# playbuoy vs SkewT Aero

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: playbuoy at none against SkewT Aero's 2. playbuoy also leads on ratings volume (17 vs 1). SkewT Aero's advantage is chart position (#195 vs unranked). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SkewT Aero sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $39.99 per year. playbuoy asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for playbuoy against 5.0 for SkewT Aero. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: playbuoy has 17 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

playbuoy ships an update every 2 weeks, SkewT Aero fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | playbuoy | SkewT Aero |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (17 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/playbuoy/id1662001103/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skewt-aero/id6794929263/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **17** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#195** |
| Size | 33 MB | 99 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.5 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Iannucci](https://appshunter.io/developer/945847569) | [Enlu Aero LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6794929265) |

## What reviewers say

### playbuoy

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

Provides detailed swell observations and forecasts from NOAA buoy data. Visualize up to five swell components and compare real-time readings with model forecasts for informed ocean activity planning.

**Highlights:** Detailed swell observations and forecasts, Analyzes NOAA buoy data with custom algorithm, Up to five swell components displayed, Comparison of buoy readings with model forecasts, Visualization of directional wave spectra, Favorite buoy selection, Widgets and watch complications

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SkewT Aero

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skewt-aero/id6794929263)

**Currently charting:** #195 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Visualize atmospheric conditions and weather forecasts along your flight path. Explore interactive charts and timelines to understand how clouds, winds, and hazards evolve before you fly. Synchronized views allow for detailed analysis of weather changes by location, time, and altitude.

**Highlights:** Interactive route weather visualization, Route hazard timelines, Vertical atmospheric profiles, Forecast soundings (SkewT), Offline weather and navigation data, Hourly forecast updates, Home Screen widgets

**Features:** iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SkewT Aero Annual | $39.99 | per year |
| SkewT Aero | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is playbuoy free?

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

### Is SkewT Aero free?

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

### Which has better reviews, playbuoy or SkewT Aero?

playbuoy and SkewT Aero are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 17 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do playbuoy or SkewT Aero have ads?

Neither playbuoy nor SkewT Aero shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, playbuoy or SkewT Aero?

playbuoy ships an update every 2 weeks, and SkewT Aero fortnightly. Most recently, playbuoy was updated on November 3, 2026 and SkewT Aero on November 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.*