Comparison

Tides Near Me vs SurfMatch

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

Head to head
About

Tides Near Me

Get tide charts and current predictions worldwide. See water levels, high/low tide times, and sun/moon data at a glance. Plan your outdoor activities with ease.

Highlights
  • Nearby tide and current stations
  • Graphical tide charts
  • Readable tide tables
  • Current direction and timing
  • Sun and moon information
  • Home Screen widgets
  • Apple Watch support
Features
Read full description

Tide charts and currents near you - fast. See the last and next tide at a glance, with clear tide charts, tide tables, current predictions and marine weather for stations worldwide. Designed for real planning: • See whether the water is rising or falling right now • Check high and low tide times quickly • Check wind, seas and marine warnings before you head out • Plan fishing, boating, surfing, beach walks and dock access • View sun and moon rise and set alongside tides Features: • Nearby tide and current stations • Every station in three tabs: Now, Week and Map • Graphical tide and current charts • Simple, readable tide tables • Current direction and timing • Marine weather: wind, seas, air and water temperature, visibility and marine warnings where available • Insights on the Week tab, such as the highest and lowest tides and the most active weekend • A map with layers: Depth Chart, Wind & Waves, Weather Radar, Moving Tides and Moving Currents • Bays, harbors and channels named on the map, and a dark map for night • Sun and moon information • Speeds in mph, knots or km/h • Portrait and landscape on iPhone, with layouts made for iPad and iPhone Duo • Home Screen widgets for quick access • Apple Watch app and complication support Free core features are available. Two optional subscriptions add more: • Premium: 30-day forecasts, 30-day insights and no ads. • Go Mode: nautical charts with depths, marks and hazards that follow your position on the water, heading up, with depth, speed, wind and seas along the bottom of the screen. Go Mode records each trip so you can replay it with the tide, current and weather, saves your fishing spots, anchorages and hazards as marks, shows speed, heading and depth on your Lock Screen, in the Dynamic Island and on Apple Watch, and switches to a dark chart at night. Includes everything in Premium. Available in US waters. New subscribers get a 7-day free trial. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

SurfMatch

This app provides advanced surf forecasting by combining premium weather data, wave modeling, and community input. It offers a clean interface with essential surf conditions, helping users find better waves and avoid disappointing sessions.

Highlights
  • AI-driven surf forecasting
  • 325+ curated surf breaks
  • SurfMatch Score (0-5 rating)
  • Dynamic strike zones
  • Live telemetry and buoy data
  • 3-day hyper-local forecasts
  • Interactive map cues
Read full description

