Comparison

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data vs SeaView Mobile

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

Access detailed buoy and ship observation data without weather forecasts or tide information. View current conditions, historical trends, and storm locations on an intuitive map. Monitor your favorite locations with customizable widgets.

Highlights
  • Intuitive map interface
  • Quick-view Favorites
  • Tropical Storm/Hurricane/Cyclone locations
  • Full buoy current conditions
  • Past buoy data (Premium)
  • Interactive graphs
  • Home Screen Widgets
Features
Read full description

NOAA Buoy Reports is the no-nonsense app focused exclusively on real-time buoy and ship observations worldwide - without the clutter of tide or weather forecasts. NOAA Buoy Reports includes: • Intuitive map interface • Quick-view Favorites • Locations of Tropical Storms, Hurricanes, and Cyclones from the NHC • Full buoy current conditions (always free) • Ship observations (free preview) • Buoy Cams (free preview) • Past buoy data up to 45 days (Premium feature) • Wave heights and directions (when available) • Wind, gusts, and directions (when available) • Air and Water temperatures (when available) • Atmospheric pressure (when available) • Interactive graphs • Add your own Wind, Wave, or Temperature graph levels • Units in Metric or English • Readings in your local time • Share data via iMessage, Email, Facebook, etc. • Full Dark Mode support • Home Screen, Lock Screen, and StandBy Mode Widgets to monitor your favorites Coverage includes more than 1000 buoys and 200 ships worldwide, spanning the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans near the U.S. and Canada, the Great Lakes, the Caribbean, and waters around Ireland and Great Britain. Simply tap any buoy or ship on the map to view its latest reported conditions. Tap again for a full summary or an interactive graph of recent trends, so you can see not only what’s happening now, but how conditions have changed over time. Add favorites to quickly view the locations that matter most to you, and monitor them anytime with the included widgets. This app DOES NOT provide tide data, or maritime or other weather forecasts. There are dedicated apps for these from other publishers that do an excellent job. This app specializes exclusively in buoy and ship observation data. Please note that not all buoys have all types of data available, and buoys do experience intermittent outages — a life at sea can be harsh! Additionally, note that some buoys may be seasonal, and may be physically removed from the water during winter months, such as in the Great Lakes. Raw source data courtesy of NOAA, National Data Buoy Center (NDBC), and the National Hurricane Center (NHC). Juggernaut Technology, Inc. is not associated with NOAA, NDBC, NHC, or any other government organization. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula

About

SeaView Mobile

Access detailed oceanographic and weather data for improved fishing strategies. Get cloud-free sea surface temperature, chlorophyll imagery, ocean currents, and more, updated frequently. Use the app online or offline to save time and fuel.

