Spitcast Surf Report vs Driftline
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Accurate surf forecasts
- Northern & Southern California spots
- Buoy data interpretation
- Easy-to-understand reports
- Regional coverage
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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/
Driftline
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Driftline tells you how dangerous the water is right now — and how it will change through the day — so you can pick the safest time to get in. Built for beachgoers, swimmers, surfers, and families, Driftline pairs the National Weather Service's rip-current outlook with NOAA tide and water-temperature data in a calm, glanceable design. WHAT YOU GET • Rip-current risk on a clear four-step scale — Calm, Moderate, High, Severe — with plain-language guidance • A live tide curve with the next high and low, plus water temperature, waves, and wind • Hourly outlook — tide, swell, and risk through the day • A coast map: search any U.S. beach and jump straight to its conditions • Active National Weather Service rip-current alerts • A built-in rip-current safety guide DRIFTLINE PRO — one-time $4.99 unlock • Rip-current risk alerts when the water climbs to High or above • Tide reminders before the next high and low • Unlimited saved beaches The forecast and current risk are always free. One-time purchase, no subscription. DATA Rip-current risk and alerts come from the U.S. National Weather Service (weather.gov). Tides and water temperature come from NOAA Tides & Currents. No account required, and no personal data collected. SAFETY Driftline is an informational forecast, not a substitute for posted warnings or lifeguard instructions. Conditions can change quickly — always heed local signage and swim near a staffed lifeguard tower.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Driftline at every 9 days against Spitcast Surf Report's every 2 months. Spitcast Surf Report's advantage is device support (4 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). 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
Both are free to download. Spitcast Surf Report sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.49 per month and Driftline sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Spitcast Surf Report ships an update every 2 months, Driftline every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Spitcast Surf Report | Driftline |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (408 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 60.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 408 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 9 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Subscription | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jack Mullis | James Jordan |
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
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- 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)
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- Bring back old GUI
- Indicate prediction for course of one day
- Explanation for orange vs. gray bars
Driftline
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Spitcast Surf Report
- Unlimited Access$0.491 Month
Driftline
- Driftline Pro$4.99
Questions
Is Spitcast Surf Report free?
Is Driftline free?
Do Spitcast Surf Report or Driftline have ads?
Which is updated more often, Spitcast Surf Report or Driftline?
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