# playbuoy vs A

The clearest difference is rating: playbuoy at 5.0 against A's 4.7. A's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs every 2 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.5). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

playbuoy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 12 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

playbuoy ships an update every 2 weeks, A every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | playbuoy | A |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playbuoy/id1662001103/reviews)** | [4.7 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-frame-surf-forecast/id6741837362/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 21 MB | 43 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **15.1** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Iannucci](https://appshunter.io/developer/945847569) | [Orlando Santos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1795860309) |

## What reviewers say

### playbuoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playbuoy/id1662001103)

This app provides detailed swell observations and forecasts using NOAA buoy data and a custom algorithm. It offers beautiful, meaningful plots to compare real-time readings with model forecasts, helping you plan ocean activities.

**Highlights:** Detailed swell observations and forecasts, Custom algorithm for accurate swell breakdown, 16-day swell forecast data, Up to five swell components displayed, Visual comparison of buoy readings and model forecasts, Full directional wave spectra visualization, Widgets and watch complications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### A

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/a-frame-surf-forecast/id6741837362)

This app offers an intuitive 7-day surf forecast with a vertical layout for easy viewing of conditions at your favorite surf spots. Quickly find nearby locations and analyze detailed hourly forecasts and tide graphs.

**Highlights:** 7-day vertical surf forecast, Map of surf locations, Favorites for quick access, Nearby surf spot finder, Detailed hourly forecast, Tide graphs

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is playbuoy free?

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

### Is A free?

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

### Which has better reviews, playbuoy or A?

playbuoy is rated higher. playbuoy averages 5.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while A averages 4.7 from 12 ratings.

### Do playbuoy or A have ads?

Neither playbuoy nor A shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, playbuoy or A?

playbuoy ships an update every 2 weeks, and A every 6 days. Most recently, playbuoy was updated on September 17, 2026 and A on September 12, 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.*