# Virtual Regatta vs True Surf

The clearest difference is ads: True Surf at none against Virtual Regatta's shown. True Surf also leads on review sentiment (61% vs 48%) and chart position (#95 vs unranked). Virtual Regatta's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.9). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Virtual Regatta sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $27.49 per 3 months and True Surf sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Virtual Regatta holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 752 and 3.4K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of Virtual Regatta's written reviews are positive against 61% of True Surf's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Virtual Regatta | True Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.2 (752 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-regatta/id387893495/reviews)** | [3.9 (3.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-surf/id1177819604/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 752 | **3.4K** |
| Positive reviews | 48.4% of reviews | **60.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#95** |
| Size | 304 MB | 211 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Virtual Regatta](https://appshunter.io/developer/387893498) | [True Axis](https://appshunter.io/developer/337866373) |

## What reviewers say

### Virtual Regatta

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/virtual-regatta/id387893495)

Experience realistic offshore sailing races against thousands of players worldwide. Manage your boat's energy, adapt to real-time weather, and compete in official virtual regattas. Choose from a vast fleet of sailboats and test your tactical skills.

**Highlights:** Real-time offshore racing, Realistic weather simulation, Energy management, Fleet of diverse sailboats, Official race partner, Multi-platform play

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| VIP Membership Subscription | $27.49 | per 3 months |
| Pack 400 credits | $1.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $3.99 | one-time |
| Pack 1000 credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $8.99 | one-time |
| Pack 2300 credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $13.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $18.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $23.99 | one-time |
| Full option pack | $24.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Virtual reality experience
- 👍 Realistic sailing simulation
- 💡 Ability to race against real-world sailors
- 🌍 Opportunity to learn about sailing and geography

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases required to be competitive
- 🔍 Lack of clear instructions and tutorials
- 🕰️ Slow app performance and long loading times
- 🔌 Drains device battery quickly

**Reported bugs**

- Waypoints and course changes not registering properly
- Ranking system shows inaccurate and inconsistent positions
- Inability to log in or access races after updates
- Boat position and movement not syncing correctly

**Requested features**

- Add offline mode and ability to create custom races
- Improve 3D graphics and visualization of land/water
- Provide better support and communication from developers
- Implement more realistic weather and current simulations
- Allow easier customization of boat settings and controls


### True Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/true-surf/id1177819604)

**Currently charting:** #95 Top Grossing · Sports, #191 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

Experience the most authentic surfing simulation with realistic physics and live weather forecasts from Surfline. Master real-time controls, travel to world-famous breaks, and compete in WSL events. Evolve your surfer, build your gear, and chase the perfect wave.

**Highlights:** Realistic physics simulation, Live Surfline weather forecasts, World-famous surf breaks, Real-time touch controls, Character progression and customization, Board quiver management, Live WSL competitions

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

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Perfect Storm (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Frequent Flyer (monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Handful of Clams | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Clams | $7.99 | one-time |
| Chest of Clams | $28.99 | one-time |
| Boatload of Clams | $49.99 | one-time |
| Sea of Clams | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Realistic wave physics and graphics
- 🤙 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 🔥 Best surfing game on mobile
- 👍 Intuitive controls once learned
- 🌍 Variety of real-world surf spots

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases for boards and upgrades
- 🐢 Extremely slow progression and leveling up
- 🤯 Inconsistent and unreliable scoring system
- 🌊 Lack of consistently good waves at many locations
- 🔋 Battery draining issues

**Reported bugs**

- Waves not generating properly at Surf Ranch
- Progression resets and lost progress
- Inability to travel to desired surf spots

**Requested features**

- First-person camera mode
- Customizable boards and characters
- Competitive multiplayer mode
- Career mode with challenges and sponsorships
- Ability to create and share custom surf spots


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Virtual Regatta free?

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

### Is True Surf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Virtual Regatta or True Surf?

Virtual Regatta is rated higher. Virtual Regatta averages 4.2 out of 5 from 752 ratings, while True Surf averages 3.9 from 3.4K ratings.

### Do Virtual Regatta or True Surf have ads?

Virtual Regatta shows ads; True Surf does not.

### Which is updated more often, Virtual Regatta or True Surf?

Virtual Regatta ships an update fortnightly, and True Surf fortnightly. Most recently, Virtual Regatta was updated on October 17, 2026 and True Surf on October 17, 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.*