# Spitcast Surf Report vs Surf Captain

The clearest difference is monetization model: Surf Captain at free with in-app purchases against Spitcast Surf Report's subscription. Surf Captain also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (76% vs 61%). Spitcast Surf Report's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Spitcast Surf Report sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.49 per month and Surf Captain sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surf Captain holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 408 and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Spitcast Surf Report's written reviews are positive against 76% of Surf Captain's.

Spitcast Surf Report ships an update every 2 months, Surf Captain weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Spitcast Surf Report | Surf Captain |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (408 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spitcast-surf-report/id599090594/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 408 | **1.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 60.7% of reviews | **75.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 15 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Jack Mullis](https://appshunter.io/developer/599090598) | [Weather Captain](https://appshunter.io/developer/1566602260) |

## What reviewers say

### Spitcast Surf Report

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spitcast-surf-report/id599090594)

Get accurate surf forecasts for numerous locations across Northern and Southern California. This app interprets buoy data to provide easy-to-understand surf reports, helping surfers plan their next session.

**Highlights:** Accurate surf forecasts, Northern & Southern California spots, Buoy data interpretation, Easy-to-understand reports, Regional coverage

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $0.49 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Lightweight and easy to use
- 👍 Great surf forecast
- 👍 Accurate reports
- 👍 No advertisements
- 👍 Low cost / high value

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Forecasts are inaccurate (off by feet/mph)
- 🐛 App stopped working after a week
- 🐛 Charts have fixed Y-axis, data exceeds axis
- 🐛 Dark mode impossible to read
- 🐛 Color contrast not accessible

**Reported bugs**

- App started nagging to sign up for premium
- App stopped working after a week
- Charts have fixed Y-axis, data exceeds axis and is unlabeled
- Dark mode is impossible to read
- Color contrast is not accessible

**Requested features**

- Option to change colors
- Add swell direction
- Add hourly specs like website
- Search for specific areas
- Explanation of symbols (circles, % of month letters)


### Surf Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-captain-surf-forecasts/id1566602258)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get detailed 16-day surf forecasts for numerous locations across North America and the Caribbean. This app provides highly accurate predictions in a user-friendly interface, making it easy to plan your next surf session.

**Highlights:** 16-day surf forecasts, United States forecasts, Canada forecasts, Central America forecasts, Caribbean forecasts, Accurate predictions, Simple interface

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surf Captain Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Annual | $19.99 | per year |
| Surf Captain Pro Plus Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Spitcast Surf Report free?

Spitcast Surf Report is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Surf Captain free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Spitcast Surf Report or Surf Captain?

Surf Captain is rated higher. Spitcast Surf Report averages 4.7 out of 5 from 408 ratings, while Surf Captain averages 4.8 from 1.1K ratings.

### Do Spitcast Surf Report or Surf Captain have ads?

Surf Captain shows ads; Spitcast Surf Report does not.

### Which is updated more often, Spitcast Surf Report or Surf Captain?

Spitcast Surf Report ships an update every 2 months, and Surf Captain weekly. Most recently, Spitcast Surf Report was updated on October 22, 2026 and Surf Captain on October 30, 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.*