Swell Scope vs Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Swell Scope
This app allows users to create custom surf spots globally by dropping pins and provides detailed forecast data from premier weather models. It features a surf journal with auto-import and trend charts to help users make informed decisions about their sessions.
- Custom surf spot creation worldwide
- 14-day detailed weather forecast
- Surf journal with auto-import
- Similar session comparison
- Trend charts for forecast data
- Real-time data updates
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Raw forecasts at your own custom spots. Originally crowdfunded by surfers worldwide. Over 2 million forecasts served already! Swell Scope - the surf forecast app with no surf spots. Instead, you add your own custom surf breaks by dropping a pin anywhere in the world. Use first-of-their kind tools to setup the exposure of your spot in just a few seconds. Then jump into beautiful charts, animations, and visuals that show you the raw forecast data from the world’s premier weather models. After your session, auto-import the conditions into your journal and add your own detailed ratings for things like breaking-wave shape and surface cleanliness. Next time the conditions are similar, you’ll see your own ratings alongside the raw forecast data. Everything is designed so that you can make the call yourself, instead of relying on mysterious predictions and algorithms. My hope is to bring back the joy & excitement of learning your local, making the call, and chasing those special sessions. Over 5,000 people helped beta test Swell Scope throughout 2025! Here are some of the favourite features they helped us develop: 14-Day Forecast - Raw forecast data from the premier weather agencies. Primary, Secondary, and Wind Swells. Height, period, & direction. Wind strength & direction. Tides. Sunrise & Sunset times. Water Temp. Weather including rain & cloud cover. Custom Surf Spots - Worldwide - Drop a pin anywhere in the world to see the forecast there. Use first-of-their kind tools to setup the exposure & inform the app of onshore/offshore directions. Surf Journal with Auto-Import - Add your sessions to your journal and all the conditions are automatically imported. Fill out detailed ratings bout breaking wave shape, wind quality, and more Similar Sessions - Next time the conditions are similar, see your past ratings alongside the forecast. Use the comparison screen to see for yourself how similar the sessions are and make the call Trend Charts - See three full days of charted data for every detail in forecast on a single screen. Spotting trends is easy when you can see so much in one view Fresh Data - See which weather agencies & models are being used for every detail in the forecast. Data is updated in the app as soon as it's published by the sources. Most models update every 6-hours, with some being as frequent as hourly! Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.swell-scope.com/privacy-policy
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
Get accurate, real-time surf forecasts including wind, swell, and tide information on a single screen. Explore surf spots, receive smart alerts for changing conditions, and log your sessions to improve your wave reading skills.
- Real-time surf forecasts
- Wind, swell, and tide on one screen
- Interactive surf maps
- Smart condition alerts
- Spot guides and local tips
- Session logging
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Accurate surf forecasts, always fresh. Wind, swell and tide, all on one screen, updated in real time. No more “you should have been here yesterday.” View interactive surf maps, detailed surf forecast tables, and get smart alerts when conditions shift — so you never miss a session. Whether you’re checking your home break or planning a trip, Surfnerd gives you the best possible read on the waves, right now. Features: - One-screen overview: swell, wind, tide, and wave energy - Always fresh forecasts, with alerts for significant changes - Explore surf spots near and far - Spot guides packed with break details and local tips - Log sessions to compare with past conditions and improve your forecasting Surfnerd delivers accurate surf forecasts. Nothing more, nothing less. Terms of Use: https://www.surfnerd.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.surfnerd.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Surf Forecast | Surfnerd at weekly against Swell Scope's monthly. Swell Scope's advantage is ratings volume (55 vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Swell Scope sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Surf Forecast | Surfnerd sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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 — 4.9 for Swell Scope against 5.0 for Surf Forecast | Surfnerd. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swell Scope has 55 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Swell Scope ships an update monthly, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Swell Scope | Surf Forecast | Surfnerd |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (55 ratings) | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 55 — better | 2 |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 113 MB | 63 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | Flockatoo Tech Pty Ltd | Joris de Ruiter |
Customer experience
Swell Scope
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
In-app purchases
Swell Scope
- Unlimited Access14 Days trial$2.991 Month
- Unlimited Access1 Month trial$24.991 Year
- Lifetime Unlimited Access$49.99
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
- Surfnerd+ Monthly$4.991 Month
- Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
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- Surfnerd+ Yearly$29.991 Year
- Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Questions
Is Swell Scope free?
Is Surf Forecast | Surfnerd free?
Which has better reviews, Swell Scope or Surf Forecast | Surfnerd?
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