# PCB Surf Flags vs The Beach Vibes

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PCB Surf Flags at none against The Beach Vibes's 2. PCB Surf Flags also leads on ads (none vs shown). The Beach Vibes's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and ratings volume (9 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Beach Vibes sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PCB Surf Flags asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PCB Surf Flags against 5.0 for The Beach Vibes. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Beach Vibes has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

PCB Surf Flags ships an update every 6 weeks, The Beach Vibes fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PCB Surf Flags | The Beach Vibes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcb-surf-flags/id6504894793/reviews) | [5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beach-vibes/id6746971629/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **9** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 11 MB | 92 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Michael Howard](https://appshunter.io/developer/1754272757) | [Britton Gallien](https://appshunter.io/developer/1819254100) |

## What reviewers say

### PCB Surf Flags

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pcb-surf-flags/id6504894793)

Get instant updates on rip current risk at Panama City Beach with this app. It uses the familiar color-coded flag system and offers multiple ways to stay informed, including home screen widgets and Apple Watch complications.

**Highlights:** Rip current risk alerts, Color-coded flag system, Home screen widget, Banner notifications, Apple Watch complication, Live beach webcam

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none


### The Beach Vibes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-beach-vibes/id6746971629)

This app provides detailed weather and ocean conditions for beachgoers. It features augmented reality for finding local points of interest, live camera feeds, and safety flag status updates. Plan your beach activities with personalized recommendations and event listings.

**Highlights:** Augmented reality for local points of interest, Live beach camera feeds, Beach flag safety status, Real-time and forecasted weather, Ocean conditions and surf charts, Event listings and notifications, Tide information, Personalized activity recommendations

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Beach Vibes Subcription | $2.99 | per month |
| The Beach Vibes - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PCB Surf Flags free?

PCB Surf Flags is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Beach Vibes free?

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

### Which has better reviews, PCB Surf Flags or The Beach Vibes?

PCB Surf Flags and The Beach Vibes are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 9 ratings respectively.

### Do PCB Surf Flags or The Beach Vibes have ads?

The Beach Vibes shows ads; PCB Surf Flags does not.

### Which is updated more often, PCB Surf Flags or The Beach Vibes?

PCB Surf Flags ships an update every 6 weeks, and The Beach Vibes fortnightly. Most recently, PCB Surf Flags was updated on October 20, 2026 and The Beach Vibes on October 8, 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.*