SurfUp vs Tidespots
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SurfUp
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.
- Find available surfboards nearby
- Reserve and unlock boards via app
- Manage rental sessions on phone
- Guided board return process
- Convenient beach experience
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SurfUp makes surfboard rentals simple. Find a board near you, reserve your ride, unlock your SurfPod, and get in the water with less friction. Whether you're a beginner looking for an easy way to start or a regular surfer who wants a more convenient rental experience, SurfUp helps you spend less time coordinating and more time surfing. With SurfUp, you can: - Find available boards near you - Reserve and unlock boards through the app - Manage your rental session from your phone - Return your board with a simple guided flow - Get a smoother, more convenient beach experience SurfUp is built to make surfboard access easier, faster, and more flexible for riders and partner locations alike. Download SurfUp and start your next session.
Tidespots
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Find the board or equipment you need to enjoy the water, wherever you are. Tidespots connects surfers, hosts and schools on one interactive map. RENT EQUIPMENT Explore boards and other gear available near you. View photos, dimensions, features and condition, chat directly with the host and arrange your rental. LIST YOUR EQUIPMENT Have a board you are not using? List it so other surfers can rent it. Add photos and information, receive enquiries and manage your listings from your host profile. FIND SURF SCHOOLS Discover surf and water sports schools, explore their lessons and activities, and contact them through Tidespots. Tidespots makes it easier to find equipment, connect with other surfers and discover new experiences on the water.
Screenshots
Verdict
SurfUp and Tidespots are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
SurfUp ships an update every 5 weeks, Tidespots every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SurfUp | Tidespots |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (28 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 90.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 28 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 62 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | SurfUp, Inc. | Juan Diego Cortabarria |
In-app purchases
SurfUp
No in-app purchases
Tidespots
No in-app purchases
