Comparison

The Buoy vs Wavemaps

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

The Buoy

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
Read full description

The Buoy is the simplest way to take the pulse of the ocean. Thanks to data provided by services like the NOAA in the US, Cerema (Candhis) in France, Channel Coastal Observatory in the UK/Ireland, Portus in Spain and Hidrografico in Portugal, the buoy allows you to know in real-time the swell conditions around you: size, period, and direction. But The Buoy goes even further. We cross-reference this data with surf forecasts so you can easily plan your sessions. You can also save your favorite conditions to know exactly when a spot is working according to YOUR criteria. Our widget, very easy to use, allows you to have the conditions at your favourite buoy in real-time on your iPhone's locked screen. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Wavemaps

This app provides detailed wave, surf, and wind forecasts for water enthusiasts and marine professionals. It offers global and nearshore wave modeling, real-time ocean data, and interactive 3D maps to visualize conditions. Users can save favorite locations and access premium features for advanced analysis.

Highlights
  • Global and nearshore wave forecasts
  • Custom ultra high-resolution wave models
  • Thousands of worldwide locations
  • Real-time ocean conditions from buoys
  • Interactive 3D-capable maps
  • Wave-seabed interaction visualization
  • Professional tools and extended forecasts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Wavemaps — A Professional Wave Forecasting Platform Wavemaps is a professional wave, wind, and marine forecasting platform built for people who spend serious time on or near the water. Surfers, fishers, sailors, captains, lifeguards, marine engineers, and coastal professionals run on the same system: the world's leading wave and marine weather models, refined into hyperlocal forecasts up to 16 days out. MULTI-MODEL COMPARISON Detailed wave forecasts compared side by side across leading global models, including ECMWF and GFS. Read the agreement between models at a glance and make calls with confidence. WAVEMAPS TIME MACHINE Visualize wave and wind forecast maps from 1979 to the present. Replay historical swells, storms, and seasons — and save them as memories to revisit. WAVEMAPS ENERGY COMPASS Our signature swell-direction visualization. See where wave energy is coming from, how it's distributed across components, and how it aligns with the coast you care about. ADVANCED SWELL COMPONENT ANALYSIS Decompose every wave forecast into its swell and wind-wave components — height, period, and direction for each. Know exactly which swell is doing the work. WAVEMAPS HD Ultra-high-resolution nearshore wave forecasts powered by our custom Wavemaps HD engine. For the first time in a forecasting platform, see how waves interact with the seabed — bathymetry, refraction, and shoaling rendered the way you'd see them on a research instrument. Available only in certain regions. WIND FORECASTS High-resolution wind forecasts including gusts, sustained speeds, and direction. Identify offshore, side-shore, and onshore conditions for any spot. THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS Browse surf spots, fishing zones, and wave buoys worldwide. Save your favorites for personalized forecasts. Add your own spots and pull wave forecasts anywhere in the world. INTERACTIVE 3D MAPS Explore ultra-high-resolution maps of ocean and weather conditions across nearshore and offshore areas. Smooth, GPU-driven 3D visualization helps you understand current conditions and how they're changing over time. PROFESSIONAL FEATURES Premium subscriptions unlock advanced capabilities, extended forecast ranges, and deeper data analysis for users who need traceable, decision-grade ocean intelligence. Terms of Service: https://www.wavemaps.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.wavemaps.com/privacy

Screenshots

The Buoy4 screens
Wavemaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Wavemaps at 4.9 against The Buoy's 4.0. Wavemaps also leads on ratings volume (186 vs 1) and chart position (#178 vs unranked). The Buoy's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. The Buoy sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Wavemaps holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 186 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 96% of The Buoy's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Buoy ships an update every 3 weeks, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
The Buoy versus Wavemaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe BuoyWavemaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)4.9 (186 ratings) — better
Positive reviews96.4% of reviews — better87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings1186 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeks — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#178 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size68 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperThomas CailholMiguel Canals

Customer experience

The Buoy

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive96.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative3.6%

Wavemaps

All ratings186 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral0.5%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

The Buoy

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly wax supply$2.991 Month
  • Monthly wax supply$3.991 Month
  • Monthly wax supply$8.991 Month
One-time3
  • Wax supply$2.99
  • Wax supply$3.99
  • Wax supply$8.99
2 purchases

Wavemaps

Subscriptions2
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is The Buoy free?
The Buoy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Buoy or Wavemaps?
Wavemaps is rated higher. The Buoy averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Wavemaps averages 4.9 from 186 ratings.
Do The Buoy or Wavemaps have ads?
Neither The Buoy nor Wavemaps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Buoy or Wavemaps?
The Buoy ships an update every 3 weeks, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, The Buoy was updated on October 14, 2026 and Wavemaps on October 15, 2026.

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