Surf vs Hanalei
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Detailed surf forecasts
- Wavefinder map
- Live webcam links
- Tide times
- 12-day forecasts
- Custom surf alerts
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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/
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.
- River gauge monitoring
- Weather forecasts and advisories
- Water quality advisories
- Road work information
- Tidal predictions
- Surf conditions
- Local recommendations
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Hanalei asks for nothing beyond the download.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Surf | Hanalei |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (940 ratings) | 4.9 (197 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 86.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 940 — better | 197 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #134 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 138 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Meteo365 Ltd. | Zoltan Horvath |
Customer experience
Surf
Hanalei
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
Surf
- Premium Service: Monthly$4.991 Month
- Premium Service (Yearly)$34.991 Year
Hanalei
No in-app purchases








