# Tide vs Swell Intel

The clearest difference is update cadence: Swell Intel at every 6 days against Tide's every 3 months. Swell Intel also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 90%). Tide's advantage is ratings volume (206 vs 11) and chart position (#186 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tide sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Swell Intel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Tide against 5.0 for Swell Intel. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tide has 206 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Tide's written reviews are positive against 100% of Swell Intel's.

Tide ships an update every 3 months, Swell Intel every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 27, 2026 and July 18, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide | Swell Intel |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (206 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-forecastcom/id6499426171/reviews) | [5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **206** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#186** | — |
| Size | 57 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) | [Swell Intel LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822856502) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-forecastcom/id6499426171)

**Currently charting:** #186 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get accurate 30-day tide predictions, moon phases, and sunrise/sunset times for any location worldwide. Includes local weather conditions, wave heights, and swell periods to help plan your outdoor activities.

**Highlights:** 30-day tide graphs and tables, Moon phases, Sunrise and sunset times, Local weather conditions, Wave heights and swell periods, Global location forecasting

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Service (Yearly) | $19.99 | per year |


### Swell Intel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816)

Get detailed surf forecasts, real-time conditions, and smart alerts to find the best waves. Plan your surf trips with up to 16-day forecasts and easily scan spot conditions at a glance. Receive notifications when conditions meet your standards, ensuring you never miss a good session.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts up to 16 days, Real-time wave height, swell, and wind data, Smart alerts for optimal surf conditions, At-a-glance spot condition ratings, Detailed forecast charts (swell, wind, tide), Find and save nearby surf spots

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swell Intel Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Swell Intel Premium Plus | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide free?

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

### Is Swell Intel free?

Swell Intel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Tide or Swell Intel?

Tide and Swell Intel are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 206 and 11 ratings respectively.

### Do Tide or Swell Intel have ads?

Neither Tide nor Swell Intel shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Tide or Swell Intel?

Tide ships an update every 3 months, and Swell Intel every 6 days. Most recently, Tide was updated on September 27, 2026 and Swell Intel on July 18, 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.*