized API products for RealTime AIS Data and Historical AIS Data access, a Container Tracking module, a Mobile App for iOS and Android, an Embed Map feature for website integration, an AIS Partner Program enabling community data contribution, a Fleet Explorer tool, and a Route Planner sea distance calculator. The platform distributes its services through iOS App Store and Google Play Store alongside web access.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Route Planner: Route planning and sea distance calculation tool
- AIS Partner Program
Products and services
- VesselFinder Platform A vessel tracking and maritime intelligence platform that aggregates AIS (Automatic Identification System) data from vessels, shore stations, and other transmitting sources to provide real-time and historical vessel position tracking, vessel identity information, and voyage-related data for individual users, shipping operators, and maritime professionals.
- Paid Subscriptions (Premium Plans) Premium subscription plans offering extended features including satellite coverage, extended historical data ranges, data exports, advanced vessel alerts, and premium features for a fixed subscription term with no automatic renewal and non-refundable fees.
- RealTime AIS Data (API) Programmatic access to real-time AIS vessel data including vessel positions, identity, and voyage-related information via API keys and data feeds, subject to plan-based usage limits on calls, throughput, concurrency, and data retention. Targeted at enterprise customers requiring internal business use.
- Historical AIS Data (API) Access to historical AIS vessel tracking data via API for past vessel positions and voyage information, available within plan-based retention limits for analysis and compliance use.
- Container Tracking Specialized tracking service for maritime containers, allowing users to monitor container shipments and status integrated with vessel tracking data for supply chain visibility.
- VesselFinder Mobile App (iOS and Android) Native mobile applications for iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play Store) providing real-time vessel tracking and maritime intelligence on mobile devices, including free VesselFinder Lite and premium mobile experiences.
- Embed Map JavaScript-based map embedding feature allowing users to embed VesselFinder live maps into their own websites, supporting single ship tracking, fleet tracking, and area-based vessel display with customizable parameters for zoom, center coordinates, and vessel-specific monitoring.
- AIS Partner Program Program for individuals or organizations to contribute AIS data by connecting their AIS-receiving stations to VesselFinder, receiving a free Premium account and benefits including live map access, station monitoring, and notifications in exchange for data contribution.
- Fleet Explorer Tool for exploring and managing vessel fleets, allowing users to monitor and track multiple vessels within their fleet including fleet lists, vessel photos, and route planning capabilities.
- Route Planner Sea distance calculator and route planning tool for maritime navigation planning, supporting voyage planning workflows for mariners and maritime operators.
Companies that use VesselFinder
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
VesselFinder technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration7 records
Feature6 records
VesselFinder partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- AIS Station Contributors (Community)coreVesselFinder operates a global network of 1,364+ AIS receiving stations contributed by individual enthusiasts and organizations worldwide. Contributors receive free premium accounts in exchange for sharing AIS data. The network includes stations from companies like Electrotech Australia Pty Ltd, SAIL Server ApS, and numerous individual amateur radio operators. This crowdsourced infrastructure provides the real-time vessel tracking data that powers the entire platform.
- Paddle / 2CheckoutcorePaddle and 2Checkout serve as payment processors and Merchants of Record, handling subscription billing, invoicing, and tax compliance for VesselFinder's paid services. They process payment data including email, transaction identifiers, and fraud-prevention signals on behalf of the company.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
VesselFinder competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MarineTraffic: MarineTraffic is the largest AIS-based vessel tracking platform globally, offering a similar freemium consumer service plus enterprise API/data products. It is now owned by Kpler, giving it significantly more capital than VesselFinder for product and geographic expansion. It is the closest direct competitor in both consumer and enterprise segments.
- FleetMon: FleetMon offers real-time AIS vessel tracking via web and mobile apps with premium subscriptions and an API for developers. Its product positioning, freemium tier, and AIS-station network model closely mirror VesselFinder's approach, making it a direct European competitor in both consumer and B2B markets.
