# True Surf vs Skimboard Hero

The clearest difference is rating: Skimboard Hero at 4.8 against True Surf's 3.9. Skimboard Hero also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 61%) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 13.0). True Surf's advantage is ratings volume (3.5K vs 112) and chart position (#76 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. True Surf sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Skimboard Hero sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Skimboard Hero holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: True Surf has 3.5K ratings behind it against 112, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of True Surf's written reviews are positive against 100% of Skimboard Hero's.

True Surf ships an update fortnightly, Skimboard Hero every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | True Surf | Skimboard Hero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (3.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-surf/id1177819604/reviews) | **[4.8 (112 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skimboard-hero/id1480948367/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **3.5K** | 112 |
| Positive reviews | 60.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#76** | — |
| Size | 211 MB | 116 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [True Axis](https://appshunter.io/developer/337866373) | [Jakob Herlitz](https://appshunter.io/developer/1480948366) |

## What reviewers say

### True Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-surf/id1177819604)

**Currently charting:** #76 Top Grossing · Sports (US App Store)

Experience the most authentic surfing simulation with realistic physics and live weather forecasts from Surfline. Master real-time controls, travel to world-famous breaks, and compete in WSL events. Evolve your surfer, build your gear, and chase the perfect wave.

**Highlights:** Realistic physics simulation, Live Surfline weather forecasts, World-famous surf breaks, Real-time touch controls, Character progression and customization, Board quiver management, Live WSL competitions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perfect Storm (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Frequent Flyer (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Handful of Clams | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Clams | $7.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Clams | $28.99 | one-time |
| Boatload of Clams | $49.99 | one-time |
| Sea of Clams | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Realistic wave physics and graphics
- 🤙 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🔥 Best surfing game on mobile
- 👍 Intuitive controls once learned
- 🌍 Variety of real-world surf spots

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for boards and upgrades
- 🐢 Extremely slow progression and leveling up
- 🤯 Inconsistent and unreliable scoring system
- 🌊 Lack of consistently good waves at many locations
- 🔋 Battery draining issues

**Reported bugs**

- Waves not generating properly at Surf Ranch
- Progression resets and lost progress
- Inability to travel to desired surf spots

**Requested features**

- First-person camera mode
- Customizable boards and characters
- Competitive multiplayer mode
- Career mode with challenges and sponsorships
- Ability to create and share custom surf spots


### Skimboard Hero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skimboard-hero/id1480948367)

Experience the world's first arcade-style skimboarding game with hand-drawn graphics. Master seamless controls, collect in-game currency to unlock new characters and boards, and customize your ride. Compete on leaderboards or challenge friends to become the ultimate skimboarder.

**Highlights:** Hand-drawn graphics, Seamless tilt and swipe controls, Collect sand dollars and treasure chests, Unlockable characters and boards, Custom skimboard designer, Leaderboard competition, Versus Mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Curtis | $2.99 | one-time |
| Melon | $2.99 | one-time |
| Recurve | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is True Surf free?

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

### Is Skimboard Hero free?

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

### Which has better reviews, True Surf or Skimboard Hero?

Skimboard Hero is rated higher. True Surf averages 3.9 out of 5 from 3.5K ratings, while Skimboard Hero averages 4.8 from 112 ratings.

### Do True Surf or Skimboard Hero have ads?

Neither True Surf nor Skimboard Hero shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, True Surf or Skimboard Hero?

True Surf ships an update fortnightly, and Skimboard Hero every 2 weeks. Most recently, True Surf was updated on October 28, 2026 and Skimboard Hero on October 20, 2026.

---

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