# BackyardBuoys vs Wavemaps

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BackyardBuoys at none against Wavemaps's 2. BackyardBuoys also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Wavemaps's advantage is ratings volume (186 vs 5) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. BackyardBuoys asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for BackyardBuoys against 4.9 for Wavemaps. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 186 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

BackyardBuoys ships an update fortnightly, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | BackyardBuoys | Wavemaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyardbuoys/id6502961110/reviews)** | [4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **186** |
| Positive reviews | — | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 3 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [BackyardBuoys](https://appshunter.io/developer/1747582159) | [Miguel Canals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830493078) |

## What reviewers say

### BackyardBuoys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/backyardbuoys/id6502961110)

This application provides coastal communities with easy mobile access to near real-time wave data and visualizations. It leverages scalable marine technology for community-managed ocean buoys, enhancing blue economy and hazard protection.

**Highlights:** Real-time wave data access, Data visualizations, Community-managed buoys, Blue economy enhancement, Hazard protection, Mobile data access

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Wavemaps

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

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 BackyardBuoys free?

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

### Is Wavemaps free?

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

### Which has better reviews, BackyardBuoys or Wavemaps?

BackyardBuoys is rated higher. BackyardBuoys averages 5.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Wavemaps averages 4.9 from 186 ratings.

### Do BackyardBuoys or Wavemaps have ads?

Neither BackyardBuoys nor Wavemaps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, BackyardBuoys or Wavemaps?

BackyardBuoys ships an update fortnightly, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, BackyardBuoys was updated on October 1, 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.*