Comparison

BayCurrents vs PredictCurrent

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BayCurrents

Visualize high-resolution surface currents in the San Francisco Bay. This app supports various maritime activities with data up to 48 hours in the future. It operates autonomously offline, using NOAA model data enhanced by radar and tidal observations.

Highlights
  • High-resolution surface current maps
  • 48-hour future forecasting
  • Offline autonomous operation
  • NOAA numerical model data
  • Supports recreational and professional maritime activities
Read full description

BayCurrents is a mobile app for displaying maps of high resolution surface currents within the San Francisco Bay. The app is intended to support a wide range of maritime activities, from recreational fishing and sailing to the operation of professional transport vessels. The source for the surface current data is a numerical model operated by the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The model benefits from oceanographic high-frequency radar (HFR) measurements from the Central & Northern California Ocean Observing System (CeNCOOS) HFR Network, along with other observations such as tides and wind. The resulting dataset contains current vector fields for hourly timestamps ranging from the recent past, to the present and up to 48 hours into the future. The complete vector dataset is downloaded by the app to allow autonomous offline operation. This app contains experimental data and is NOT for navigational purposes.

About

PredictCurrent

Navigate coastal waters with detailed tidal and ocean current maps. Access 10-day forecasts for currents, wind, waves, and sea temperatures. Essential for safe marine planning and exploration.

Highlights
  • Ultra-high-resolution 100m tidal current maps
  • 400m and 4km global coastline coverage
  • 10-day animated forecasts for currents, wind, and waves
  • Hourly tide chart data
  • Wind-against-current interaction analysis
  • Sea temperature tracking
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Navigate coastal adventures with precision using real-time tidal current data from PredictWind. PredictCurrent delivers ultra-high-resolution 100m tidal current maps, plus 400m and 4km maps covering 90% of global coastlines. It also includes full ocean current coverage, empowering fishermen, sailors, and coastal explorers with essential tools for current tracking, tide planning, and marine navigation. Developed by PredictWind’s expert oceanographers, trusted globally for industry-leading forecasting, PredictCurrent supports confident and safe coastal navigation for boating, fishing, sailing, and kayaking. Why PredictCurrent - Unrivalled Precision: Ultra-high-resolution 100m tidal current maps provide unmatched detail for coastal tide planning, ideal for fishing, sailing, or paddle sports. Also includes 400m and 4km resolution maps. - Trusted Expertise: Built by PredictWind, pioneers in marine and ocean current forecasting, delivering professional-grade data. - Comprehensive Tracking: Monitor tidal currents, ocean currents, winds, waves, and sea temperatures with animated maps and hourly tide chart data for 10 days. - Coastal Navigation: Join fishermen, sailors, kayakers, and coastal explorers worldwide who rely on PredictWind’s marine weather and current data for informed navigation. Key Features - Ultra-High-Resolution 100m Tidal Current Maps: Visualise intricate nearshore water current movements with clarity, ideal for coastal navigation, route planning, and safety. - High-Resolution 400m & 4km Maps: Access tide and ocean current coverage for 90% of global coastlines, seamlessly integrated with live ocean current data. - Advanced Dashboard: Analyse wind-against-current interactions, wave heights, tide cycles, and directions using accurate ECMWF wind forecasts. - Animated 10-Day Forecasts: View dynamic tidal currents, ocean currents, wind, waves, and sea temperature forecasts on interactive marine maps. - Detailed Data Tables: Access hourly data on current speed and direction, plus alerts for wind-against-current situations. Tailored for fisherman, sailors, kayakers, and coastal adventurers, PredictCurrent offers essential tools for safe marine planning—backed by PredictWind’s proven ocean data and current tracking accuracy. Start with a 14-day free trial. Access ultra-high-resolution tidal current data, tide charts, ocean current forecasts, wind, waves, and sea temperature tools for your next coastal journey. Terms & Conditions: https://www.predictcurrent.com/terms-and-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.predictcurrent.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

BayCurrents4 screens
PredictCurrent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BayCurrents at 5.0 against PredictCurrent's 4.5. BayCurrents also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5). PredictCurrent's advantage is ratings volume (255 vs 3) and chart position (#59 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. PredictCurrent sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. BayCurrents asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BayCurrents holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PredictCurrent has 255 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BayCurrents ships an update every 2 months, PredictCurrent monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
BayCurrents versus PredictCurrent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBayCurrentsPredictCurrent
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better4.5 (255 ratings)
Positive reviews—56.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3255 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsMonthly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#59 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB50 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMonterey Bay Aquarium Research InstitutePredictWind Limited

Customer experience

BayCurrents

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PredictCurrent

All ratings255 ratings
Positive85.9%
Neutral2.7%
Negative11.4%
Written reviews76 reviews
Positive56.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative43.4%

Bugs and requests

BayCurrents

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

PredictCurrent

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Unable to add location error messages despite valid coordinates
  • Location setup fails to respond or complete
  • Password not saved correctly in database, preventing login
  • Account creation fails with character handling errors
  • App crashes when setting locations
Show 3 more
  • Free trial access inconsistent across devices
  • iPad version blocks access to charts despite iPhone trial access
  • Data unavailable errors at valid deep water locations

Requested features

9 requests
  • Extended forecast data for full 24-hour next day coverage
  • Smaller time increment stepping (sub-hourly) for racing
  • Exact tide turn time information beyond hourly data
  • Legend/symbol guide for app indicators
  • Improved coastal and estuarine modeling
Show 4 more
  • Better 100m resolution coverage beyond UK Solent region
  • Cross-platform synchronization between iPhone and iPad
  • Offline access to saved locations
  • Multi-language support (German, French, etc.)

In-app purchases

None

BayCurrents

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

PredictCurrent

Subscriptions5
  • PredictCurrent Pro 1-Month14 Days trial$15.001 Month
  • PredictCurrent Pro 3-Monthly14 Days trial$29.003 Months
  • PredictCurrent Pro 3-Monthly3 Days trial$29.003 Months
Show 2 more
  • PredictCurrent Pro 3-Monthly7 Days trial$29.003 Months
  • PredictCurrent Pro Annual14 Days trial$99.001 Year

Questions

Is BayCurrents free?
BayCurrents is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PredictCurrent free?
PredictCurrent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BayCurrents or PredictCurrent?
BayCurrents is rated higher. BayCurrents averages 5.0 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while PredictCurrent averages 4.5 from 255 ratings.
Do BayCurrents or PredictCurrent have ads?
Neither BayCurrents nor PredictCurrent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BayCurrents or PredictCurrent?
BayCurrents ships an update every 2 months, and PredictCurrent monthly. Most recently, BayCurrents was updated on October 4, 2026 and PredictCurrent on October 12, 2026.

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