TrackingMCP vs ShipsGo
ShipsGo is the closest self-serve peer to TrackingMCP: a credit-based model at roughly $2 per tracking, 3 free credits with no card, an instant dashboard and API, and strong SMB traction across 160+ lines. This is the fairest fight on the page, and ShipsGo is genuinely good at what it does.
TrackingMCP matches that self-serve ease and adds depth on top: every lookup is cross-checked across 2–3 independent sources with automatic failover and self-healing connectors, ETAs are enriched against 72,000+ published sailings, events are normalized to the DCSA standard, free-time is tracked, and we ship a first-party MCP server so AI agents can read shipment state directly.
Side by side
| Capability | TrackingMCP | ShipsGo |
|---|---|---|
| Public pricing | Yes — from €39/mo, listed self-serve | Yes — credit model, ~$2 per tracking (credits valid 1 year) |
| Instant API key, no sales call | Yes | Yes |
| Contract required | No | No |
| Free tier (no card) | Yes — 5 containers + 100 MCP calls | Yes — 3 free credits, no card |
| Carrier coverage | 227 carriers · 110 direct connectors · 186 SCACs | 160+ shipping lines and airlines |
| Multi-source failover per lookup | Yes — 2–3 independent sources, automatic failover + self-healing connectors | Not published |
| AIS fusion | Yes — 4 AIS networks fused | Not published |
| Schedule-enriched ETAs | Yes — cross-checked against 72,000+ published sailings | Not published |
| First-party MCP / AI-agent native | Yes — first-party MCP server (7 tools) | No first-party MCP server |
| Demurrage free-time | Yes — free-time tracking | Not published |
| Public connector-health board | Yes — live board at /carriers/health | Not published |
| Setup fee | None | None |
ShipsGo deserves real credit: it is easy to start (3 free credits, no card), pricing is transparent at about $2 per tracking, credits are valid for a year, and it covers 160+ lines with both a dashboard and an API — a clean, popular product with strong SMB traction. Billing a bill-of-lading as a single credit is a genuinely nice touch. We overlap on self-serve ease; where TrackingMCP goes further is multi-source failover per lookup, schedule-enriched ETAs, DCSA-normalized events, free-time tracking, a public connector-health board, and a first-party MCP server for AI agents.
TrackingMCP vs ShipsGo — FAQ
Is TrackingMCP cheaper than ShipsGo?
Both are transparent and self-serve, so it comes down to volume. ShipsGo uses credits at roughly $2 per tracking with 3 free credits and no card; TrackingMCP has a free tier (5 containers + 100 MCP calls, no card) and self-serve plans from €39/mo. For steady monthly volume a subscription can work out lower per lookup than per-credit pricing, but the honest answer is that both let you start free and compare on your real numbers.
Does ShipsGo have an API free tier?
Yes — ShipsGo gives new users 3 free credits with no credit card, and those credits work across its dashboard and API. TrackingMCP is comparable: a free tier with an instant API key and MCP access, 5 containers plus 100 MCP calls, no card. On ease of starting, the two are very close.
What can TrackingMCP do that ShipsGo can’t?
TrackingMCP cross-checks every lookup across 2–3 independent sources with automatic failover and self-healing connectors, fuses 4 AIS networks, enriches ETAs against 72,000+ published sailings, normalizes events to the DCSA standard, tracks demurrage free-time, runs a public connector-health board at /carriers/health, and ships a first-party MCP server (7 tools) for AI agents. ShipsGo’s strengths are its simplicity, transparent per-tracking pricing, and broad SMB adoption across 160+ lines.