# MelbWinds vs Surf

The clearest difference is price: Surf at Free against MelbWinds's $1.99. Surf also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and chart position (#94 vs unranked). MelbWinds's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Surf is free to download; MelbWinds costs $1.99 up front. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. MelbWinds asks for nothing beyond the download.

MelbWinds ships an update every 3 months, Surf every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MelbWinds | Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (940 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **940** |
| Positive reviews | **88.2% of reviews** | 87.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#94** |
| Size | 37 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [P4G Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/296948831) | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) |

## What reviewers say

### MelbWinds

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/melbwinds/id322633434)

Get real-time wind and weather data for Melbourne and Victoria, Australia. Ideal for water sports enthusiasts and cyclists, it offers current conditions, marine forecasts, and radar imagery.

**Highlights:** Real-time wind conditions, Marine forecasts for Victoria, Weather forecasts for Melbourne, Mapped wind data, Victoria radar imagery, Location sequencing by wind speed

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Surf

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

**Currently charting:** #94 Top Grossing · Weather, #153 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 MelbWinds free?

MelbWinds costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Surf free?

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

### Do MelbWinds or Surf have ads?

Surf shows ads; MelbWinds does not.

### Which is updated more often, MelbWinds or Surf?

MelbWinds ships an update every 3 months, and Surf every 6 weeks. Most recently, MelbWinds was updated on October 4, 2026 and Surf on October 16, 2026.

---

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