# Lake Mendota Buoy Data vs PredictWind

The clearest difference is rating: PredictWind at 4.8 against Lake Mendota Buoy Data's 3.1. PredictWind also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 39 months) and review sentiment (84% vs 55%). Lake Mendota Buoy Data's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 16) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.5). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PredictWind sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Lake Mendota Buoy Data asks for nothing beyond the download.

PredictWind holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PredictWind has 33K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Lake Mendota Buoy Data's written reviews are positive against 84% of PredictWind's.

Lake Mendota Buoy Data ships an update every 39 months, PredictWind every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Lake Mendota Buoy Data | PredictWind |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.1 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lake-mendota-buoy-data/id324105133/reviews) | **[4.8 (33K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/predictwind-marine-forecasts/id477048487/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **33K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.0% of reviews | **84.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 39 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#20** |
| Size | 9 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 15.5 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Swift](https://appshunter.io/developer/303504341) | [PredictWind Limited](https://appshunter.io/developer/477048590) |

## What reviewers say

### Lake Mendota Buoy Data

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lake-mendota-buoy-data/id324105133)

This app provides near real-time atmospheric and water temperature data for Lake Mendota, Wisconsin. It's designed for water sports enthusiasts to help them decide the best days for activities like fishing, sailing, and swimming.

**Highlights:** Near real-time data, Wind direction, speed, and gust, Air temperature and dew point, Surface to 66ft water temperatures, Supports various water sports

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### PredictWind

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/predictwind-marine-forecasts/id477048487)

**Currently charting:** #20 Top Grossing · Weather, #73 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get accurate marine weather forecasts and powerful tools for wind, waves, and currents. Plan your trips with routing and departure planning features, and stay informed with live observations and alerts. Ideal for all marine activities.

**Highlights:** Accurate marine weather forecasts, Wind, wave, and current data, Weather routing and departure planning, High-resolution marine weather maps, Live wind observations and webcams, Weather alerts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic - Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Basic - 3 Monthly | $12.00 | per 3 months |
| Basic - 3 Monthly | $12.00 | per 3 months |
| Basic - Annual | $29.00 | per year |
| Standard - Monthly | $49.00 | per month |
| Standard - 3 Monthly | $99.00 | per 3 months |
| Professional - Monthly | $99.00 | per month |
| Standard - 3 Monthly | $99.00 | per 3 months |
| Standard - Annual | $249.00 | per year |
| Professional - 3 Monthly | $249.00 | per 3 months |
| Professional - Annual | $499.00 | per year |
| Basic Subscription, 1 Month | $3.99 | one-time |
| Basic Subscription, 3 Months | $11.99 | one-time |
| Basic Subscription, 12 Months | $28.99 | one-time |
| Standard Subscription, 1 Month | $48.99 | one-time |
| Professional Subscription, 1 Month | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate weather forecasts
- 🚀 Comprehensive data and features
- 💡 Useful for sailing, fishing, and other outdoor activities
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🚀 Reliable and dependable

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccuracies in weather predictions
- 💰 Expensive subscription costs
- 🔒 Difficult to cancel subscription
- 🔒 Locked into using proprietary hardware and services
- 🔒 Limited free features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on some devices
- Inconsistent performance across different locations
- Subscription issues and billing problems

**Requested features**

- Improved integration with other apps and charts
- More frequent weather model updates
- Earlier weather forecast updates
- Ability to customize alert settings
- Improved offline functionality


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Lake Mendota Buoy Data free?

Lake Mendota Buoy Data is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PredictWind free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Lake Mendota Buoy Data or PredictWind?

PredictWind is rated higher. Lake Mendota Buoy Data averages 3.1 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while PredictWind averages 4.8 from 33K ratings.

### Do Lake Mendota Buoy Data or PredictWind have ads?

Neither Lake Mendota Buoy Data nor PredictWind shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Lake Mendota Buoy Data or PredictWind?

Lake Mendota Buoy Data ships an update every 39 months, and PredictWind every 9 days. Most recently, Lake Mendota Buoy Data was updated on October 7, 2026 and PredictWind on October 28, 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.*