Comparison

Tide Graph vs Compass XL

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

Head to head
About

Tide Graph

This app provides interactive tide graphs with over 10 billion predictions for US coastal stations. It also displays sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and moon phases. Save locations and graphs for easy access.

Highlights
  • Interactive tide graphs
  • Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset tracking
  • Moon phase display
  • Save recent locations
  • GPS location finder
  • Save graphs for later
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

- Provided over 10 billion predictions - Supports iOS 11+, Watch OS 4.3+, iPhone 7+ Tide Graph uses the harmonic predictions from thousands of US coastal stations and presents them in a fun and interactive graph. And now, in version 2.0 you also get an intuitive graph that shows sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset, and moon phase at a glance. Save recent locations, find locations using GPS location, and save graphs for later. Tides have a great influence on the lives of boaters, fishermen, surfers, coastal communities, marine life, and vacationers just to name a few. Directly or indirectly, the great flow of our massive ocean bodies of water impact the daily lives of everyone on this planet. The cyclical movement of the Earth's tides are caused by a combination of the gravitational forces of the sun and moon as well as the shape of the costal region. Unlike simple tide clocks that you can buy in novelty stores, more accurate tide predictions use special data gathered by instruments located at each tide station. The data from these measurements are used to determine the harmonic components which then feed into the mathematical algorithms which predict tides for the future. The end results are tested for accuracy and adjustments are made as necessary. Tide Graph has US owned Tide Stations Only. An internet connection is required to get the latest tide graph. - See TideGraph.com for a complete list of stations.

About

Compass XL

This app provides a digital compass for iPads, utilizing the device's built-in magnetic sensor or a sun-based alternative. It's designed for outdoor enthusiasts engaged in activities like hiking and camping.

Highlights
  • Magnetic compass functionality
  • Sun compass for direction finding
  • Suitable for outdoor activities
  • Works on iPad devices
  • No magnetic anomaly interference with sun compass
Features
Read full description

This application adds the missing compass to the iPad. It either uses the built in magnetic compass (if available) or provides a sun compass (You just have to see the sun and know the time to determine the north direction). Use it for all your outdoor activities whether it's hiking, biking or for a boy scout camp. The sun compass is not affected by magnetic anomalies.

Screenshots

Tide Graph4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Tide Graph at 70% against Compass XL's 0%. Tide Graph also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 15 months) and ratings volume (1.6K vs 1). Compass XL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 12) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On ads 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

Tide Graph costs $1.99 and Compass XL $0.99 up front. Tide Graph sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Compass XL asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Compass XL holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tide Graph has 1.6K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 70% of Tide Graph's written reviews are positive against 0% of Compass XL's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tide Graph ships an update every 6 weeks, Compass XL every 15 months. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard10 real differences · 1 level
Tide Graph versus Compass XL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTide GraphCompass XL
Price$1.99$0.99 — better
Rating4.8 (1.6K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.6% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1.6K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 15 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#30 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV, Apple Watch — betteriPad
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size29 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBrainware LLCPiet Jonas

Customer experience

Tide Graph

All ratings1,552 ratings
Positive95.4%
Neutral2.1%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews92 reviews
Positive69.6%
Neutral8.7%
Negative21.7%

Compass XL

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Tide Graph

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Tide data inaccuracies reported in some locations
  • Crashes and freezes when switching between stations
  • Date/time display issues in certain cases

Requested features

5 requests
  • Offline mode for tide data
  • Ability to save favorite locations
  • Larger tide graph for better visibility
  • Option to switch between metric and imperial units
  • Automatic updates to latest tide information

Compass XL

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

11 purchases

Tide Graph

One-time11
  • 2015 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2016 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2017 Tides and Currents$0.99
Show 8 more
  • 2018 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2019 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2020 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2021 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2022 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2023 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2024 Tides and Currents$0.99
  • 2026 Tides and Currents$0.99
None

Compass XL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tide Graph free?
Tide Graph costs $1.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Compass XL free?
Compass XL costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Tide Graph or Compass XL?
Compass XL is rated higher. Tide Graph averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Compass XL averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Tide Graph or Compass XL have ads?
Neither Tide Graph nor Compass XL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tide Graph or Compass XL?
Tide Graph ships an update every 6 weeks, and Compass XL every 15 months. Most recently, Tide Graph was updated on October 3, 2026 and Compass XL on September 27, 2026.

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