# Lotus vs Kaiyo

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Lotus at none against Kaiyo's 2. Lotus also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 11 days) and ratings volume (4 vs 1). Kaiyo's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Kaiyo sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Lotus asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Lotus against 5.0 for Kaiyo. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Lotus ships an update every 2 days, Kaiyo every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on August 26, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lotus | Kaiyo |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lotus-surf-team-development/id1619864551/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaiyo/id6747704161/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 days** | Every 11 days |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 74 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Kunal Sanghi](https://appshunter.io/developer/1619864553) | [Alberto Charabati](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822499389) |

## What reviewers say

### Lotus

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lotus-surf-team-development/id1619864551)

This app allows surfers to track their sessions using AI, analyze performance with detailed insights, and connect with friends for virtual competitions and team communication. It integrates with health apps to monitor fitness goals.

**Highlights:** AI-powered session tracking, Performance analytics and visualizations, Health app integration for fitness goals, Virtual surf events with friends, Team leaderboards and trophies, In-app team communication

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Kaiyo

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kaiyo/id6747704161)

This app is your ultimate surf companion, offering detailed forecasts, spot finding, and session tracking. Connect with other surfers, share conditions, and discover new breaks.

**Highlights:** Hourly & Weekly Surf Forecasts, Nearest Spot Finder, Community Features, Apple Watch Integration, Live Surf Cameras, Add Custom Surf Spots

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tip The Developer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Tip the Developer | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lotus free?

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

### Is Kaiyo free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lotus or Kaiyo?

Lotus and Kaiyo are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Lotus or Kaiyo have ads?

Neither Lotus nor Kaiyo shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lotus or Kaiyo?

Lotus ships an update every 2 days, and Kaiyo every 11 days. Most recently, Lotus was updated on August 26, 2026 and Kaiyo on September 10, 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.*