# SkiCast vs Surf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Surf at 87% against SkiCast's 50%. Surf also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (991 vs 23). SkiCast's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. SkiCast asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surf holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf has 991 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of SkiCast's written reviews are positive against 87% of Surf's.

SkiCast ships an update every 2 months, Surf every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 21, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SkiCast | Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skicast/id1079244348/reviews) | **[4.9 (991 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 23 | **991** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **87.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#98** |
| Size | 21 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [International Ski Condition Forecasting Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1079244347) | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) |

## What reviewers say

### SkiCast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skicast/id1079244348)

Provides skiers with detailed snow conditions, ease of skiing indices, and prevailing weather forecasts for the next seven days. Aims for 90% forecast accuracy to help users choose and enjoy their ski days.

**Highlights:** Detailed snow conditions, Ease of skiing indices, Prevailing weather forecast, 7-day forecasts, Intuitive icons for snow situations, Powder alerts

**In-app purchases:** none


### Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636)

**Currently charting:** #98 Top Grossing · Weather, #143 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get simple, accurate surf forecasts for over 7,000 breaks worldwide. Plan your sessions with detailed wave information, tide times, and mapping to find the best conditions and nearby spots. Access extended forecasts and custom alerts with premium features.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts, Wavefinder map, Live webcam links, Tide times, 12-day forecasts, Custom surf alerts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service: Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Service (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate surf forecasts
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of locations
- 🔍 Detailed information (swell, wind, tides, etc.)
- 💰 Good value for subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Inconsistent data updates
- 🌊 Wave height/conditions not always accurate
- 🏞️ Missing data for some locations (e.g. Great Lakes)
- 🤔 Confusing or misleading surf ratings/forecasts

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Geolocation issues with break markers

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually refresh data
- More detailed tidal/current information
- Expanded location coverage
- Improved accuracy for wave height/conditions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SkiCast free?

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

### Is Surf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SkiCast or Surf?

Surf is rated higher. SkiCast averages 4.6 out of 5 from 23 ratings, while Surf averages 4.9 from 991 ratings.

### Do SkiCast or Surf have ads?

Surf shows ads; SkiCast does not.

### Which is updated more often, SkiCast or Surf?

SkiCast ships an update every 2 months, and Surf every 6 weeks. Most recently, SkiCast was updated on October 21, 2026 and Surf on October 21, 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.*