Vizion vs Terminal49: which container tracking API fits your team?
Vizion is an API for ocean container tracking events and data, aimed at forwarders, software platforms and shippers. Terminal49 is a container tracking dashboard and API covering ocean, terminal, rail and documents, aimed at forwarders, customs brokers, importers and drayage, with a free tier. Pick Vizion for broader listed ocean carrier coverage (its plans page lists 98%, and Terminal49's docs say Vizion lists substantially more carriers); pick Terminal49 if you need US and Canada terminal data such as holds, fees and last free day, or a free self-serve start (up to 10 active containers).
Independent comparison. Neither vendor paid to be included. Vendor pages checked October 27, 2026.
At a glance
| Vizion | Terminal49 | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | API for ocean container tracking events and data | Container tracking dashboard and API covering ocean, terminal, rail and documents |
| Best for | Forwarders, software platforms and shippers | Forwarders, customs brokers, importers and drayage |
| Ocean carrier coverage | Lists "98% Ocean Carrier Coverage" on both plans (plans) | 36 direct ocean carrier integrations plus 2 on request, as of August 14, 2026 (Terminal49 docs) |
| Last free day and pickup availability | Professional plan only, as "Enhanced Terminal Visibility" (plans) | Holds, fees and last free day on the container object, from terminal integrations concentrated in the US and Canada (Terminal49 docs) |
| Rail | "Enhanced North American Rail Visibility" on Professional (plans) | North American Class I and short-line rail milestones (Terminal49 docs) |
| Plans | Core and Professional | Free, Lite, Essential and Complete (pricing) |
| Pricing | Not published | Free tier; paid tiers on request or via demo (Essential also offers pay-as-you-go); prices not published (pricing) |
| Free plan | Not published | Up to 10 active containers, up to 3 users, 50 document credits (pricing) |
| Modes not covered | Not stated | No air, parcel or road tracking; no freight rates or sailing schedules (Terminal49 docs) |
| Last round | Series A, $14M (Jul 2022), led by Samsung Venture Investment | Series A, $6.5M (Jan 2023), led by Stage 2 Capital |
| Total funding | Not published | $8.7M |
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What each tool is
Vizion
Vizion is an API for ocean container tracking events and data. Its audience is forwarders, software platforms and shippers. Vizion's public plans page lists two plans, Core and Professional, with no prices on the page (plans). In July 2022 Vizion raised a $14M Series A led by Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, with participation from Maersk Growth and Valuestream Ventures (Vizion).
Terminal49
Terminal49 is a container tracking dashboard and API covering ocean, terminal, rail and documents. Its audience is forwarders, customs brokers, importers and drayage. It offers a dashboard as well as an API, and it publishes a free plan (pricing). In January 2023 it raised a $6.5M Series A led by Stage 2 Capital and co-led by Grand Venture Partners, bringing total funding to $8.7M (PR Newswire).
Carrier coverage
Vizion's plans page lists "98% Ocean Carrier Coverage" on both Core and Professional, and links to its supported carriers list (plans).
Terminal49's own docs say it integrates directly with 36 ocean carriers, plus 2 more enabled on request, as of August 14, 2026. The same page says Vizion lists substantially more, and that Terminal49's integrations cover the lines that move volume into North America (Terminal49 docs).
What to do: export a list of the carriers on your last few months of bookings and check it against each vendor's carrier list before you commit. Carrier counts change, and the Terminal49 figure is dated.
Terminal data: holds, fees and last free day
For importers and drayage teams, terminal data drives demurrage and detention decisions. It tells you when a box is released, what holds are on it and how long until charges start.
- Terminal49: its docs say holds, fees, last free day and pickup availability come from direct terminal integrations concentrated in the US and Canada, with European ports expanding. Ocean milestones work globally, but terminal-level data does not yet (Terminal49 docs).
- Vizion: its plans page lists "Enhanced Terminal Visibility" on Professional only. It creates milestones sourced directly from the terminal operator, such as the container's Last Free Date and Pickup Availability, and reduces dependence on the carrier for events like discharge and gate moves (plans).
