# Swell Intel vs Wavemaps

The clearest difference is update cadence: Swell Intel at every 6 days against Wavemaps's every 3 months. Swell Intel also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 88%). Wavemaps's advantage is ratings volume (186 vs 11) and chart position (#184 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swell Intel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Swell Intel against 4.9 for Wavemaps. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 186 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Swell Intel's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's.

Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swell Intel | Wavemaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816/reviews)** | [4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **186** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#184** |
| Size | 50 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Swell Intel LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822856502) | [Miguel Canals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830493078) |

## What reviewers say

### Swell Intel

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel/id6747780816)

Get detailed surf forecasts, real-time conditions, and smart alerts to find the best waves. Plan your surf trips with up to 16-day forecasts and easily scan spot conditions at a glance. Receive notifications when conditions meet your standards, ensuring you never miss a good session.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts up to 16 days, Real-time wave height, swell, and wind data, Smart alerts for optimal surf conditions, At-a-glance spot condition ratings, Detailed forecast charts (swell, wind, tide), Find and save nearby surf spots

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swell Intel Premium Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Swell Intel Premium Plus | $2.99 | per month |


### Wavemaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038)

**Currently charting:** #184 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wavemaps Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Wavemaps Pro | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swell Intel free?

Swell Intel 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 Intel or Wavemaps?

Swell Intel is rated higher. Swell Intel averages 5.0 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Wavemaps averages 4.9 from 186 ratings.

### Do Swell Intel or Wavemaps have ads?

Neither Swell Intel nor Wavemaps shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swell Intel or Wavemaps?

Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, Swell Intel was updated on October 6, 2026 and Wavemaps on October 11, 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.*