Comparison

Surfline vs PredictWind

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Surfline

This app provides detailed surf forecasts, live conditions, and expert analysis to help surfers plan their sessions. Access over 1000 live cams worldwide, hourly data on wave height, wind, and tide, and track your progress with session logging. Premium members receive exclusive discounts and giveaways.

Highlights
  • Global live surf cams
  • Hourly condition data
  • Expert surf reports
  • Detailed forecast analysis
  • Session logging
  • Apple Watch integration
Features
Read full description

Decide when and where to surf with Surfline, the most trusted surf forecasting app in the world. Check live surf cams, expert forecasts, wind, tide, swell data, real-time surf reports and track your sessions at spots around the world. Since 1985, Surfline has helped millions of surfers make better decisions about where and when to surf. Designed by surfers, for surfers, Surfline combines proprietary forecast models, an expert in-house forecast team, and an exclusive global network of advanced live surf cams. Find your next session with everything you need to check the surf - Get the read on today’s conditions from our team of expert forecasters* - Find your window to surf with hourly ratings, surf height, wind, swell, and tide - Preview tomorrow’s conditions with footage from similar days - See what other forecasts miss with our best-in-class nearshore forecast model - Get alerted when your preferred conditions line up - Plan your next session or trip with 10-day forecasts, charts, and spot guides - Make the forecast your own by customizing your setup - Track your progress and stay motivated with insights and highlights of every session Know before you go with Premium: - Watch the surf live with 1000+ ad-free cams around the world - Rewind the cams to review sets, lulls, and conditions over time - Capture your waves with clips of rides and wipeouts from your session - See what our forecasters see with incoming swell analysis, days to watch, and region-specific outlooks* - Plan your next session or surf trip with 16-day extended forecasts, charts, and spot guides - Access exclusive offers and giveaways from brands we use and trust - Follow the action with new, higher-res Action Cam angles that follow the break, available at select spots across Southern California Get Premium for less with Premium with Ads: - Unlock everything in Premium — unlimited live cam access, cam rewind, 16-day forecasts, and more — by watching a quick ad each time you view a cam Get everything you need to score with Premium+, powered by the world’s most advanced surf cam network*** - Track every wave with a timeline of wave height and ridden waves - See what’s going unridden with insights on wave distribution and crowds - Track storm and swell patterns with the highest-resolution wave charts available - Find and share your rides by skipping through ridden waves Plus, integrate with partner apps and your wearable devices to unlock deeper insights - Sync with your Apple Watch to log sessions and get clips of your waves sent straight to your phone** - Link Surfline Sessions with partner apps like Strava, Dawn Patrol, and Garmin *Local forecasts are region dependent. **This feature uses HealthKit to monitor and record your calories and heart rate while you surf. ***Premium+ features are powered by Smart Cams, available regionally in the US, AU and UK Payment for paid Surfline memberships will be charged to your Apple ID Account at confirmation of purchase. All prices exclusive of taxes. Membership plans will automatically renew yearly or monthly, depending on membership plan selection, unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current term. Cancel any time in the App Store; your membership will then cease at the end of the current term. No refund will be issued for the time remaining on your current plan term when you cancel a membership. By using Surfline you certify that you understand and agree to the Surfline Terms of Service (https://www.surfline.com/terms-of-use) and Privacy Policy (https://www.surfline.com/privacy-policy).

About

PredictWind

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
Read full description

Accurate marine weather forecasts and powerful tools utilizing wind, wave and currents, save you time, keep you safe and ensure you get the most out of every day on the water. Access the world’s top-ranking forecast models for reliable and accurate wind and weather data, including ECMWF, AIFS, ICON, UKMO, GFS, and more. Our very own PWAi, PWG & PWE models deliver unmatched accuracy in the short-to-medium range. View high resolution marine weather maps for wind, gust, CAPE, wave, rain, cloud, pressure, air temperature, sea temperature, ocean data and solunar. Suitable for sailing yacht, powerboat and any other marine weather activity. In addition to marine forecasts, PredictWind also provides a suite of powerful marine weather tools to save you time and keep you safe at sea using Wind, Wave, Tidal and Ocean currents. Weather Routing takes your start and end points then calculates your route factoring in tides, currents, wind and wave data, depth and your Sailing Yacht or Powerboats unique dimensions to give you the best route for comfort or speed. Departure Planning quickly summarizes the forecast marine weather conditions you’ll encounter along your route if leaving on day 1, 2, 3, or 4. Use this data to select the perfect departure date, every time for your Sailing Yacht or Powerboat. ADDITIONAL FEATURES - Daily Briefing: Powerful marine weather data condensed into a simple text forecast. - Maps: High resolution forecasts maps with animated streamlines, wind barbs or arrows. - Tables: The ultimate dashboard for detailed analysis of Wind, Wave, Rain and more. - Graphs: Compare multiple marine forecasts at the same time. - Live Wind Observations and Webcams: Know what’s happening with the weather right now at your local spot. - Local Knowledge: Hear about the best marine spots, amenities and activities at your destination. - Weather Alerts: Set your preferences then get alerts when conditions are just the way you like them for Wind, wave and other parameters. - Ocean Data: See what’s happening under the waves with ocean and tidal currents, and sea temperature. - GPS Tracking: Get a free customized GPS tracking page for your blog or website showing wind data overlaid. - AIS Data: View over 280,000 vessels worldwide on the AIS network to see marine traffic. Terms and conditions: https://www.predictwind.com/about-us/terms-and-conditions
 Privacy policy: https://www.predictwind.com/about-us/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Surfline4 screens
PredictWind4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: PredictWind at none against Surfline's shown. PredictWind also leads on iOS requirement (15.5 vs 17.0). Surfline's advantage is chart position (#5 vs #21). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Surfline sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.95 per month and PredictWind sells 16 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Surfline against 4.8 for PredictWind. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31K and 33K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Surfline's written reviews are positive against 84% of PredictWind's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surfline ships an update weekly, PredictWind every 9 days. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Surfline versus PredictWind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurflinePredictWind
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (31K ratings)4.8 (33K ratings) — better
Positive reviews85.9% of reviews — better84.4% of reviews
Number of ratings31K33K — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#5 — better#21
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.5 — better
Further details — not scored
Size207 MB40 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperSurfline/WavetrakPredictWind Limited

