# California Waves vs Forerunners3

The clearest difference is rating: Forerunners3 at 5.0 against California Waves's 3.8. Forerunners3 also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). California Waves's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Forerunners3 sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. California Waves asks for nothing beyond the download.

Forerunners3 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.8. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of California Waves's written reviews are positive against 100% of Forerunners3's.

California Waves ships an update every 7 months, Forerunners3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | California Waves | Forerunners3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/california-waves/id1001165672/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forerunners3/id1612994574/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **5** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 100 MB | 394 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Henrique Silva](https://appshunter.io/developer/492945915) | [The Books of Egu LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470905273) |

## What reviewers say

### California Waves

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/california-waves/id1001165672)

Experience the thrill of surfing massive waves with intuitive one-finger controls. Unlock over 30 unique boards and enjoy stunning visuals in this arcade-style surfing game. Ads can be removed with a single in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** One-finger control, Stunning visuals, Over 30 boards to unlock, Arcade surfing gameplay, Ad removal option

**In-app purchases:** none


### Forerunners3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/forerunners3/id1612994574)

Engage in a thrilling stealth and combat mission to escape a self-destructing security tower. Explore the environment, outsmart guards, and fight your way out while uncovering the protagonist's past.

**Highlights:** Original storyline, Unique escape mission, FPS & fight game, Evade, kick fight, shoot, Tap to auto shoot, Offline play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Health Ch. 7 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Health Ch. 8 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlimited Health Ch. 9 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Ads | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is California Waves free?

California Waves is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Forerunners3 free?

Forerunners3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, California Waves or Forerunners3?

Forerunners3 is rated higher. California Waves averages 3.8 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Forerunners3 averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.

### Do California Waves or Forerunners3 have ads?

California Waves shows ads; Forerunners3 does not.

### Which is updated more often, California Waves or Forerunners3?

California Waves ships an update every 7 months, and Forerunners3 every 2 months. Most recently, California Waves was updated on November 1, 2026 and Forerunners3 on November 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*