# Tides Explorer vs Tide forecast

The clearest difference is ads: Tides Explorer at none against Tide forecast's shown. Tides Explorer also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Tide forecast's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tides Explorer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tide forecast sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Tides Explorer holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 13 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Tides Explorer ships an update every 2 months, Tide forecast monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tides Explorer | Tide forecast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tides-explorer/id6446066346/reviews)** | [4.7 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-forecast-waves-and-wind/id6478001743/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 13 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Lonnie Millett](https://appshunter.io/developer/1620072866) | [Oleksandr Kondenko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1650270171) |

## What reviewers say

### Tides Explorer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tides-explorer/id6446066346)

This app provides accurate tide, current, and weather predictions using official NOAA data for thousands of stations. Plan your water activities with clear charts, sun/moon information, and customizable widgets.

**Highlights:** Accurate tide and current predictions, Fast station search, Favorites for quick access, Interactive charts, Weather data at stations, Sun, moon, and twilight info, Home and Lock Screen widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime purchase | $3.00 | one-time |


### Tide forecast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-forecast-waves-and-wind/id6478001743)

This marine guide provides a 5-day forecast for tides, waves, and wind, along with water and air temperatures. It offers localized data for your nearest city, including moon and sun times, to help plan aquatic activities.

**Highlights:** 5-day marine forecast, Tidal movements, Wave heights, Wind direction and speed, Water and air temperature, Moon and sun times, Localized data

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ad-Free experience | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tides Explorer free?

Tides Explorer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Tide forecast free?

Tide forecast is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tides Explorer or Tide forecast?

Tides Explorer is rated higher. Tides Explorer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Tide forecast averages 4.7 from 13 ratings.

### Do Tides Explorer or Tide forecast have ads?

Tide forecast shows ads; Tides Explorer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tides Explorer or Tide forecast?

Tides Explorer ships an update every 2 months, and Tide forecast monthly. Most recently, Tides Explorer was updated on October 27, 2026 and Tide forecast on October 21, 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.*