Comparison

Swell Scope vs Wavemaps

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

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
Read full description

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

About

Wavemaps

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
Read full description

Wavemaps — A Professional Wave Forecasting Platform Wavemaps is a professional wave, wind, and marine forecasting platform built for people who spend serious time on or near the water. Surfers, fishers, sailors, captains, lifeguards, marine engineers, and coastal professionals run on the same system: the world's leading wave and marine weather models, refined into hyperlocal forecasts up to 16 days out. MULTI-MODEL COMPARISON Detailed wave forecasts compared side by side across leading global models, including ECMWF and GFS. Read the agreement between models at a glance and make calls with confidence. WAVEMAPS TIME MACHINE Visualize wave and wind forecast maps from 1979 to the present. Replay historical swells, storms, and seasons — and save them as memories to revisit. WAVEMAPS ENERGY COMPASS Our signature swell-direction visualization. See where wave energy is coming from, how it's distributed across components, and how it aligns with the coast you care about. ADVANCED SWELL COMPONENT ANALYSIS Decompose every wave forecast into its swell and wind-wave components — height, period, and direction for each. Know exactly which swell is doing the work. WAVEMAPS HD Ultra-high-resolution nearshore wave forecasts powered by our custom Wavemaps HD engine. For the first time in a forecasting platform, see how waves interact with the seabed — bathymetry, refraction, and shoaling rendered the way you'd see them on a research instrument. Available only in certain regions. WIND FORECASTS High-resolution wind forecasts including gusts, sustained speeds, and direction. Identify offshore, side-shore, and onshore conditions for any spot. THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS Browse surf spots, fishing zones, and wave buoys worldwide. Save your favorites for personalized forecasts. Add your own spots and pull wave forecasts anywhere in the world. INTERACTIVE 3D MAPS Explore ultra-high-resolution maps of ocean and weather conditions across nearshore and offshore areas. Smooth, GPU-driven 3D visualization helps you understand current conditions and how they're changing over time. PROFESSIONAL FEATURES Premium subscriptions unlock advanced capabilities, extended forecast ranges, and deeper data analysis for users who need traceable, decision-grade ocean intelligence. Terms of Service: https://www.wavemaps.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.wavemaps.com/privacy

Screenshots

Swell Scope4 screens
Wavemaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Swell Scope at monthly against Wavemaps's every 3 months. Wavemaps's advantage is ratings volume (186 vs 48). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Swell Scope sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Swell Scope against 4.9 for Wavemaps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 48 and 186 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Swell Scope's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swell Scope ships an update monthly, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Swell Scope versus Wavemaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwell ScopeWavemaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (48 ratings)4.9 (186 ratings)
Positive reviews92.0% of reviews — better87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings48186 — better
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.315.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFlockatoo Tech Pty LtdMiguel Canals

Customer experience

Swell Scope

All ratings48 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews25 reviews
Positive92.0%
Neutral4.0%
Negative4.0%

Wavemaps

All ratings186 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral0.5%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Swell Scope

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Access14 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Unlimited Access1 Month trial$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Unlimited Access$49.99
2 purchases

Wavemaps

Subscriptions2
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Swell Scope free?
Swell Scope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Swell Scope or Wavemaps?
Swell Scope and Wavemaps are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 48 and 186 ratings respectively.
Do Swell Scope or Wavemaps have ads?
Neither Swell Scope nor Wavemaps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Swell Scope or Wavemaps?
Swell Scope ships an update monthly, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, Swell Scope was updated on October 14, 2026 and Wavemaps on October 15, 2026.

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