Comparison

Tides Explorer vs Surf Prophet

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

Head to head
About

Tides Explorer

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
Currently charting
Read full description

Tides Explorer — Accurate Tides, Currents, and Marine Weather Tides Explorer is a precision tide and current app for sailors, boaters, paddlers, and swimmers, built on official NOAA data covering over 6,000 stations across the United States and international waters. It helps you understand not just what the water will do, but when and why, using clear charts and reliable predictions you can plan around. Core Features Get accurate tide and current predictions straight from NOAA, with fast search by name or location and interactive charts for exploring and comparing stations. At supported stations, see real observed water levels laid over the prediction (Pro) — so you know what the water's actually doing, not just what it's supposed to do. Save your favorite spots for quick access (Pro), track real-time weather at supported stations — wind, air and water temperature, and barometric pressure (Pro) — and check sun, moon, and twilight times to help plan your time on the water. Plan Around What Matters to You Drag a custom reference line onto any favorite station's chart — on a current station, mark a safe velocity to catch slack water before transiting a pass — and see exactly when you're above or below it. Set alerts for high and low tides, current extremes, your reference line, or slack water itself (Pro), plus new Moon Over Water alerts for when moonrise or moonset lines up with the water near sunset or sunrise. Designed for Apple Platforms Tides Explorer includes Home and Lock Screen widgets and a full Apple Watch app with multiple complications, all optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Built for the Water Ideal for sailing, boating, kayaking, swimming, fishing, and coastal exploration, Tides Explorer delivers dependable marine data without clutter, so you can plan confidently and focus on the water.

About

Surf Prophet

Get personalized surf spot recommendations powered by AI. This app analyzes ocean conditions and your past performance to help you find the best waves. Track your sessions, discover optimal conditions, and contribute to a community-driven surf forecasting database.

Highlights
  • AI-powered surf spot recommendations
  • Personalized predictions with confidence percentages
  • Detailed reasoning for spot suggestions
  • Session logging and condition tracking
  • Seasonal performance analytics
  • Comprehensive spot database
  • Community-driven data sharing
Features
Read full description

Surf Prophet - AI Surf Forecasting Turn every surf session into better waves with intelligent, data-driven predictions. Surf Prophet revolutionizes surf forecasting by combining real-time ocean conditions with machine learning algorithms trained on actual surf sessions. Instead of guessing where to surf, get personalized recommendations based on historical performance data and current conditions. Smart Predictions AI analyzes current swell, wind, and tide data against user-logged sessions Get ranked recommendations with confidence percentages Detailed reasoning for each spot recommendation Learn which breaks work best in specific conditions Data-Driven Insights Track your sessions with detailed condition logging Seasonal performance analytics for every break Success rate tracking across different spots Discover optimal conditions for your favorite waves Real-Time Conditions Live NOAA buoy data from multiple sources Accurate swell height, period, and direction Current wind and tide information Data confidence indicators for reliability Comprehensive Spot Database Add and share new surf spots with the community Spot-specific break types and skill level recommendations GPS coordinates and optimal condition ranges Advanced Analytics Monthly performance breakdowns by spot Learned optimal conditions from successful sessions Historical trends and seasonal patterns Export session data for personal analysis Community Features Log sessions to improve predictions for everyone Contribute new surf spots to the database Anonymous data sharing for better forecasting Community-verified spot information Perfect For: Surfers who want to maximize their wave time Data enthusiasts who love surf analytics Beginners learning which breaks suit their skill level Experienced surfers tracking performance trends Why Surf Prophet? Traditional surf forecasts tell you what the waves are doing. Surf Prophet tells you where YOU should surf based on what actually works. Our AI learns from real surf sessions, not just meteorological models. Every session you log makes the predictions smarter. Every spot you add helps the community. Join the future of surf forecasting where data meets stoke. Requirements: iOS 15.0 or later Location permission for accurate local conditions Internet connection for real-time data Download Surf Prophet and never surf mediocre waves again.

Screenshots

Tides Explorer4 screens
Surf Prophet3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Surf Prophet at Free against Tides Explorer's $5.00. Surf Prophet also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (daily vs every 2 months). Tides Explorer's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#76 vs unranked). On review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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

Surf Prophet is free to download; Tides Explorer costs $5.00 up front. Tides Explorer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Surf Prophet asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Tides Explorer ships an update every 2 months, Surf Prophet daily. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Tides Explorer versus Surf Prophet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTides ExplorerSurf Prophet
Price$5.00Free — better
Rating5.0 (25 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings25 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#76 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.6 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLonnie MillettChristopher Boyns

Customer experience

Tides Explorer

All ratings25 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Surf Prophet

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Tides Explorer

One-time1
  • Lifetime purchase$3.00
None

Surf Prophet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Tides Explorer free?
Tides Explorer costs $5.00, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Surf Prophet free?
Surf Prophet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Tides Explorer or Surf Prophet have ads?
Surf Prophet shows ads; Tides Explorer does not.
Which is updated more often, Tides Explorer or Surf Prophet?
Tides Explorer ships an update every 2 months, and Surf Prophet daily. Most recently, Tides Explorer was updated on September 17, 2026 and Surf Prophet on June 1, 2026.

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