Comparison

Swell Scope vs Primo Surf Forecasts

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

Primo Surf Forecasts

This app provides hyper-local surf forecasts specifically for San Diego County. It offers detailed information on wind, swell, current, and water quality for individual surf breaks, helping local surfers find the best conditions.

Highlights
  • Hyper-local San Diego surf forecasts
  • Detailed wind, swell, and current data
  • Break-specific guides with local knowledge
  • Real-time ocean current tracking
  • Integrated beach water quality reports
  • One-tap directions to surf spots
Read full description

Primo is built for San Diego locals: the ones with 9-to-5s, kids, and an unshakable need to get salty before or after the daily grind. Whether it's a quick session at Scripps before work or a glass-off paddle at Sunset Cliffs after class, Primo tells you when and where the local breaks are working. Hyper-local forecasts built exclusively for San Diego County. No fluff. No filler. Just the call. MEET BODHI, YOUR PERSONAL SURF SHERPA Bodhi is at the heart of Primo. He scans conditions across the San Diego coast around the clock and boils it all down to one simple answer: where to surf, and when. Part local, part coach, part stoke machine, Bodhi knows these breaks and gives you the honest read with a SoCal vibe. READ THE SESSION IN ONE LOOK Primo's redesigned dials put wind, swell and current together right on the map. The wind ring wraps around the swell dial, so you can spot clean offshore mornings and blown-out onshore afternoons at a glance. Wave height and swell period sit side by side, and the current dial shows which way you'll drift. Scroll the forecast and the needles swing hour by hour, so you can see exactly when the wind turns and the swell fills in. The dials also appear on every day of the 7-day forecast. SAN DIEGO'S BREAKS, EACH WITH ITS OWN GUIDE Primo covers the full San Diego coast, from Trestles to the Mexican border. Every forecast is tuned to that break's geography, beach angle, swell exposure and tide sensitivity, so what you're reading is actually about that spot. Each break also has its own guide with local knowledge: skill level, board recommendations, how the wave rides, the ideal tide, swell and wind, crowd levels, and how to get there. Sort breaks by distance from your current location to see what's closest and what's firing. OCEAN CURRENTS Primo tracks ocean currents at every break, so you know what the water's doing before you're in it. See how currents are moving along your stretch of coast and paddle out with a clear read on what to expect past the break. BEACH WATER QUALITY Built-in water quality reports come straight from the County of San Diego's Beach & Bay Program: official lab results, beach closures and rain advisories, updated daily. Each report is timestamped and matched to breaks within a half-mile radius, so you have the latest health information before you head to the lineup. ONE-TAP DIRECTIONS Checking out a new spot? Tap once from any break to get directions in Apple Maps. No copying addresses, no fumbling around. DATA YOU CAN TRUST Primo runs on the same caliber of ocean data that commercial shipping relies on, then puts it through its own forecast models, tuned break by break for the San Diego coast. - PRO-GRADE OCEAN DATA: Swell, wind and current data from a professional marine weather service built for shipping and offshore operations. It draws on national forecast agencies around the world, including NOAA, to read swell, wind and current direction. - REAL TIDE STATIONS: Tide times and heights come from observed tide-station data, not a rough computer grid, so your tide read matches the beach. - COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO: Official beach water testing, closures and advisories from the County's Beach & Bay Program, published through the State Water Board's BeachWatch system. BUILT FOR SAN DIEGO Primo isn't a national app with a San Diego mode. It's a San Diego surf tool, built by a San Diego surfer for San Diego surfers. One coast, done right. By using Primo, you agree to the Primo Terms of Use (https://www.primo.surf/terms) and Privacy Policy (https://www.primo.surf/privacy).

Screenshots

Swell Scope4 screens
Primo Surf Forecasts4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Swell Scope at 4.9 against Primo Surf Forecasts's 4.1. Swell Scope also leads on review sentiment (93% vs 71%) and ratings volume (55 vs 9). Primo Surf Forecasts's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, update cadence, ads and device support 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. Primo Surf Forecasts asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Swell Scope holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swell Scope has 55 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of Swell Scope's written reviews are positive against 71% of Primo Surf Forecasts's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Swell Scope versus Primo Surf Forecasts: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwell ScopePrimo Surf Forecasts
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (55 ratings) — better4.1 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews92.9% of reviews — better71.4% of reviews
Number of ratings55 — better9
Update frequencyMonthlyMonthly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size113 MB8 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperFlockatoo Tech Pty LtdMobetta ai LLC

Customer experience

Swell Scope

All ratings55 ratings
Positive98.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.8%
Written reviews28 reviews
Positive92.9%
Neutral3.6%
Negative3.6%

Primo Surf Forecasts

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative22.2%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive71.4%
Neutral0.0%
Negative28.6%

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
None

Primo Surf Forecasts

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Swell Scope free?
Swell Scope is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Primo Surf Forecasts free?
Primo Surf Forecasts is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Swell Scope or Primo Surf Forecasts?
Swell Scope is rated higher. Swell Scope averages 4.9 out of 5 from 55 ratings, while Primo Surf Forecasts averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.
Do Swell Scope or Primo Surf Forecasts have ads?
Neither Swell Scope nor Primo Surf Forecasts shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Swell Scope or Primo Surf Forecasts?
Swell Scope ships an update monthly, and Primo Surf Forecasts monthly. Most recently, Swell Scope was updated on November 5, 2026 and Primo Surf Forecasts on November 5, 2026.

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