# California Waves vs Pocket Surf

The clearest difference is rating: Pocket Surf at 4.8 against California Waves's 3.3. Pocket Surf also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pocket Surf holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pocket Surf has 20 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of California Waves's written reviews are positive against 100% of Pocket Surf's.

California Waves ships an update every 7 months, Pocket Surf every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | California Waves | Pocket Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.3 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/california-waves/id1001165672/reviews) | **[4.8 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-surf/id6446802113/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 3 | **20** |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 100 MB | 217 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Henrique Silva](https://appshunter.io/developer/492945915) | [Devan Vazquez](https://appshunter.io/developer/1679163211) |

## 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


### Pocket Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-surf/id6446802113)

Experience realistic surfing with intuitive controls and challenging gameplay. Progress from beginner to pro, unlocking new surfers and boards. Enjoy casual or competitive modes with unique waves and tricks.

**Highlights:** Unlockable surfers with unique stats, Variety of surfboards with unique stats, Perform advanced surfing tricks, Casual and competitive game modes, Unique waves varying in speed and size, Missions and achievements for in-game currency

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is California Waves free?

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

### Is Pocket Surf free?

Pocket Surf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, California Waves or Pocket Surf?

Pocket Surf is rated higher. California Waves averages 3.3 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while Pocket Surf averages 4.8 from 20 ratings.

### Do California Waves or Pocket Surf have ads?

California Waves shows ads; Pocket Surf does not.

### Which is updated more often, California Waves or Pocket Surf?

California Waves ships an update every 7 months, and Pocket Surf every 3 weeks. Most recently, California Waves was updated on October 13, 2026 and Pocket Surf on October 9, 2026.

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