# MSW Surf Forecast vs Windy.com

The clearest difference is ads: Windy.com at none against MSW Surf Forecast's shown. Windy.com also leads on chart position (#4 vs unranked) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 weeks). MSW Surf Forecast's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MSW Surf Forecast sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $21.99 per year and Windy.com sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for MSW Surf Forecast against 4.8 for Windy.com. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Windy.com has 79K ratings behind it against 15K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 93% of MSW Surf Forecast's written reviews are positive against 89% of Windy.com's.

MSW Surf Forecast ships an update every 6 weeks, Windy.com every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MSW Surf Forecast | Windy.com |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msw-surf-forecast/id322103952/reviews) | [4.8 (79K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/windycom/id1161387262/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 15K | **79K** |
| Positive reviews | **93.1% of reviews** | 89.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#4** |
| Size | 31 MB | 172 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Surfline/Wavetrak](https://appshunter.io/developer/329198084) | [Windyty, SE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1161387261) |

## What reviewers say

### MSW Surf Forecast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msw-surf-forecast/id322103952)

Access comprehensive surf forecasts, live surf cams, and expert reports for breaks worldwide. Plan future surf trips with 16-day forecasts and relive your sessions with wave analysis and video playback. Shop surf gear and stay updated on surf news.

**Highlights:** Live surf cams at 950+ breaks, 16-day long-range forecasts, Daily surf reports from experts, Wave height, wind, weather, and tide data, Surf Alerts for perfect conditions, Cam Rewind for session replays, Surf gear shopping with premium benefits

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surfline Premium - Yearly | $21.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium - Yearly | $99.99 | per year |
| MSW App+ | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate surf forecasts
- 📊 Detailed wave and weather information
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of surf spots
- ⏱️ Helpful tide and sunrise/sunset times
- 🎨 Intuitive and user-friendly interface

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccuracies in forecasts
- 💰 Paywall for some features (e.g., webcams)
- 🔍 Limited number of spots in some regions
- 🔀 Navigation changes can be confusing
- 🔋 Concerns about battery drain

**Reported bugs**

- Favorites list not syncing across devices
- Webcam functionality not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Customizable notifications for swell/conditions
- Improved sorting/filtering of favorite spots
- More detailed local spot descriptions
- Integration with other weather/surf apps


### Windy.com

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/windycom/id1161387262)

**Currently charting:** #4 Top Free · Weather, #11 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

This app offers advanced weather forecasting with over 50 detailed maps and 15 weather models, including live radar, satellite imagery, and hurricane tracking. It provides customizable alerts for storms, wind, and snow, making it ideal for outdoor activities and aviation.

**Highlights:** Live weather radar & satellite, Over 50 weather maps, 15+ weather models, Hurricane tracker, Customizable weather alerts, Aviation-specific forecasts, Air quality index

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

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Donate 3 EUR/USD a month | $2.99 | per month |
| Windy Premium | $2.99 | per month |
| Donate 6 EUR/USD a month | $5.49 | per month |
| Windy Premium | $24.99 | per year |
| Donate approx 5 EUR/USD | $4.99 | one-time |
| Donate approx 10 EUR/USD | $9.99 | one-time |
| Donate approx 20 EUR/USD | $19.99 | one-time |
| Windy Premium | $29.99 | one-time |
| Donate approx 50  EUR/USD | $49.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate weather forecasts
- 🌍 Comprehensive global coverage
- 🔍 Detailed weather data and models
- 🛥️ Useful for marine/sailing activities
- 🛫 Valuable for aviation planning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Overwhelming number of features and options
- 🔍 Small text and cluttered interface on mobile
- 🤖 Occasional app crashes or stability issues
- 💰 Paywall for some advanced features
- 🌐 Lack of offline functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Map dragging issues on newer iPhone models
- Inconsistent temperature display units
- Premium features not always working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add weather front data on isobar charts
- Improve font size and layout for better readability
- Provide option to hide webcams or certain layers
- Implement weather warning notifications
- Add support for Apple Watch and other wearables


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MSW Surf Forecast free?

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

### Is Windy.com free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MSW Surf Forecast or Windy.com?

MSW Surf Forecast and Windy.com are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 15K and 79K ratings respectively.

### Do MSW Surf Forecast or Windy.com have ads?

MSW Surf Forecast shows ads; Windy.com does not.

### Which is updated more often, MSW Surf Forecast or Windy.com?

MSW Surf Forecast ships an update every 6 weeks, and Windy.com every 3 weeks. Most recently, MSW Surf Forecast was updated on September 24, 2026 and Windy.com on September 25, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*