The Buoy vs Snowmap
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Real-time swell data
- Swell size, period, and direction
- Surf forecast integration
- Save favorite conditions
- Lock screen widget
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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/
Snowmap
Plan your winter mountain adventures with essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts. Get detailed weather forecasts and essential information for safe and enjoyable trips.
- Winter mountain outing planning
- Essential outdoor tools
- Detailed weather forecasts
- Safety information
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All the tools you need to plan your winter mountain outings! Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Snowmap at none against The Buoy's 6. Snowmap also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). The Buoy's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. The Buoy sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Snowmap asks for nothing beyond the download.
The Buoy ships an update every 3 weeks, Snowmap weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Buoy | Snowmap |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 97.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free — better | Ad-supported |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 68 MB | 112 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Thomas Cailhol | Timothee,Vincent,Theo BILLIET |
Customer experience
The Buoy
Snowmap
In-app purchases
The Buoy
- Monthly wax supply$2.991 Month
- Monthly wax supply$3.991 Month
- Monthly wax supply$8.991 Month
- Wax supply$2.99
- Wax supply$3.99
- Wax supply$8.99
Snowmap
No in-app purchases