If last free day is the main reason you are buying, check which terminals you use against each vendor's list, and with Vizion confirm you are quoting the Professional plan.
Rail, vessels and other data
Vizion Core includes AIS events, tracking by container or master bill of lading, automatic carrier identification, a Google Sheets integration, webhooks, DCSA event and location codes, and tracking frequency you can set as often as every 6, 3 or 2 hours. Vizion Professional adds Enhanced North American Rail Visibility, Container Trace (a record of a container's vessel movements with position, speed and heading), Historical MBL Tracking, Enhanced OAuth Security and AIS vessel berth events (plans).
Terminal49 reports North American Class I and short-line rail milestones. It does not track air, parcel or road shipments, and it does not offer freight rates or sailing schedules (Terminal49 docs). On its pricing page, intermodal rail tracking is listed on the Essential plan (pricing).
Pricing and free tier
Vizion does not publish prices. Its plans page names Core and Professional and lists features for each, but shows no price (plans).
Terminal49 publishes a Free plan, "free forever": up to 10 active containers at a time, up to 3 users, shipment tracking and details, basic notifications and 50 document credits (pricing). Paid tiers are on request or via demo, and Essential also offers pay-as-you-go; prices are not published. API access and webhooks are listed on the Essential plan. Its docs add that a free API key can create tracking requests, but reading and exporting tracking data and using webhooks need a 7-day trial, which keeps the same 10-container limit (Terminal49 docs).
Developer experience
Terminal49's docs describe a JSON:API-compliant API, authentication with an Authorization: Token header, HMAC-signed webhooks and self-serve API keys (Terminal49 docs).
Vizion's plans page lists a webhook API and a Google Sheets integration on both plans, and Enhanced OAuth Security on Professional (plans). Developers should read Vizion's own API reference for authentication and payload details before planning an integration.
Which should you choose?
Pick Vizion if:
- You need broader listed ocean carrier coverage across many carriers, and have checked your carriers against Vizion's list.
- You are building tracking into your own software platform and want an API for ocean tracking events.
- You want rail, vessel position trace and historical MBL lookups, and can budget for the Professional plan.
- Your team works in spreadsheets and wants the Google Sheets integration.
Pick Terminal49 if:
- You want to start free and self-serve, with up to 10 active containers.
- Your containers move through US and Canadian terminals and you need holds, fees and last free day.
- Your ops team wants a dashboard as well as an API.
- You are a customs broker, importer or drayage operator, which matches its stated audience.
Neither is the better choice for everyone. Check your carriers and terminals against each vendor's lists first.
Other container tracking tools in the index
- project44: multimodal shipment visibility and decision intelligence platform for shippers.
- Portcast: predictive visibility that links shipment, order and invoice data to flag delays and cost risks.
- GoComet: visibility and freight procurement automation platform.
- FourKites: real-time visibility platform with AI agents, digital twins and a control tower.
- Shippeo: multimodal real-time transport visibility for shippers and logistics providers.
- Beacon: supply chain workspace for shipment visibility and team collaboration.
- Windward: maritime AI platform for vessel behavior, risk and voyage insights.
- Logixboard: customer-facing shipment portal and inbox automation for forwarders.
FAQ
Is Terminal49 free?
Terminal49 has a free tier; paid tiers are on request or via demo (Essential also offers pay-as-you-go), and prices are not published. The Free plan tracks up to 10 active containers with up to 3 users. API data reads and webhooks need a trial or a paid plan (pricing, docs).
How much does Vizion cost?
Vizion does not publish prices. It lists Core and Professional plans with different features (plans).
Which has more carrier coverage, Vizion or Terminal49?
Vizion lists 98% ocean carrier coverage. Terminal49 lists 36 direct ocean carrier integrations plus 2 on request (as of August 14, 2026), and its own docs say Vizion lists more (plans, Terminal49 docs).
Which one shows last free day and terminal holds?
Terminal49 includes holds, fees and last free day on the container object for supported terminals, mostly in the US and Canada. Vizion offers last free date and pickup availability on its Professional plan.
Who are they for?
Vizion: forwarders, software platforms and shippers. Terminal49: forwarders, customs brokers, importers and drayage.
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