# Surfline vs WindMana

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WindMana at none against Surfline's 10. WindMana also leads on ads (none vs shown). Surfline's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly) and chart position (#5 vs unranked). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surfline sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $14.95 per month. WindMana asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surfline ships an update weekly, WindMana monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surfline | WindMana |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (31K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfline-wave-and-surf-reports/id393782096/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **31K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 85.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 208 MB | 21 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Surfline/Wavetrak](https://appshunter.io/developer/329198084) | [Bob Van delft](https://appshunter.io/developer/1805583776) |

## What reviewers say

### Surfline

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfline-wave-and-surf-reports/id393782096)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Weather, #20 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get real-time surf conditions, expert forecasts, and live cams to decide when and where to surf. Track your sessions, plan trips with detailed data, and receive alerts for your preferred conditions. Integrates with wearables for deeper insights.

**Highlights:** Live surf cams, Expert surf forecasts, Wind, swell, and tide data, Session tracking, 10-day forecasts, Customizable alerts, Wearable device integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surfline Premium | $14.95 | per month |
| SL Premium - Monthly | $15.99 | per month |
| Surfline Premium | $15.99 | per month |
| Surfline Forecast membership | $39.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium with ads | $69.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium | $119.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium | $119.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium+ | $149.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

- 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


### WindMana

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/windmana/id6744368848)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surfline free?

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

### Is WindMana free?

WindMana is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Surfline or WindMana have ads?

Surfline shows ads; WindMana does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surfline or WindMana?

Surfline ships an update weekly, and WindMana monthly. Most recently, Surfline was updated on November 9, 2026 and WindMana on November 5, 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.*