A note from Cory, founder & surfer: Most surf apps are cluttered with confusing graphs and aggressive ads. SurfMatch is built by surfers who wanted a better way. We combine marine data, advanced wave modeling, and community feedback to help you score more waves and suffer fewer skunkings. 325+ Curated Breaks (And Growing) We track over 300 curated surf spots around the world, and we keep adding more. If you download the app and don't see your local break on the map yet, let us know! Use the "Request a Spot" feature in the app or reach out directly to info@surfmatchapp.com, and we'll add it to the top of our development queue. Stop checking five different apps to figure out where to paddle out. Surf Face Estimate: We translate deepwater buoy data into an estimated rideable wave height based on local bathymetry. SurfMatch Score: A 1-5 rating tailored to the unique mechanics of each spot. Dynamic Strike Zones (Pro): Interactive tidal curves that track against a break's bathymetry and lock into the optimal window. Live Buoy Data (Pro): Real-time wave readings and size boosts from offshore stations where available. What You Get For Free: The SurfMatch Score: Stop doing mental math with wind angles and swell periods. Our algorithm synthesizes the data to rate every hour. Free SurfMatch Intelligence: Test-drive our digital coach with a free, hyper-local analysis. Tap the Intelligence icon to get a detailed breakdown of your break's bathymetry and swell metrics before you paddle out. No subscription required. 3-Day Forecasts: Get hyper-local windows for your nearest breaks. Interactive Map Cues: Read the lineup with intuitive map arrows (Blue for Swell, Pink for Wind) aligned to oceanographic flow standards. Simple, Clean Interface: Get the essential data (Est. Surf Face, wave energy, wind direction, and tide tracking) in a premium interface designed for actual surfers, not meteorologists. Save Your Spots: Save up to 3 of your go-to breaks and sync conditions across devices. Unlock SurfMatch Pro Try Pro free, then continue with a monthly or annual plan. Pricing is shown in the app before you subscribe. Cancel anytime. Upgrade to unlock the full forecasting toolkit: Live Ocean Radar & High-Resolution Marine Data: Stop relying exclusively on generic weather models. Access high-resolution marine data and track incoming storm cells and swell energy with our interactive radar. Live Buoy Data & Boosts: See what is happening in the water right now with dedicated tracking cards and real-time size and period boosts where buoy data is available. Pro SurfMatch Intelligence: Your personal digital surf coach and travel agent. Ask for quiver matches and lineup tactics, or plan strike missions with live flight prices and wave dossiers sent directly to your inbox. Dynamic Strike Zones: Never miss the window. Our tidal curve tracks against a break's unique bathymetry. When the tide hits the optimal window, it locks into the Strike Zone. Local Creator Profiles: Want your session captured? Spot forecasts feature local surf photographers and videographers. Check out their portfolios and connect directly to book a shoot. 14-Day Outlook: Plan your sessions, road trips, and strike missions up to two weeks in advance. Unlimited Favorites: Save your entire local hit-list in a day-by-day matrix sorted by live conditions. Download SurfMatch today and know before you go. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.surfmatchapp.com/legal-pages/terms-conditions Privacy Policy: https://www.surfmatchapp.com/legal-pages/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Tides Near Me4 screens
SurfMatch4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Tides Near Me at 164K against SurfMatch's 1. Tides Near Me also leads on chart position (#50 vs unranked). SurfMatch's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Tides Near Me sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and SurfMatch sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SurfMatch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tides Near Me has 164K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Tides Near Me's written reviews are positive against 100% of SurfMatch's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tides Near Me ships an update every 2 weeks, SurfMatch every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Tides Near Me versus SurfMatch: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTides Near MeSurfMatch
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (164K ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings164K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
Best chart rank#50 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size83 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShelter Island Mapping Company, LLCCory King

Customer experience

Tides Near Me

All ratings163,201 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral2.3%
Negative1.6%
Written reviews739 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral3.5%
Negative17.3%

SurfMatch

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Tides Near Me

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Connection errors and inability to load tide data
  • Incompatibility issues in certain regions

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to view tide information further in advance
  • Integration with weather/wind data
  • Customizable home screen and favorite locations
  • Tide height information on main screen
  • Alerts or notifications for ideal conditions

SurfMatch

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Tides Near Me

Subscriptions4
  • Tides Near Me Premium$1.991 Month
  • Go Mode7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Tides Near Me Premium$14.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Go Mode7 Days trial$19.991 Year
2 purchases

SurfMatch

Subscriptions2
  • SurfMatch Pro Monthly Subscription7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • SurfMatch Pro Annual Subscription7 Days trial$44.991 Year

Questions

Is Tides Near Me free?
Tides Near Me is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SurfMatch free?
SurfMatch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tides Near Me or SurfMatch?
SurfMatch is rated higher. Tides Near Me averages 4.8 out of 5 from 164K ratings, while SurfMatch averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Tides Near Me or SurfMatch have ads?
Neither Tides Near Me nor SurfMatch shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tides Near Me or SurfMatch?
Tides Near Me ships an update every 2 weeks, and SurfMatch every 5 days. Most recently, Tides Near Me was updated on November 7, 2026 and SurfMatch on November 5, 2026.

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