# MSW Surf Forecast vs Surf

The clearest difference is ratings volume: MSW Surf Forecast at 15K against Surf's 999. MSW Surf Forecast also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). Surf's advantage is chart position (#111 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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 Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 4.9 for Surf. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: MSW Surf Forecast has 15K ratings behind it against 999, 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 86% of Surf's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MSW Surf Forecast | Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/msw-surf-forecast/id322103952/reviews) | **[4.9 (999 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 999 |
| Positive reviews | **93.1% of reviews** | 86.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#111** |
| Size | 31 MB | 138 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) | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) |

## 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


### Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636)

**Currently charting:** #111 Top Grossing · Weather, #148 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get simple, accurate surf forecasts for over 7,000 breaks worldwide. Plan your sessions with detailed wave information, tide times, and mapping to find the best conditions and nearby spots. Access extended forecasts and custom alerts with premium features.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts, Wavefinder map, Live webcam links, Tide times, 12-day forecasts, Custom surf alerts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service: Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Service (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate surf forecasts
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of locations
- 🔍 Detailed information (swell, wind, tides, etc.)
- 💰 Good value for subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Inconsistent data updates
- 🌊 Wave height/conditions not always accurate
- 🏞️ Missing data for some locations (e.g. Great Lakes)
- 🤔 Confusing or misleading surf ratings/forecasts

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Geolocation issues with break markers

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually refresh data
- More detailed tidal/current information
- Expanded location coverage
- Improved accuracy for wave height/conditions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MSW Surf Forecast free?

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

### Is Surf free?

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

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

Surf is rated higher. MSW Surf Forecast averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Surf averages 4.9 from 999 ratings.

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

Both MSW Surf Forecast and Surf show ads.

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

MSW Surf Forecast ships an update every 6 weeks, and Surf every 6 weeks. Most recently, MSW Surf Forecast was updated on October 28, 2026 and Surf on October 27, 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.*