Comparison

Swell Intel vs Surf Prophet

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

Head to head
About

Swell Intel

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
Read full description

Swell Intel gives you everything you need to score the best waves — detailed surf forecasts, real-time conditions, and smart alerts that tell you when to go. Check the Conditions - Wave height, swell direction, wind speed, and surf quality ratings for every surf spot across the US and Puerto Rico. Forecasts extend up to 16 days so you can plan trips with confidence. At-a-Glance Conditions- Spot cards show morning, midday, and evening ratings at a glance — quickly scan which spots are firing and when the window is best without tapping into every forecast. Surf Alerts - Set a minimum condition rating on your favorite spots and get notified by push notification or email when conditions meet your standards. Never miss a good session again. Detailed Forecast Charts - Dive into swell period and direction, wind barbs, wave energy, tide charts, and sunrise/sunset — all the data you need in one place. Find Nearby Spots - Discover surf spots near your with real-time conditions and ratings. Save your favorites for quick access. Free to Use, More with Premium - Free: 5-day forecast, 5 nearby spots, 5 favorites, 1 alert - Premium Plus: 16-day forecast, 15 spots, 15 favorites, 10 alerts Terms of service - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Surf Prophet

Get personalized surf spot recommendations powered by AI. This app analyzes ocean conditions and your past performance to help you find the best waves. Track your sessions, discover optimal conditions, and contribute to a community-driven surf forecasting database.

Highlights
  • AI-powered surf spot recommendations
  • Personalized predictions with confidence percentages
  • Detailed reasoning for spot suggestions
  • Session logging and condition tracking
  • Seasonal performance analytics
  • Comprehensive spot database
  • Community-driven data sharing
Features
Read full description

Surf Prophet - AI Surf Forecasting Turn every surf session into better waves with intelligent, data-driven predictions. Surf Prophet revolutionizes surf forecasting by combining real-time ocean conditions with machine learning algorithms trained on actual surf sessions. Instead of guessing where to surf, get personalized recommendations based on historical performance data and current conditions. Smart Predictions AI analyzes current swell, wind, and tide data against user-logged sessions Get ranked recommendations with confidence percentages Detailed reasoning for each spot recommendation Learn which breaks work best in specific conditions Data-Driven Insights Track your sessions with detailed condition logging Seasonal performance analytics for every break Success rate tracking across different spots Discover optimal conditions for your favorite waves Real-Time Conditions Live NOAA buoy data from multiple sources Accurate swell height, period, and direction Current wind and tide information Data confidence indicators for reliability Comprehensive Spot Database Add and share new surf spots with the community Spot-specific break types and skill level recommendations GPS coordinates and optimal condition ranges Advanced Analytics Monthly performance breakdowns by spot Learned optimal conditions from successful sessions Historical trends and seasonal patterns Export session data for personal analysis Community Features Log sessions to improve predictions for everyone Contribute new surf spots to the database Anonymous data sharing for better forecasting Community-verified spot information Perfect For: Surfers who want to maximize their wave time Data enthusiasts who love surf analytics Beginners learning which breaks suit their skill level Experienced surfers tracking performance trends Why Surf Prophet? Traditional surf forecasts tell you what the waves are doing. Surf Prophet tells you where YOU should surf based on what actually works. Our AI learns from real surf sessions, not just meteorological models. Every session you log makes the predictions smarter. Every spot you add helps the community. Join the future of surf forecasting where data meets stoke. Requirements: iOS 15.0 or later Location permission for accurate local conditions Internet connection for real-time data Download Surf Prophet and never surf mediocre waves again.

Screenshots

Swell Intel4 screens
Surf Prophet3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surf Prophet at none against Swell Intel's 2. Surf Prophet also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 6 days). Swell Intel's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment 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 Intel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Surf Prophet asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, Surf Prophet daily. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Swell Intel versus Surf Prophet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSwell IntelSurf Prophet
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSwell Intel LLCChristopher Boyns

Customer experience

Swell Intel

All ratings11 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Surf Prophet

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Swell Intel

Subscriptions2
  • Swell Intel Premium Monthly14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Swell Intel Premium Plus14 Days trial$2.991 Month
None

Surf Prophet

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Swell Intel free?
Swell Intel is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Surf Prophet free?
Surf Prophet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Swell Intel or Surf Prophet have ads?
Surf Prophet shows ads; Swell Intel does not.
Which is updated more often, Swell Intel or Surf Prophet?
Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, and Surf Prophet daily. Most recently, Swell Intel was updated on October 6, 2026 and Surf Prophet on October 5, 2026.

Other comparisons