# Surf Dating vs Mavu Surf

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Mavu Surf at none against Surf Dating's 7. Mavu Surf also leads on rating (4.4 vs 4.0) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). Surf Dating's advantage is ratings volume (519 vs 27). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf Dating sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Mavu Surf asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mavu Surf holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf Dating has 519 ratings behind it against 27, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Surf Dating's written reviews are positive against 80% of Mavu Surf's.

Surf Dating ships an update every 11 days, Mavu Surf fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Dating | Mavu Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (519 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-dating/id1618707147/reviews) | **[4.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mavu-surf/id6793366737/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **519** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 77.5% of reviews | **80.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 11 days** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 56 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPod** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Siift Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1618707149) | [Mavu Platforms, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793366739) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Dating

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-dating/id1618707147)

This dating app offers a unique Grid interface for authentic connections. It features human-verified profiles to ensure no bots or catfishes, and allows extensive filtering by interests and location for a safer dating experience.

**Highlights:** Human-verified profiles, Grid interface for control, Filter by interests and location, Mutual connections feature, Secure and safe dating, Bot and catfish free

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $15.99 | per month |
| Recommended | $38.99 | per 3 months |
| Best Value | $59.99 | per 6 months |
| 3 Gems | $10.99 | one-time |
| 12 Gems | $35.99 | one-time |
| 24 Gems | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🔒 Verified user profiles
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 🚀 Efficient search and filtering
- 💡 Mutual friends feature for trust
- 🔒 Secure and safe connections

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and freezing app
- 🤔 Mandatory contact sharing requirement
- ⏱️ Extremely long verification process
- 🤔 Forced referral system to create account
- 🤔 Limited user selection in some areas

**Reported bugs**

- Cannot get past education profile setup
- Freezes when trying to remove profiles

**Requested features**

- Trade school education option
- Ability to select contacts to share


### Mavu Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mavu-surf/id6793366737)

A dedicated marketplace for the surf and water-sports community. Find new and used boards, gear, and apparel from various brands. Connect with other users to buy and sell directly.

**Highlights:** Local marketplace for surf and water-sports, Browse new and used boards and gear, Shop surf-specific apparel, Advanced search filters, Create user profiles, Connect with community members, Direct buyer-seller transactions

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Dating free?

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

### Is Mavu Surf free?

Mavu Surf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Surf Dating or Mavu Surf?

Mavu Surf is rated higher. Surf Dating averages 4.0 out of 5 from 519 ratings, while Mavu Surf averages 4.4 from 27 ratings.

### Do Surf Dating or Mavu Surf have ads?

Neither Surf Dating nor Mavu Surf shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Surf Dating or Mavu Surf?

Surf Dating ships an update every 11 days, and Mavu Surf fortnightly. Most recently, Surf Dating was updated on November 7, 2026 and Mavu Surf on November 5, 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.*