# Surf vs Surfy Life

The clearest difference is ads: Surfy Life at none against Surf's shown. Surfy Life also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 6 weeks). Surf's advantage is ratings volume (1K vs 1) and chart position (#86 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 Surfy Life sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. 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 Surfy Life. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf has 1K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, Surfy Life every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf | Surfy Life |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfy-life/id6785121989/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 86.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#86** | — |
| Size | 138 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) | [Dean Haddock](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785121991) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf

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

**Currently charting:** #86 Top Grossing · Weather, #115 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


### Surfy Life

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfy-life/id6785121989)

This app personalizes surf forecasts by learning your preferences for wave height, wind, and tide. It integrates with your calendar to help you plan your week around optimal surf conditions. Enjoy detailed oceanographic data and a clean interface designed for surfers.

**Highlights:** Personalized surf forecasts, Calendar integration, On-device AI/ML intelligence, Interactive maps, Detailed oceanographic data, Cross-device sync

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Locals | $4.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf free?

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

### Is Surfy Life free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Surf or Surfy Life?

Surfy Life is rated higher. Surf averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1K ratings, while Surfy Life averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Surf or Surfy Life have ads?

Surf shows ads; Surfy Life does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surf or Surfy Life?

Surf ships an update every 6 weeks, and Surfy Life every 3 days. Most recently, Surf was updated on November 7, 2026 and Surfy Life on October 31, 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.*