# The Buoy vs Wavemaps

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 (#192 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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Buoy | Wavemaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-buoy/id6476977153/reviews) | **[4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **186** |
| Positive reviews | **96.4% of reviews** | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#192** |
| Size | 68 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Cailhol](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724362544) | [Miguel Canals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830493078) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Wavemaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038)

**Currently charting:** #192 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wavemaps Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Wavemaps Pro | $59.99 | per year |


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