# The Buoy vs North Forecasting

The Buoy and North Forecasting are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Buoy | North Forecasting |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 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 | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Size | 68 MB | 83 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Thomas Cailhol](https://appshunter.io/developer/1724362544) | [Remi Audrey D Vanderhaeghen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1791931609) |

## 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 |


### North Forecasting

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/north-forecasting/id6754179073)

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| NORTH PRO monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| NORTH PRO yearly | $17.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Buoy free?

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

### Is North Forecasting free?

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

### Do The Buoy or North Forecasting have ads?

Neither The Buoy nor North Forecasting shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Buoy or North Forecasting?

The Buoy ships an update every 3 weeks, and North Forecasting every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Buoy was updated on October 16, 2026 and North Forecasting on October 6, 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.*