# Surf vs WindRose

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: WindRose at none against Surf's 2. WindRose also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 weeks). Surf's advantage is chart position (#72 vs unranked). On price 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. WindRose asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, WindRose every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf | WindRose |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (991 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **991** | — |
| Positive reviews | 87.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#72** | — |
| Size | 138 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) | [Oliver Toro](https://appshunter.io/developer/1783116498) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf

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

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Grossing · Weather, #169 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


### WindRose

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/windrose/id6738954279)

Monitor wind intensity and duration for the next 12 hours. Understand land wind patterns to infer sea conditions. Essential for planning outdoor activities and maritime endeavors.

**Highlights:** Wind intensity tracking, Wind duration forecast, 12-hour wind evolution, Sea condition inference, Land wind analysis

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf free?

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

### Is WindRose free?

WindRose is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Surf or WindRose have ads?

Surf shows ads; WindRose does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf or WindRose?

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, and WindRose every 2 weeks. Most recently, Surf was updated on October 21, 2026 and WindRose on October 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*