# SurfUp vs Ithos

The clearest difference is rating: Ithos at 5.0 against SurfUp's 4.7. Ithos also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). SurfUp's advantage is ratings volume (27 vs 4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Ithos holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SurfUp has 27 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of SurfUp's written reviews are positive against 100% of Ithos's.

SurfUp ships an update every 6 weeks, Ithos every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SurfUp | Ithos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfup/id1525152192/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ithos-request-a-lesson/id6587575753/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | **Free** |
| Size | 30 MB | 97 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SurfUp, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1525152194) | [ITHOS LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1623842188) |

## What reviewers say

### SurfUp

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfup/id1525152192)

Easily find and rent surfboards near your location. Reserve your chosen board, unlock it through the app, and manage your entire rental session from your phone for a seamless beach experience.

**Highlights:** Find available surfboards nearby, Reserve and unlock boards via app, Manage rental sessions on phone, Guided board return process, Convenient beach experience

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Ithos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ithos-request-a-lesson/id6587575753)

Connect with expert instructors and schools for action sports like kitesurfing, surfing, and golf. Find private or group lessons, track your progress, and manage bookings and payments seamlessly. Learn responsibly with vetted professionals.

**Highlights:** Find action sports lessons, Connect with expert instructors, Track athletic progression, Seamless booking and scheduling, Transparent pricing, Verified instructor profiles

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Wallet

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SurfUp free?

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

### Is Ithos free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SurfUp or Ithos?

Ithos is rated higher. SurfUp averages 4.7 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Ithos averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do SurfUp or Ithos have ads?

Neither SurfUp nor Ithos shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SurfUp or Ithos?

SurfUp ships an update every 6 weeks, and Ithos every 3 weeks. Most recently, SurfUp was updated on October 9, 2026 and Ithos on September 30, 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.*