# Surf vs Wave Whisperer

The clearest difference is ads: Wave Whisperer at none against Surf's shown. Wave Whisperer also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 weeks) and review sentiment (100% vs 87%). Surf's advantage is ratings volume (940 vs 2) and chart position (#72 vs unranked). On price, rating, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Wave Whisperer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Surf against 5.0 for Wave Whisperer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf has 940 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 87% of Surf's written reviews are positive against 100% of Wave Whisperer's.

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, Wave Whisperer every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf | Wave Whisperer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (940 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-whisperer/id6769619488/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **940** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 87.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#72** | — |
| Size | 138 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) | [In the Moment Technology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896674486) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf

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

**Currently charting:** #72 Top Grossing · Weather, #177 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


### Wave Whisperer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-whisperer/id6769619488)

Access real-time buoy data for surfers, including swell height, period, direction, and sea surface temperature. Track historical readings, compare conditions over 24 hours, and learn about buoy data with an educational section. Features a low-light mode and customizable units.

**Highlights:** Real-time buoy data (swell, period, direction, temp), 24-hour condition comparison, Save and revisit historical readings, Rotating compass with swell direction, Buoy School educational section, Low Light display mode, Customizable units (feet/meters, F/C)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf free?

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

### Is Wave Whisperer free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surf or Wave Whisperer?

Wave Whisperer is rated higher. Surf averages 4.9 out of 5 from 940 ratings, while Wave Whisperer averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Surf or Wave Whisperer have ads?

Surf shows ads; Wave Whisperer does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf or Wave Whisperer?

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, and Wave Whisperer every 9 days. Most recently, Surf was updated on October 18, 2026 and Wave Whisperer on October 13, 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.*