# Surf Captain vs Wavemaps

The clearest difference is ads: Wavemaps at none against Surf Captain's shown. Wavemaps also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (88% vs 77%). Surf Captain's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). On price, ratings volume, 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 Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Wavemaps holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 107 and 186 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Surf Captain's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's.

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Captain | Wavemaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (107 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain/id1566602258/reviews) | **[4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 107 | **186** |
| Positive reviews | 77.4% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#104** | #191 |
| Size | 61 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Weather Captain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566602260) | [Miguel Canals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830493078) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Captain

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

**Currently charting:** #104 Top Grossing · Weather, #189 Top Free · 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 |


### Wavemaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038)

**Currently charting:** #191 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

This app provides detailed wave, surf, and wind forecasts for water enthusiasts and marine professionals. It offers global and nearshore wave modeling, real-time ocean data, and interactive 3D maps to visualize conditions. Users can save favorite locations and access premium features for advanced analysis.

**Highlights:** Global and nearshore wave forecasts, Custom ultra high-resolution wave models, Thousands of worldwide locations, Real-time ocean conditions from buoys, Interactive 3D-capable maps, Wave-seabed interaction visualization, Professional tools and extended forecasts

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wavemaps Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Wavemaps Pro | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Captain free?

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

### Is Wavemaps free?

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

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

Wavemaps is rated higher. Surf Captain averages 4.6 out of 5 from 107 ratings, while Wavemaps averages 4.9 from 186 ratings.

### Do Surf Captain or Wavemaps have ads?

Surf Captain shows ads; Wavemaps does not.

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

Surf Captain ships an update weekly, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, Surf Captain was updated on September 25, 2026 and Wavemaps on September 23, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Surf Captain or Wavemaps?

Surf Captain currently peaks at #104 in the App Store charts, and Wavemaps at #191. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*