# MSW Surf Forecast vs Surf Captain

The clearest difference is update cadence: Surf Captain at weekly against MSW Surf Forecast's every 6 weeks. Surf Captain also leads on chart position (#154 vs unranked). MSW Surf Forecast's advantage is ratings volume (15K vs 1.3K) and review sentiment (93% vs 80%). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. MSW Surf Forecast sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Surf Captain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. 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 4.9 for Surf Captain. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MSW Surf Forecast has 15K ratings behind it against 1.3K, 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 80% of Surf Captain's.

MSW Surf Forecast ships an update every 6 weeks, Surf Captain weekly. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | MSW Surf Forecast | Surf Captain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msw-surf-forecast/id322103952/reviews) | **[4.9 (1.3K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 1.3K |
| Positive reviews | **92.9% of reviews** | 80.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#154** |
| Size | 31 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Surfline/Wavetrak](https://appshunter.io/developer/329198084) | [Weather Captain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566602260) |

## 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 (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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


### Surf Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258)

**Currently charting:** #154 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get detailed 16-day surf forecasts for numerous locations across North America and the Caribbean. This app provides highly accurate predictions in a user-friendly interface, making it easy to plan your next surf session.

**Highlights:** 16-day surf forecasts, United States forecasts, Canada forecasts, Central America forecasts, Caribbean forecasts, Accurate predictions, Simple interface

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surf Captain Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Plus Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MSW Surf Forecast free?

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

### Is Surf Captain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MSW Surf Forecast or Surf Captain?

Surf Captain is rated higher. MSW Surf Forecast averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Surf Captain averages 4.9 from 1.3K ratings.

### Do MSW Surf Forecast or Surf Captain have ads?

Both MSW Surf Forecast and Surf Captain show ads.

### Which is updated more often, MSW Surf Forecast or Surf Captain?

MSW Surf Forecast ships an update every 6 weeks, and Surf Captain weekly. Most recently, MSW Surf Forecast was updated on November 11, 2026 and Surf Captain on November 11, 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.*