# Surfline vs Tidal Lore

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Tidal Lore at none against Surfline's 19. Tidal Lore also leads on ads (none vs shown). Surfline's advantage is chart position (#5 vs unranked). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surfline sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.95 per month. Tidal Lore asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surfline ships an update weekly, Tidal Lore every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surfline | Tidal Lore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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** | Every 8 days |
| Monetization | Freemium | — |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 207 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | **17.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Surfline/Wavetrak](https://appshunter.io/developer/329198084) | [Jeremy Mitchell](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785392496) |

## What reviewers say

### Surfline

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Weather, #29 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

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:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surfline Premium | $14.95 | per month |
| Surfline Premium | $15.99 | per month |
| SL Premium - Monthly | $15.99 | per month |
| Surfline Forecast membership | $39.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium with ads | $69.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium | $99.99 | per year |
| Surfline Premium | $99.99 | 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


### Tidal Lore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidal-lore/id6785665398)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surfline free?

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

### Is Tidal Lore free?

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

### Do Surfline or Tidal Lore have ads?

Surfline shows ads; Tidal Lore does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surfline or Tidal Lore?

Surfline ships an update weekly, and Tidal Lore every 8 days. Most recently, Surfline was updated on November 1, 2026 and Tidal Lore 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.*