# Surf Athlete vs Surf Spot

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surf Spot at none against Surf Athlete's 13. Surf Spot also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Surf Athlete's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (403 vs 23). On price, rating, update cadence and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf Athlete sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $18.99 per month. Surf Spot asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Surf Athlete against 5.0 for Surf Spot. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf Athlete has 403 ratings behind it against 23, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 91% of Surf Athlete's written reviews are positive against 100% of Surf Spot's.

Surf Athlete ships an update every 3 weeks, Surf Spot monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Athlete | Surf Spot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (403 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-athlete-surf-training/id1473672898/reviews) | **[5.0 (23 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-spot/id6504301041/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **403** | 23 |
| Positive reviews | 90.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 236 MB | 79 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Nautilus Surf Performance LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1473672897) | [Surf Spot LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1751784026) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Athlete

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-athlete-surf-training/id1473672898)

This app provides surf-specific training programs designed to enhance strength, endurance, and mobility. It offers workouts, stretching routines, and breath training to improve performance in the ocean and prevent injuries. Users can join a community and track progress.

**Highlights:** Surf-specific workouts, Strength, endurance, and mobility training, Stretch routines, Breath training, Technique tutorials, Global surfer community

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ocean Sports Academy (1 month) | $18.99 | per month |
| SURF ATHLETE PRO (1 month) | $29.99 | per month |
| Surf Athlete Academy (3 month) | $83.99 | per 3 months |
| Surf Athlete Academy (6 month) | $144.99 | per 6 months |
| SURF ATHLETE PRO (1 year) | $155.99 | per year |
| Stretches for Surfers | $27.99 | one-time |
| The Perfect Pop Up | $79.99 | one-time |
| Bodyweight | $119.99 | one-time |
| Surf Athlete | $129.99 | one-time |
| Cardboard Surfer | $129.99 | one-time |
| Surf Skate | $139.99 | one-time |
| Stretches for Surfers 2.0 | $139.99 | one-time |
| Surf Training Foundations | $159.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Solid app
- 👍 Detailed instructions and programs
- 👍 Comprehensive surf-specific fitness
- 👍 Improves flexibility, strength, and mobility
- 👍 Helps with pop-up and technique

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Registration/login issues
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes
- 🔇 Lack of audio cues during workouts
- 🔇 Music playback issues
- 💰 Expensive for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Registration not working
- App crashing on launch
- Music playback interruptions

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Offline workout mode
- Better music integration
- More free content
- Expanded exercise library


### Surf Spot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-spot/id6504301041)

Discover and plan your surf trips with a comprehensive guide to Southern California surf spots. Access detailed information, user reviews, photos, and an interactive map. Connect with the surf community and stay informed about ocean hazards and amenities.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive surf spot directory, Interactive map of surf spots, User reviews and photos, Detailed surf spot descriptions, Parking and accessibility info, Ocean hazard awareness, Educational surfing resources

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Detailed surf spot information
- 🗺️ Interactive map for real-time reports
- 👍 Community features for sharing experiences
- 🔒 Crime feature for safety information
- 👌 User-friendly and easy to use interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Limited recent negative reviews
- 💸 No pricing information mentioned
- 📶 Possible need for better offline mode


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Athlete free?

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

### Is Surf Spot free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surf Athlete or Surf Spot?

Surf Spot is rated higher. Surf Athlete averages 4.9 out of 5 from 403 ratings, while Surf Spot averages 5.0 from 23 ratings.

### Do Surf Athlete or Surf Spot have ads?

Surf Spot shows ads; Surf Athlete does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf Athlete or Surf Spot?

Surf Athlete ships an update every 3 weeks, and Surf Spot monthly. Most recently, Surf Athlete was updated on October 26, 2026 and Surf Spot on October 8, 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.*