Comparison

Tides US vs OceanPulse

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

Head to head
About

Tides US

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
Read full description

Want to know the best time to launch your boat? The best time to go swimming, or even for a walk at your local beach? Not a problem! With Tides US you can see all live tide information you need to plan that perfect time. Now Free! View all the ports on a handy map so you can easily see which tide stations/ports are nearby using your current location; or search for a specific location in the port list. No need now to browse a massive list of ~1870 ports or navigate on a map to find one of your favorite locations; all recently viewed ports are added to the side menu for quick and easy access. Want to go out fishing during a full moon? With the new moon phase icon, you can see what phase the moon is any day. -- Features -- ** Tide Graph ** Moon Phases ** Sunrise and Sunset times ** 12 Hour or 24 Hour time ** Live estimate of sun position relative to the horizon ** 1870 Stations all over the US and Canada! ** No internet required, perfect for remote locations at sea! (The map view is the only exception, unless the maps have been cached) And just cause we have to: Disclaimer: All precautions have been taken to ensure the data is as accurate as possible. We give no warranty in relation to the material shown including its accuracy, reliability and suitability and accept no liability to any loss, damage or other costs incurred relating to the use of any material shown.

About

OceanPulse

This marine navigation app transforms your device into a chartplotter. Access NOAA nautical charts, plan routes, track voyages, and view tides, currents, and weather, even offline.

Highlights
  • NOAA nautical charts
  • Offline chart downloads
  • Route planning and navigation
  • Tide and current predictions
  • Marine weather forecasts
  • Voyage track recording
  • Marina and anchorage details
Features
Read full description

OceanPulse turns your iPhone and iPad into a full marine chartplotter. Navigate with real NOAA nautical charts, plan routes, record your voyages, and check tides, currents, and marine weather — even miles offshore with no cell signal. Whether you sail, fish, cruise, or paddle, OceanPulse puts everything you need on the water in one beautifully simple app. REAL NAUTICAL CHARTS • Detailed NOAA vector charts with buoys, beacons, lights, wrecks, landmarks, and depth soundings • Tap anything on the chart for a plain-English description of every nautical object under your finger • Depth shading plus a safety-depth layer that hatches water shallower than your chosen depth in red • Bridge clearance labels, light sectors, and depths in feet, meters, or fathoms • Light, dark, and auto themes with road or satellite land overlays OFFLINE CHARTS • Download any region — frame it on the chart and see the exact size before you commit • Downloads continue in the background and resume automatically if interrupted • Update badges tell you when newer charts are available • Only-offline mode shows exactly where you have coverage — no surprises offshore ROUTE PLANNING & NAVIGATION • Tap to drop waypoints, drag to fine-tune — legs redraw live and everything autosaves • Total distance, per-leg distance and bearing, ETA, and estimated fuel burn from your boat's cruise speed • Navigate a route with live distance, bearing, and ETA to the next waypoint — reverse direction anytime TIDES & CURRENTS • Worldwide tide and current predictions computed on your device — no internet required • Interactive tide graphs with highs, lows, slack water, and sun and moon times • Station icons on the chart show rising or falling conditions at a glance, up to 100 years ahead MARINE WEATHER • Wind speed, direction, and gusts, swell height, period, and direction, temperature, clouds, and precipitation • Detailed 3-hourly forecast grid plus a week-ahead outlook for any point you tap on the chart TRACK RECORDING • Record your voyage with live speed, distance, and time — pause and resume anytime • Live Activity keeps your stats on the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island • Review speed graphs and stats for every saved track, then share as a photo or GPX file MARINAS & ANCHORAGES • Marina and anchorage details powered by Waterway Guides: fuel, dockside depth, VHF channel, holding, and wind protection • The Nearby view surfaces marinas, anchorages, and tide stations within 10 nautical miles of your boat WAYPOINTS, GPX & SYNC • Drop custom markers with names, notes, colors, and icons — or enter exact coordinates in DD, DDM, or DMS • Import and export GPX waypoints, routes, and tracks to and from any other app or chartplotter • iCloud sync keeps your waypoints, routes, tracks, and boat profile up to date on all your devices BUILT FOR THE HELM • GPS follow and course-up modes with a projected course line, plus live speed and heading readouts • Caliper tool measures distance and bearing between any two points on the chart • One search for places, marinas, anchorages, tide stations, and your own waypoints, routes, and tracks • Snap a photo of your boat and OceanPulse estimates its specs to set up your vessel profile in seconds Perfect for sailing, fishing, powerboating, coastal cruising, kayaking, and offshore passages — from your home harbor to waters you've never explored. Read the EULA at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Tides US4 screens
OceanPulse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: OceanPulse at 100% against Tides US's 38%. OceanPulse also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.8) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 8 months). Tides US's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (20 vs 3). On price, ads and device support 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. OceanPulse sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $49.99 per year. Tides US asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

OceanPulse 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 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 38% of Tides US's written reviews are positive against 100% of OceanPulse's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tides US ships an update every 8 months, OceanPulse every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Tides US versus OceanPulse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTides USOceanPulse
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (20 ratings)5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews37.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings20 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS7.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB109 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLoft Labs Interactive IncOceanPulse LLC

Customer experience

Tides US

All ratings20 ratings
Positive30.0%
Neutral30.0%
Negative40.0%
Written reviews32 reviews
Positive37.5%
Neutral15.6%
Negative46.9%

OceanPulse

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Tides US

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

OceanPulse

Subscriptions1
  • OceanPulse Pro7 Days trial$49.991 Year

Questions

Is Tides US free?
Tides US is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is OceanPulse free?
OceanPulse is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Tides US or OceanPulse?
OceanPulse is rated higher. Tides US averages 2.8 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while OceanPulse averages 5.0 from 3 ratings.
Do Tides US or OceanPulse have ads?
Neither Tides US nor OceanPulse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Tides US or OceanPulse?
Tides US ships an update every 8 months, and OceanPulse every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tides US was updated on November 1, 2026 and OceanPulse on November 10, 2026.

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