WavePoolMag vs SurfBound
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
WavePoolMag
Discover and explore over 170 surf parks globally with this comprehensive guide. Stay updated on new and upcoming wave pools worldwide, and gain exclusive insights from surfers. No sign-ups or tracking required.
- World surf park guide
- Interactive map discovery
- Updates on new wave pools
- Exclusive surfer insights
- No sign-ups or tracking
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The free WavePoolMag app is a world first comprehensive guide to the planet’s 170+ surf parks. Stay updated right from your phone. With our interactive map you can explore and discover the latest surf parks around the world. Be the first to know about the latest proposed, planned, in development and open-for-business wave pools across the globe. You’ll also get exclusive insights and user tips provided by our global crew of wave poolers, a dedicated band of experts and everyday surfers! - Find wave pools worldwide - Stay in the loop on upcoming surf parks - Get exclusive tips from expert & everyday surfers - No sign-ups. No tracking. Just waves. - Download for free now & start exploring! If you love the app, please send a 5 star review our way!
SurfBound
This app automatically tracks your surfing sessions, recording waves, speed, and GPS data directly from your smartwatch. Review your performance on your phone, progress through skill levels, and check surf conditions worldwide. Share your sessions with friends and build your surf journey.
- Automatic wave detection
- GPS tracking
- Heart rate monitoring
- Session replay and correction
- Surf journey and leveling system
- Worldwide surf conditions and tides
- Session sharing with friends
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SurfBound is a surf tracker for your watch - Apple Watch and Garmin both record: one tap and you're in - waves, speed, GPS tracks, and heart rate record themselves. Zero interaction in the water; turn the crown to finish. AUTOMATIC TRACKING - Detects every wave: start, end, top speed, distance, and track - Apple Watch Ultra Action Button: set it to SurfBound to start a session with one press - then each press after a wave marks it (even after paddling back) - Any Apple Watch: turn the crown backward one full turn on the session page to mark your wave - Power-loss protection: if the watch dies, your session is recovered - Exit reminder: forget to end a session and the watch will ask REPLAY & CORRECTIONS - Map replay on iPhone with wave-by-wave breakdown and tap-to-seek - Reject false waves, add missed ones - your corrections make detection smarter JOURNEY & LEVELS - Surf journey staged by water hours - we walk the first 20 hours with you - Spot footprint: every break levels up on its own, from Visitor to Homebreak - The watch session screen tints with your level: blue on a first visit, gold at your home break - Weekly streak with flat-week exemption - the ocean resting doesn't break your chain CONDITIONS & TIDES - Built-in spots worldwide with swell, period, wind, and tide curves - Watch widgets for at-a-glance conditions LINEUP - Share a session with your surf friends: route, waves and the day's conditions - Get shakas and comments from people who surf - Only followers you approve see your shares, unless you make your account public YOUR DATA IS YOURS - Tracking needs no sign-up - iCloud is your identity; only Lineup uses Sign in with Apple - Sessions live on your devices and your iCloud; we never sell data GARMIN WATCHES - Install SurfBound from the Connect IQ store (free) and press START - Wave count, speed and the track of every ride are computed on the watch, then travel to your iPhone on their own - Replay, labelling, journey and levels work exactly as they do with Apple Watch Requires Apple Watch Series 4 or later (Ultra recommended), watchOS 10+, iOS 18+. Garmin users need SurfBound on iPhone, the Garmin Connect app, and the SurfBound watch app from the Connect IQ store. Keep Surfing. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: SurfBound at 5.0 against WavePoolMag's 3.7. SurfBound also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). WavePoolMag's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, review sentiment, ads 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
Both are free to download. SurfBound sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. WavePoolMag asks for nothing beyond the download.
SurfBound holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
WavePoolMag ships an update every 3 weeks, SurfBound every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | WavePoolMag | SurfBound |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 13 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 34 MB | 24 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Nown Geo Pty Ltd | OysterX, Inc. |
Customer experience
WavePoolMag
SurfBound
In-app purchases
WavePoolMag
No in-app purchases
SurfBound
- SurfBound Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
- SurfBound Pro Quarterly$7.993 Months
- SurfBound Pro Yearly14 Days trial$19.991 Year
