# SailFlow vs NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

The clearest difference is ads: SailFlow at none against NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data's shown. SailFlow also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 74%) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SailFlow sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for SailFlow against 4.7 for NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.9K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 84% of SailFlow's written reviews are positive against 74% of NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data's.

SailFlow ships an update every 3 weeks, NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | SailFlow | NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (5.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sailflow-sailing-forecasts/id555309964/reviews)** | [4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-buoy-reports-and-ship-data/id1038264455/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **5.9K** | 2.5K |
| Positive reviews | **84.0% of reviews** | 73.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#38** | #145 |
| Size | 137 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [WeatherFlow](https://appshunter.io/developer/317992028) | [Juggernaut Technology, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/494748553) |

## What reviewers say

### SailFlow

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sailflow-sailing-forecasts/id555309964)

**Currently charting:** #38 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get hyper-accurate, real-time marine weather forecasts and live wind reports. This app uses proprietary weather systems and integrates public data for detailed wind, wave, tide, and radar information. Customize alerts and track your favorite sailing spots.

**Highlights:** Proprietary Tempest Weather Systems, Live wind and current station reports, AI-enhanced Nearcast forecasting, Radar, satellite, and precipitation maps, Tides charts and wave height, Customizable wind notifications, Nautical charts

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Plus | $3.99 | per month |
| Plus | $5.49 | per month |
| Gold | $14.99 | per month |
| Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Pro - Pay As You Go (auto-renewing) | $19.99 | per month |
| Gold | $21.99 | per month |
| Plus | $44.99 | per year |
| Plus | $44.99 | per year |
| Pro | $119.99 | per year |
| Gold | $179.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to navigate
- 🚀 Accurate wind forecasts
- 🚀 Helpful for planning
- 🚀 Great data and graphics
- 🚀 Reliable and trustworthy

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional inaccurate forecasts
- 🐛 Crashes or freezes
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🔍 Difficult to find specific locations
- 🔍 Confusing interface at times

**Reported bugs**

- Recent update caused app to crash
- Favorites list not working properly
- Wind direction arrow pointing incorrectly

**Requested features**

- Add more local weather stations
- Improve map and location search
- Provide more forecast models
- Add support for Apple Watch
- Fix wind direction arrow issue


### NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-buoy-reports-and-ship-data/id1038264455)

**Currently charting:** #145 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Access detailed buoy and ship observation data without weather forecasts or tide information. View current conditions, historical trends, and storm locations on an intuitive map. Monitor your favorite locations with customizable widgets.

**Highlights:** Intuitive map interface, Quick-view Favorites, Tropical Storm/Hurricane/Cyclone locations, Full buoy current conditions, Past buoy data (Premium), Interactive graphs, Home Screen Widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Annual Subscription | $7.99 | per year |
| Buoy Reports Premium | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Critical infrastructure
- 🚀 Excellent source of sea conditions
- 🚀 Valuable buoy information
- 👍 Plenty of information
- 👍 Great app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 More data needed
- 🐛 Incomplete and inaccurate
- 🐛 Wave height data not working
- 🐛 No buoy reports
- 🐛 No wave data

**Reported bugs**

- Buoy data not available most of the time
- Ships rarely contribute data
- Wave height data missing for certain areas
- Upgraded version still doesn't work

**Requested features**

- GPS coordinates for buoys
- Ability to filter by data type
- Display past wave heights
- Bring back removed buoys


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SailFlow free?

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

### Is NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data free?

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SailFlow or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data?

SailFlow is rated higher. SailFlow averages 4.7 out of 5 from 5.9K ratings, while NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data averages 4.7 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do SailFlow or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data have ads?

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data shows ads; SailFlow does not.

### Which is updated more often, SailFlow or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data?

SailFlow ships an update every 3 weeks, and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data every 2 weeks. Most recently, SailFlow was updated on October 29, 2026 and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data on October 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, SailFlow or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data?

SailFlow currently peaks at #38 in the App Store charts, and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data at #145. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*