- AISHub: AISHub is a free AIS data sharing network that aggregates AIS feeds from contributors worldwide, similar in spirit to VesselFinder's AIS Partner Program. It competes for the same hobbyist station operator community and provides raw AIS feeds that overlap with VesselFinder's historical/real-time data products.
- VesselTracker: VesselTracker provides vessel tracking and maritime intelligence based on AIS data, targeting shipping professionals with subscription services. It overlaps directly with VesselFinder's premium tracking and historical data offerings, particularly for commercial maritime users.
- MyShipTracking: MyShipTracking delivers real-time vessel position and voyage tracking via a freemium web and mobile platform powered by AIS data. Its product, pricing structure, and target user base (maritime professionals and enthusiasts) closely match VesselFinder's, making it a direct competitor.
- ShipFinder: ShipFinder is a vessel tracking application offering live AIS data, port arrivals, and voyage information through mobile apps and web. It targets the same individual mariner and enthusiast segment that VesselFinder's free tier serves, creating direct overlap on app store competition.
Broad incumbents
- Spire Maritime: Spire Maritime (Spire Global) provides satellite-based AIS data with global coverage independent of shore stations. As a publicly-listed company with significant R&D resources, it competes for enterprise AIS data contracts that VesselFinder also serves, offering a fundamentally different but adjacent data source.
- Kpler: Kpler acquired MarineTraffic and combines terrestrial AIS with proprietary maritime analytics for trade flow, commodity tracking, and shipping intelligence. Its scale, capital base, and broader analytics portfolio position it as a much larger incumbent competing for VesselFinder's enterprise customers.
- Pole Star Global: Pole Star Global provides fleet tracking, vessel monitoring, and sanctions compliance solutions for the maritime industry using AIS and satellite data. Its enterprise focus on regulated customers (defense, financial institutions, governments) overlaps with the higher end of VesselFinder's enterprise API market.
Emerging players
- Windward: Windward applies AI and predictive analytics to maritime data including AIS, offering ETA prediction, sanctions compliance, and anomaly detection. While not a direct vessel tracking UI competitor, it sits on top of the same AIS data layer and competes for the same enterprise analytics budget.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
VesselFinder social profiles
Digital presenceVesselFinder financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
VesselFinder leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
VesselFinder funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
VesselFinder M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about VesselFinder
What does VesselFinder do?
VesselFinder is a maritime intelligence platform that aggregates AIS (Automatic Identification System) data from a global network of community-contributed receiving stations to provide real-time and historical vessel position tracking, container tracking, fleet management, and route planning. The service operates on a freemium model with free web and mobile access supported by advertising, alongside premium subscriptions and API/data feed products for enterprise customers.
Is VesselFinder a public or private company?
VesselFinder is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was VesselFinder founded?
VesselFinder was founded in 2011. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is VesselFinder based?
VesselFinder is headquartered in Sliven, Bulgaria, in the Europe region.
How does VesselFinder make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Premium Subscriptions are the primary driver. The others are API and Data Feeds and advertising (Free Tier).
Who are VesselFinder's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MarineTraffic, FleetMon, AISHub, VesselTracker, MyShipTracking and ShipFinder. Broad incumbents are Spire Maritime, Kpler and Pole Star Global. Windward is listed as an emerging player.
Does VesselFinder have an API?
Yes. VesselFinder provides API and Data Feed Services for programmatic access to vessel tracking data. API credentials are personal to the user's account/entity and subject to plan-based limits including calls, throughput, concurrency, endpoints, fields, geographic scope, and data retention. The API may be used solely for the Permitted Purpose (personal informational use or internal business use) within the purchased plan. Prohibited uses include reselling/redistributing content, building competing services, using data to train ML/AI models, and reconstructing underlying AIS data.
What industry is VesselFinder in?
VesselFinder's product category is Maritime Vessel Tracking Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAEADAF, Ocean Container Visibility (Vessel, Container, Demurrage/Detention), with a secondary code of BPAKALAI, Maritime Security Technology & Systems (CCTV, Radar, AIS, Perimeter Sensors). Its NAICS code is 4883 and its SIC code is 3823.