Pole Star vs What3words
Pole Star vs What3words, compared side by side on 15 data points: what each one does, how big it is, what it has raised, the tech running each site, and what users report. We score both out of 100 on traction, team and visibility: Pole Star is on 42/100 and What3words on 57/100.
Where each one leads
Pole Star
Leads on none of the measures we hold for both companies.
What3words
- our overall score: 57/100 against 42/100
- agent readiness: 56/100 against 22/100
- funding raised: $115M against $7.9M
At a glance
| Measure | Pole Star | What3words |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Maritime technology leader providing predictive intelligence for compliance, risk, and operational efficiency. | A precise three-word addressing system for global location sharing and navigation. |
| Category | Maritime Technology, LogisticsTech, Supply Chain, Fleet Management | LogisticsTech, Fleet Management, Mapping, Navigation |
| Sells toBusiness model | B2B | B2B |
| Offering | Platform | Platform |
| Founded | 1998 | 2013 |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom | London, United Kingdom |
| Status | Active | Active |
Size, funding and growth
| Measure | Pole Star | What3words |
|---|---|---|
| Total funding | $7.9M | $115M |
| Latest round | Growth Investment | Convertible Note |
StartupHub scores
Our own 0-100 ratings. They measure company strength and site quality, not which product suits you.
| Measure | Pole Star | What3words |
|---|---|---|
| StartupHub scoreOur 0-100 rating | 42/100 | 57/100 |
| Traction | 34/100 | 40/100 |
| Team | 70/100 | 70/100 |
| Community | 15/100 | Not published |
| Search visibility | 6/100 | 3/100 |
| Quality | 45/100 | 68/100 |
| Agent readinessHow well an AI agent can read and act on the site | F (22/100) | D (56/100) |
| Domain ratingLink authority, 0-100 | Not published | 91/100 |
Technology
Detected on each public site, so it reflects the marketing stack as well as the product.
| Measure | Pole Star | What3words |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Not detected | AWS |
| CDN | Not detected | CloudFront |
| Frameworks | Not detected | Next.js, Tailwind CSS |
Pole Star vs What3words: common questions
Which is better, Pole Star or What3words?
On our 0-100 score What3words rates higher (57/100 against 42/100). The score weights traction, team, visibility and profile completeness, so it reflects company strength rather than which product suits you. We compare the two on 15 data points above: read the rows that match what you are buying for.
How do Pole Star and What3words compare on the numbers?
What3words leads on our overall score (57/100 against 42/100), agent readiness (56/100 against 22/100), funding raised ($115M against $7.9M).
Read the full Pole Star review and pricing or the What3words review and pricing. You can also browse other Pole Star alternatives we track.