specification: API Commons Plans
specificationVersion: '0.1'
schema: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/interface-research/main/schema/api-commons.yml#/$defs/Plans
provider: AISStream
providerId: aisstream
created: '2026-07-12'
modified: '2026-07-12'
reconciled: true
tags:
- Vessel Tracking
- AIS
- Maritime
- Real-Time Data
- WebSocket
- Streaming
- Plans
description: >-
  AISStream.io is free. There is a single access tier: register for a free API
  key and stream real-time global AIS data over the WebSocket at no cost. There
  are no paid, developer, or enterprise tiers and no per-message billing.
  Consumption is scoped by the subscription (bounding boxes plus optional MMSI
  and message-type filters) under a fair-use model rather than a purchased quota.
notes: >-
  Verify current terms on the website; the service has historically been offered
  free of charge with fair-use expectations.
sources:
- https://aisstream.io/
- https://aisstream.io/documentation
plans:
- id: aisstream-free
  name: Free
  type: free
  description: >-
    Free real-time global AIS WebSocket stream. Requires a free API key from
    aisstream.io. Scope your traffic with BoundingBoxes and optional
    FiltersShipMMSI / FilterMessageTypes.
  entries:
  - label: AIS WebSocket Stream
    name: ais_stream
    type: free
    metric: messages
    limit: -1
    timeFrame: month
    geo: global
    unit: 1
    price: free
    userMultiplied: false
  elements:
  - name: Real-Time AIS Stream (wss://stream.aisstream.io/v0/stream)
  - name: Bounding Box Subscriptions
  - name: MMSI Filters (FiltersShipMMSI)
  - name: Message Type Filters (FilterMessageTypes)
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com