Comparison

Surf vs Hanalei

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

Head to head
About

Surf

Get simple, accurate surf forecasts for over 7,000 breaks worldwide. Plan your sessions with detailed wave information, tide times, and mapping to find the best conditions and nearby spots. Access extended forecasts and custom alerts with premium features.

Highlights
  • Detailed surf forecasts
  • Wavefinder map
  • Live webcam links
  • Tide times
  • 12-day forecasts
  • Custom surf alerts
Features
Read full description

Surf-Forecast.com gives you simple, accurate and easy-to-read surf forecasts so you have the best chance of hitting those breaks when the waves are pumping. Built by surfers, for surfers, and trusted by millions of surfers for over 20 years, our updated app lets you see all your favorite surf spots at a glance. Providing detailed surf forecasts for over 7,000 breaks worldwide, our new features let you see further ahead than ever before - giving you plenty of advance warning for when those swells start coming in. Find the best surfing conditions near you and use the rating tool to find exactly when to go. – FREE App Features ⁃ Detailed surf forecasts ⁃ Wavefinder map ⁃ Live webcam links ⁃ Multi-swell component presentation ⁃ Tide times ⁃ Detailed mapping to locate nearby breaks – Surf Premium Benefits ⁃ Access to the full 16 days of our new Wavefinder feature ⁃ Hourly forecasts ⁃ 16 day forecasts ⁃ Custom surf alerts ⁃ Ad-free browsing on our website So what are you waiting for? Grab your board and get exploring. We’ll see you out there! For the full Terms and Conditions of this service please visit: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Hanalei

Navigate Hanalei and Kauai's North Shore with real-time data on river levels, weather, road conditions, and water quality. Plan your beach visits, surf sessions, and hikes with tidal predictions, surf forecasts, and essential contact information.

Highlights
  • River gauge monitoring
  • Weather forecasts and advisories
  • Water quality advisories
  • Road work information
  • Tidal predictions
  • Surf conditions
  • Local recommendations
Features
Read full description

This app was crafted with aloha to help navigate travel to and from Hanalei with ease using real-time and historical data, all in one place. - Hanalei and North Shore River Gauge Monitoring: Stay updated with real-time river level information for safe travel and hiking. - Flood visualization: Learn and understand how the flood on interactive surface - Weather Forecast: Obtain timely forecast from the National Weather Service to ensure safe and informed travel planning. - Weather Advisories: Receive immediate National Weather Service updates to plan your journey accordingly. - Water Quality Advisories: Get real-time updates on water quality to ensure safe swimming, surfing, paddling and other water activities. - Kauai Road Work Information: Get the latest updates on road conditions and construction work to avoid delays. - Hanalei Bay: Up-to-date tidal predictions for Hanalei Bay to plan your visits or activities with the tides in mind. - Hanalei Bay Beach and Surf Conditions: Real-time wave height, wind, and surf forecasts, along with water/air temperature, humidity, UV index, and sunrise/sunset times. - Essential Contacts: Easy access to important phone numbers for assistance and inquiries. - Real-Time and Historical Data: Comprehensive insights combining current data and historical trends for informed decision-making. - DNLR Updates: Receive real-time DNLR State Park updates on park closures, permits, and conservation efforts for safe Kauai planning. - Locals Tab: Explore Kaua‘i’s North Shore with the Locals tab, showcasing local eats, nonprofits, cultural events, and outdoor adventures. - App and Widget support.

Screenshots

Surf4 screens
Hanalei4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hanalei at none against Surf's 2. Hanalei also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (100% vs 87%). Surf's advantage is chart position (#134 vs unranked) and ratings volume (940 vs 197). On price, rating and device support 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. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Hanalei asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Surf against 4.9 for Hanalei. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 940 and 197 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Surf's written reviews are positive against 100% of Hanalei's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, Hanalei every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
Surf versus Hanalei: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurfHanalei
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (940 ratings)4.9 (197 ratings)
Positive reviews86.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings940 — better197
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#134 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMeteo365 Ltd.Zoltan Horvath

Customer experience

Surf

All ratings940 ratings
Positive99.3%
Neutral0.1%
Negative0.6%
Written reviews122 reviews
Positive86.9%
Neutral3.3%
Negative9.8%

Hanalei

All ratings197 ratings
Positive97.5%
Neutral0.5%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Surf

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Crashes or freezes on some devices
  • Geolocation issues with break markers

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to manually refresh data
  • More detailed tidal/current information
  • Expanded location coverage
  • Improved accuracy for wave height/conditions

Hanalei

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Surf

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Service: Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Premium Service (Yearly)$34.991 Year
None

Hanalei

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surf free?
Surf is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Hanalei free?
Hanalei is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Surf or Hanalei?
Surf and Hanalei are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 940 and 197 ratings respectively.
Do Surf or Hanalei have ads?
Surf shows ads; Hanalei does not.
Which is updated more often, Surf or Hanalei?
Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, and Hanalei every 3 weeks. Most recently, Surf was updated on September 30, 2026 and Hanalei on September 29, 2026.

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