# Tide Chart USA vs Ocean Watch

The clearest difference is ads: Ocean Watch at none against Tide Chart USA's shown. Ocean Watch also leads on device support (4 vs 2). Tide Chart USA's advantage is monetization model (ad-supported vs paid) and ratings volume (7.7K vs 2.5K). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Tide Chart USA against 4.8 for Ocean Watch. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7.7K and 2.5K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 68% of Tide Chart USA's written reviews are positive against 73% of Ocean Watch's.

Tide Chart USA ships an update every 5 months, Ocean Watch every 8 months. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide Chart USA | Ocean Watch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (7.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-chart-usa/id593308377/reviews) | [4.8 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocean-watch/id865207409/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.7K** | 2.5K |
| Positive reviews | 68.0% of reviews | **73.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Paid |
| Size | 9 MB | 281 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [hanitaro](https://appshunter.io/developer/500375118) | [Blue Bright Labs LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/865207412) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide Chart USA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-chart-usa/id593308377)

Access detailed tidal information for various locations. This app is designed for recreational fishing enthusiasts, providing essential data for planning your next outing. It is intended for personal use and not for commercial navigation.

**Highlights:** Tidal information display, Designed for fishing, Recreational use, No warranty provided

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent tide chart
- 👍 Easy to read and understand
- 👍 Useful for boating, fishing, and other activities
- 👍 Accurate and reliable
- 👍 Simple and visually appealing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Location issues - app defaults to wrong location
- 🐛 Inaccurate tide information in some areas
- 🐛 Unable to change or add locations
- 🐛 Daylight saving time not handled properly
- 🐛 Tide chart not detailed enough in some areas

**Reported bugs**

- Tide information off by an hour
- App gets stuck in wrong location
- Spelling errors in the app
- Incompatible with some devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to scroll backwards in time
- Extend timeline further into the future
- Add more location options
- Include current weather and conditions
- Provide a widget for the lock screen


### Ocean Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocean-watch/id865207409)

Access tide predictions for over 3,300 stations across the US and Caribbean. Visualize tide data with stunning graphics and an interactive almanac. Plan your activities with offline access to predictions and custom notes.

**Highlights:** 3,300+ tide stations, Stunning graphics and visualizations, Offline tide predictions, Interactive almanac, Integrated station map, Custom notes and images

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Accurate tide information
- 🌟 Excellent app design and user experience
- ⏱️ Quick and responsive
- 🔍 Useful for planning beach activities
- 🗺️ Supports multiple locations

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Limited coverage for some areas (e.g., Canada)
- 🔍 Inconsistent performance on Apple Watch
- 🔍 Complications not always accurate or up-to-date
- 🔍 Difficulty setting favorites or customizing the app

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to open tide station details
- Tide data sometimes stuck on wrong location
- Apple Watch app not syncing or updating correctly
- Issues with the app's widget not displaying accurate information

**Requested features**

- Add water temperature and wind speed data
- Improve Apple Watch complication to show more detailed tide information
- Expand coverage to more locations, especially in Canada and other countries
- Add ability to set tide alerts or notifications
- Improve stability and reliability to reduce crashes


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide Chart USA free?

Tide Chart USA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Ocean Watch free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tide Chart USA or Ocean Watch?

Tide Chart USA and Ocean Watch are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7.7K and 2.5K ratings respectively.

### Do Tide Chart USA or Ocean Watch have ads?

Tide Chart USA shows ads; Ocean Watch does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tide Chart USA or Ocean Watch?

Tide Chart USA ships an update every 5 months, and Ocean Watch every 8 months. Most recently, Tide Chart USA was updated on September 24, 2026 and Ocean Watch on September 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.*