# Surf vs The Buoy

The clearest difference is ads: The Buoy at none against Surf's shown. The Buoy also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and review sentiment (97% vs 86%). Surf's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (999 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and The Buoy sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surf holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf has 999 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Surf's written reviews are positive against 97% of The Buoy's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, The Buoy every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 27, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf | The Buoy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (999 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** | [4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-buoy/id6476977153/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **999** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 86.4% of reviews | **97.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#103** | — |
| Size | 138 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) | [Thomas Cailhol](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724362544) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636)

**Currently charting:** #103 Top Grossing · Weather, #153 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service: Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Service (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate surf forecasts
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of locations
- 🔍 Detailed information (swell, wind, tides, etc.)
- 💰 Good value for subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Inconsistent data updates
- 🌊 Wave height/conditions not always accurate
- 🏞️ Missing data for some locations (e.g. Great Lakes)
- 🤔 Confusing or misleading surf ratings/forecasts

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Geolocation issues with break markers

**Requested features**

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


### The Buoy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-buoy/id6476977153)

Get real-time ocean swell updates including size, period, and direction. This app combines buoy data with surf forecasts to help you plan your sessions and save your favorite conditions.

**Highlights:** Real-time swell data, Swell size, period, and direction, Surf forecast integration, Save favorite conditions, Lock screen widget

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

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly wax supply | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly wax supply | $3.99 | per month |
| Monthly wax supply | $8.99 | per month |
| Wax supply | $2.99 | one-time |
| Wax supply | $3.99 | one-time |
| Wax supply | $8.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf free?

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

### Is The Buoy free?

The Buoy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Surf or The Buoy?

Surf is rated higher. Surf averages 4.9 out of 5 from 999 ratings, while The Buoy averages 4.5 from 2 ratings.

### Do Surf or The Buoy have ads?

Surf shows ads; The Buoy does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf or The Buoy?

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Buoy every 3 weeks. Most recently, Surf was updated on October 27, 2026 and The Buoy on October 27, 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.*