Comparison

Spitcast Surf Report vs Swellify

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

Head to head
About

Spitcast Surf Report

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
Read full description

Spitcast gives you accurate surf forecasts for surf spots throughout Northern CA and Southern California. Surfers trust our surf prediction algorithm to interpret buoy data and provide easy to understand and reliable surf reports at surf spots in regions including Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Orange County, San Diego, and Santa Cruz. Check the forecast, grab your surfboard, and go for a surf! —— Spitcast Subscription purchase details —— • Subscription services are rendered for 1 month • Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase • Subscription automatically renews • Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal • Subscriptions may be managed by the user via the iPhone Settings app • Terms and conditions and privacy policy can be found here https://www.spitcast.com/terms/ and https://www.spitcast.com/privacy/

About

Swellify

Get personalized surf recommendations and real-time forecasts tailored to your skill level. Receive timely notifications for your favorite spots and plan your surf sessions with confidence.

Highlights
  • Personalized surf recommendations
  • Customizable skill level settings
  • Daily surf updates
  • Email and push notifications
  • Save favorite surf spots
  • Hourly custom ratings
Features
Read full description

Swellify is where you find surf that's perfect for you. With personalized surf recommendations, you'll always know when and where to hit the waves. Swellify demystifies surf forecasts once and for all. It's simple and intuitive, anyone can get started instantly with just a three step setup. Get the best surf in 2026 with: Personalized Surf Recommendations - Whether you're a beginner, intermediate or advanced surfer, finding the best surf for you is a snap. Set your skill level and let Swellify do the rest. Notifications That Matter - Receive daily updates about the best surf for you at all your favorite spots. We know you're busy, so Swellify sends you email and push notifications ensuring you're always in the know, even if you forget to check. Goodbye, FOMO! Save Your Faves - Keeping an eye on your favorite surf spots has never been easier. Swellify keeps the surf at your fingertips, whether it's your local home breaks or your favorite road trip destinations. Your Surf, Your Schedule - Completely custom ratings for every hour of every day at every spot. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, Swellify empowers you to surf with confidence knowing the conditions match with your skill level. What surfers are saying: "I am loving the App, push notifications is a game changer. It's so much easier to quickly check and see is it good surf can I be bothered or not." - Suresh “Every time I get an email, I head down to Lyall Bay and there’s surf!” - Vicky “I’m liking the emails. Nice and short summaries and gets me amped for a surf.” - Matthew “Loving the email alerts! Set them for Riversdale, Lyall and Tbay and are working well :)” - Antony Swellify revolutionizes the way you stay connected to the waves. Download now to experience Swellify, your ultimate surf companion. By using Swellify you acknowledge that you have read, understand and accept Swellify's Terms of Service (https://www.swellify.app/legal/terms), Privacy Policy (https://www.swellify.app/legal/privacy) the App Store Terms of Service (https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/).

Screenshots

Spitcast Surf Report3 screens
Swellify4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Swellify at 100% against Spitcast Surf Report's 61%. Swellify also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). Spitcast Surf Report's advantage is ratings volume (408 vs 4) and device support (4 vs 2). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. Spitcast Surf Report sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.49 per month and Swellify sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Swellify holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Spitcast Surf Report has 408 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 61% of Spitcast Surf Report's written reviews are positive against 100% of Swellify's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Spitcast Surf Report ships an update every 2 months, Swellify every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Spitcast Surf Report versus Swellify: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpitcast Surf ReportSwellify
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (408 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews60.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings408 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB125 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJack MullisSwellify Limited

Customer experience

Spitcast Surf Report

All ratings408 ratings
Positive91.2%
Neutral5.4%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive60.7%
Neutral10.7%
Negative28.6%

Swellify

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Spitcast Surf Report

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • 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
Show 5 more
  • No ocean water temps for SOCAL
  • App less complete in offering many surf locations compared to website
  • Graphics not optimized for mobile viewing
  • New UI is terrible
  • App must be on the coast to work

Requested features

8 requests
  • Option to change colors
  • Add swell direction
  • Add hourly specs like website
  • Search for specific areas
  • Explanation of symbols (circles, % of month letters)
Show 3 more
  • Bring back old GUI
  • Indicate prediction for course of one day
  • Explanation for orange vs. gray bars

Swellify

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Spitcast Surf Report

Subscriptions1
  • Unlimited Access$0.491 Month
2 purchases

Swellify

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$5.991 Month
  • Annual$39.991 Year

Questions

Is Spitcast Surf Report free?
Spitcast Surf Report is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Swellify free?
Swellify is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Spitcast Surf Report or Swellify?
Swellify is rated higher. Spitcast Surf Report averages 4.7 out of 5 from 408 ratings, while Swellify averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.
Do Spitcast Surf Report or Swellify have ads?
Neither Spitcast Surf Report nor Swellify shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Spitcast Surf Report or Swellify?
Spitcast Surf Report ships an update every 2 months, and Swellify every 5 days. Most recently, Spitcast Surf Report was updated on October 22, 2026 and Swellify on October 24, 2026.

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