# Swell Scope vs Surf Forecast | Surfnerd

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swell Scope | Surf Forecast | Surfnerd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (55 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-scope-surf-forecast/id6747609653/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecast-surfnerd/id6749267430/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **55** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 92.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 113 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | [Flockatoo Tech Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1721743955) | [Joris de Ruiter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1299549767) |

## What reviewers say

### Swell Scope

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-scope-surf-forecast/id6747609653)

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.

**Highlights:** 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

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Access | $2.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Access | $24.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Unlimited Access | $49.99 | one-time |


### Surf Forecast | Surfnerd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecast-surfnerd/id6749267430)

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.

**Highlights:** Real-time surf forecasts, Wind, swell, and tide on one screen, Interactive surf maps, Smart condition alerts, Spot guides and local tips, Session logging

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surfnerd+ Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Surfnerd+ Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Surfnerd+ Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Surfnerd+ Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Surfnerd+ Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Surfnerd+ Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swell Scope free?

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

### Is Surf Forecast | Surfnerd free?

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Swell Scope or Surf Forecast | Surfnerd?

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd is rated higher. Swell Scope averages 4.9 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Surf Forecast | Surfnerd averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Swell Scope or Surf Forecast | Surfnerd have ads?

Neither Swell Scope nor Surf Forecast | Surfnerd shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swell Scope or Surf Forecast | Surfnerd?

Swell Scope ships an update monthly, and Surf Forecast | Surfnerd weekly. Most recently, Swell Scope was updated on November 5, 2026 and Surf Forecast | Surfnerd on November 6, 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.*