# Surf Journal App vs SurfBound

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surf Journal App at none against SurfBound's 3. Surf Journal App also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). SurfBound's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SurfBound sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Surf Journal App asks for nothing beyond the download.

Surf Journal App ships an update every 2 months, SurfBound every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surf Journal App | SurfBound |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfbound-surf-tracker-and-log/id6787874143/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **1** |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | — | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 68 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Evans](https://appshunter.io/developer/1451442586) | [OysterX, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1276131621) |

## What reviewers say

### Surf Journal App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-journal-app/id6504604479)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### SurfBound

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surfbound-surf-tracker-and-log/id6787874143)

Effortlessly track your surf sessions with automatic wave detection, speed, and GPS logging directly from your smartwatch. Review your rides on your phone, progress through surf journeys, and check conditions worldwide. Share your sessions with friends and build your surf community.

**Highlights:** Automatic wave detection, GPS and speed tracking, Heart rate monitoring, Map replay with wave breakdown, Surf journey and level progression, Worldwide conditions and tides, Session sharing with friends

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SurfBound Pro Monthly | $2.99 | per month |
| SurfBound Pro Quarterly | $7.99 | per 3 months |
| SurfBound Pro Yearly | $19.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surf Journal App free?

Surf Journal App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SurfBound free?

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

### Do Surf Journal App or SurfBound have ads?

Neither Surf Journal App nor SurfBound shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Surf Journal App or SurfBound?

Surf Journal App ships an update every 2 months, and SurfBound every 4 days. Most recently, Surf Journal App was updated on October 24, 2026 and SurfBound on October 31, 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.*