# The Buoy vs Snowmap

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Buoy | Snowmap |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-buoy/id6476977153/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2** | — |
| Positive reviews | 97.1% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Ad-supported |
| Size | 68 MB | 112 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Cailhol](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724362544) | [Timothee,Vincent,Theo BILLIET](https://appshunter.io/developer/1832538197) |

## 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 |


### Snowmap

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/snowmap/id6749868923)

Plan your winter mountain adventures with essential tools for outdoor enthusiasts. Get detailed weather forecasts and essential information for safe and enjoyable trips.

**Highlights:** Winter mountain outing planning, Essential outdoor tools, Detailed weather forecasts, Safety information

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Buoy free?

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

### Is Snowmap free?

Snowmap is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Buoy or Snowmap have ads?

Snowmap shows ads; The Buoy does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Buoy or Snowmap?

The Buoy ships an update every 3 weeks, and Snowmap weekly. Most recently, The Buoy was updated on October 16, 2026 and Snowmap on October 9, 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.*