# Surf Captain vs Swell Intel

The clearest difference is ads: Swell Intel at none against Surf Captain's shown. Swell Intel 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 11) and chart position (#125 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 Swell Intel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Swell Intel 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 11, 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 Swell Intel's.

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, Swell Intel every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Captain | Swell Intel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.1K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 78.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#125** | — |
| Size | 63 MB | 51 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | +4 | 4+ |
| Developer | [Weather Captain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566602260) | [Swell Intel LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822856502) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Captain

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

**Currently charting:** #125 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 |


### Swell Intel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816)

Get detailed surf forecasts, real-time conditions, and smart alerts to find the best waves. Plan your surf trips with up to 16-day forecasts and easily scan spot conditions at a glance. Receive notifications when conditions meet your standards, ensuring you never miss a good session.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts up to 16 days, Real-time wave height, swell, and wind data, Smart alerts for optimal surf conditions, At-a-glance spot condition ratings, Detailed forecast charts (swell, wind, tide), Find and save nearby surf spots

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swell Intel Premium Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Captain free?

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

### Is Swell Intel free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surf Captain or Swell Intel?

Swell Intel is rated higher. Surf Captain averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Swell Intel averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Surf Captain or Swell Intel have ads?

Surf Captain shows ads; Swell Intel does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf Captain or Swell Intel?

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, and Swell Intel every 6 days. Most recently, Surf Captain was updated on November 3, 2026 and Swell Intel on October 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.*