Customer experience

Surfline

All ratings30,624 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral2.0%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews2,547 reviews
Positive85.9%
Neutral4.7%
Negative9.4%

PredictWind

All ratings32,885 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral2.1%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews461 reviews
Positive84.4%
Neutral3.0%
Negative12.6%

User reviews

Surfline

From 31K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌊 Accurate surf forecasting
  • 📽️ Useful live surf cams
  • 🤙 Helpful for planning surf trips
  • 🏄‍♂️ Invaluable for surfers
  • 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of surf spots

Room to improve

  • 🤑 Expensive premium subscription
  • 🚫 Limited access for free users
  • 🌐 Inconsistent accuracy of forecasts
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate for new users
  • 🔴 Frequent ads for premium service

PredictWind

From 33K App Store ratings

What we love

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

Room to improve

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

Bugs and requests

Surfline

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Frequent app crashes and freezes
  • Inconsistent performance on different devices
  • Unreliable live cam functionality
  • Issues with login and account management

Requested features

6 requests
  • More live cams at popular surf spots
  • Improved forecast accuracy and reliability
  • Ability to share/comment on surf sessions
  • Better integration with fitness trackers
  • Customizable alerts and notifications
Show 1 more
  • Offline mode for accessing key information

PredictWind

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

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

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Surfline

Subscriptions10
  • Surfline Premium$14.951 Month
  • Surfline Premium3 variants$15.991 Month
  • SL Premium - Monthly2 variants$15.991 Month
Show 7 more
  • Surfline Forecast membership7 Days trial$39.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium with ads7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium1 Year trial2 variants$99.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium$99.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium7 Days trial2 variants$119.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium1 Year trial$119.991 Year
  • Surfline Premium+7 Days trial$149.991 Year
16 purchases

PredictWind

Subscriptions11
  • Basic - Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Basic - 3 Monthly$12.003 Months
  • Basic - 3 Monthly7 Days trial$12.003 Months
Show 8 more
  • Basic - Annual7 Days trial$29.001 Year
  • Standard - Monthly7 Days trial$49.001 Month
  • Standard - 3 Monthly$99.003 Months
  • Professional - Monthly7 Days trial$99.001 Month
  • Standard - 3 Monthly7 Days trial$99.003 Months
  • Standard - Annual7 Days trial$249.001 Year
  • Professional - 3 Monthly7 Days trial$249.003 Months
  • Professional - Annual7 Days trial$499.001 Year
One-time5
  • Basic Subscription, 1 Month$3.99
  • Basic Subscription, 3 Months$11.99
  • Basic Subscription, 12 Months$28.99
Show 2 more
  • Standard Subscription, 1 Month$48.99
  • Professional Subscription, 1 Month$99.99

Questions

Is Surfline free?
Surfline is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PredictWind free?
PredictWind is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Surfline or PredictWind?
PredictWind is rated higher. Surfline averages 4.7 out of 5 from 31K ratings, while PredictWind averages 4.8 from 33K ratings.
Do Surfline or PredictWind have ads?
Surfline shows ads; PredictWind does not.
Which is updated more often, Surfline or PredictWind?
Surfline ships an update weekly, and PredictWind every 9 days. Most recently, Surfline was updated on October 27, 2026 and PredictWind on October 27, 2026.
Which is more popular, Surfline or PredictWind?
Surfline currently peaks at #5 in the App Store charts, and PredictWind at #21. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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