# Surf Captain vs Swellify

The clearest difference is ads: Swellify at none against Surf Captain's shown. Swellify also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Surf Captain's advantage is ratings volume (1.1K vs 4) and chart position (#135 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf Captain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year and Swellify sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Swellify holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf Captain has 1.1K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Surf Captain's written reviews are positive against 100% of Swellify's.

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, Swellify every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 3, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Captain | Swellify |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swellify/id6470770160/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#135** | — |
| Size | 63 MB | 125 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Weather Captain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566602260) | [Swellify Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/1706001816) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258)

**Currently charting:** #135 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get detailed 16-day surf forecasts for numerous locations across North America and the Caribbean. This app provides highly accurate predictions in a user-friendly interface, making it easy to plan your next surf session.

**Highlights:** 16-day surf forecasts, United States forecasts, Canada forecasts, Central America forecasts, Caribbean forecasts, Accurate predictions, Simple interface

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surf Captain Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Plus Annual | $39.99 | per year |


### Swellify

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swellify/id6470770160)

Get personalized surf recommendations and real-time forecasts tailored to your skill level. Receive timely notifications for your favorite spots and plan your surf sessions with confidence.

**Highlights:** Personalized surf recommendations, Customizable skill level settings, Daily surf updates, Email and push notifications, Save favorite surf spots, Hourly custom ratings

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Captain free?

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

### Is Swellify free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surf Captain or Swellify?

Swellify is rated higher. Surf Captain averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Swellify averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do Surf Captain or Swellify have ads?

Surf Captain shows ads; Swellify does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf Captain or Swellify?

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, and Swellify every 5 days. Most recently, Surf Captain was updated on November 3, 2026 and Swellify on November 3, 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.*