Highlights
  • Cloud-free sea surface temperature imagery
  • High-resolution chlorophyll imagery
  • Ocean current data
  • Sea surface height anomaly
  • Offline viewing and navigation
  • Customizable image enhancement
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The pioneer in satellite oceanography, Ocean Imaging has been providing oceanographic and weather information to fishers and scientific researchers since 1983. Now our powerful worldwide SeaView fish finding service has gone mobile! The SeaView Mobile paid subscription delivers ready-to-use oceanographic analysis products including cloud-free sea surface temperature (SST) imagery, more single-satellite-overpass SST data than anyone, the highest resolution SST and chlorophyll imagery as well as sea surface height anomaly, ocean currents and much more! All to save you fuel, time and money while helping improve your fishing strategy right from your mobile device. Time-tested, most accurate SeaView Fishing data now at your fingertips. SeaView Mobile requires the in-app purchase of an annual subscription, BUT you can test it for FREE for 7 days! Download SeaView Mobile, sign up for the 7-day FREE trial and you can cancel any time within the first 7 days without obligation. Subscription details can be found below. Once you get started you can browse, download and view the latest information faster than any other service. Some SeaView Mobile images posts as fast as 60 minutes from the satellite data acquisition! Use the app both online and offline to view and navigate with the most frequent and accurate data available. SeaView includes: - High resolution (1100 meter) single-satellite-pass sea surface temperature (SST) data - updated 4-12 times per - Super High Resolution (750 meter) SST imagery – updated 1-2 times per day - Composite SST imagery to help reduce cloud contamination - updated daily - Two types of cloud-free SST imagery - updated daily - High resolution (1100 meter) single-satellite-pass plankton chlorophyll) imagery - updated daily from two different satellites - Super high resolution (750 meter) chlorophyll imagery – updated daily - Composite chlorophyll imagery to help reduce cloud contamination - updated daily - U.S. NOAA sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) data - updated daily - U.S. Navy HYCOM model sea surface height (SSH) data - updated daily - U.S. NOAA SSHA-derived geostrophic ocean current data - updated daily - U.S. Navy HYCOM model-derived ocean current data - updated daily - High Frequency Radar-derived ocean currents – very accurate – updated daily (where available) - Ocean bottom topography (bathymetry) Powerful In-App Features: - Custom color-enhance the image data to bring out the most detail and useful information - Save image and overlay data to your device for future offline use - Precise latitude, longitude location display - See and read bathymetry either as your base layer or through semi-transparent imagery - View your current location and track your GPS location over the image data or the bathymetric base layer - Range and bearing from your GPS location - View ocean currents over the image data or the bathymetric base layer - More data and features coming soon! You may purchase an auto-renewing subscription through an In-App Purchase. • Auto-renewable subscription • 1 year NO Advertisements (US $159), 1 year WITH Advertisements (US $99) • Your subscription will be charged to your iTunes account at the conclusion of your 7 day free trial and will automatically renew annually unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. • Current subscription may not be cancelled during the active subscription period; however, you can manage your subscription and/or turn off auto-renewal by visiting your iTunes Account Settings after purchase • Terms of use: https://www.seaviewfishing.com/EULA.html • Privacy policy: https://www.seaviewfishing.com/PrivacyPolicy.html

Screenshots

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data4 screens
SeaView Mobile4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data at free with in-app purchases against SeaView Mobile's subscription. NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 1). SeaView Mobile's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year and SeaView Mobile sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $99.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SeaView Mobile holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data has 2.5K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data ships an update every 2 weeks, SeaView Mobile every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data versus SeaView Mobile: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNOAA Buoy Reports & Ship DataSeaView Mobile
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.5K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews73.5% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.5K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
Best chart rank—#140 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size16 MB94 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJuggernaut Technology, Inc.AToll Ventures, Inc

Customer experience

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

All ratings2,460 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral3.0%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews68 reviews
Positive73.5%
Neutral2.9%
Negative23.5%

SeaView Mobile

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Buoy data not available most of the time
  • Ships rarely contribute data
  • Wave height data missing for certain areas
  • Upgraded version still doesn't work

Requested features

4 requests
  • GPS coordinates for buoys
  • Ability to filter by data type
  • Display past wave heights
  • Bring back removed buoys

SeaView Mobile

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

Subscriptions1
  • Pro Annual Subscription$7.991 Year
One-time1
  • Buoy Reports Premium$29.99
2 purchases

SeaView Mobile

Subscriptions2
  • SeaView Standard7 Days trial$99.001 Year
  • SeaView Premium7 Days trial$159.001 Year

Questions

Is NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data free?
NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SeaView Mobile free?
SeaView Mobile is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data or SeaView Mobile?
SeaView Mobile is rated higher. NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data averages 4.7 out of 5 from 2.5K ratings, while SeaView Mobile averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data or SeaView Mobile have ads?
NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data shows ads; SeaView Mobile does not.
Which is updated more often, NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data or SeaView Mobile?
NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data ships an update every 2 weeks, and SeaView Mobile every 2 months. Most recently, NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data was updated on November 11, 2026 and SeaView Mobile on November 8, 2026.

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