# Tides US vs NESW

The clearest difference is rating: NESW at 5.0 against Tides US's 2.8. Tides US's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 8 months vs every 57 months). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

NESW holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tides US has 20 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Tides US's written reviews are positive against 25% of NESW's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Tides US ships an update every 8 months, NESW every 57 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tides US | NESW |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.8 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tides-us/id590041098/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nesw-tactical-compass/id1174329659/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **37.5% of reviews** | 25.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 8 months** | Every 57 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 8 MB | 8 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 16.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Loft Labs Interactive Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/482491153) | [Solaz Dazen srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/802275887) |

## What reviewers say

### Tides US

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tides-us/id590041098)

Plan your outdoor activities with real-time tide information. Discover the best times for boating, swimming, or beach walks. Access data for over 1870 stations across the US and Canada, even offline.

**Highlights:** Live tide information, Moon phase tracking, Sunrise and sunset times, Sun position estimate, Offline tide data, Map view of tide stations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### NESW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nesw-tactical-compass/id1174329659)

A simple, easy-to-read compass app showing heading, cardinal direction, and magnetic north. It also features a flashlight toggle for convenience during outdoor activities.

**Highlights:** Heading and cardinal direction indicator, Magnetic North pointer, Large font degree heading, Rotating compass rose, Background color change for North, Integrated flashlight toggle

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tides US free?

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

### Is NESW free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tides US or NESW?

NESW is rated higher. Tides US averages 2.8 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while NESW averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Tides US or NESW have ads?

NESW shows ads; Tides US does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tides US or NESW?

Tides US ships an update every 8 months, and NESW every 57 months. Most recently, Tides US was updated on October 23, 2026 and NESW on October 24, 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.*