# Swell Intel vs Wave Whisperer

The clearest difference is update cadence: Swell Intel at every 6 days against Wave Whisperer's monthly. Swell Intel also leads on ratings volume (12 vs 2). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Swell Intel sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Wave Whisperer sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. 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 5.0 for Wave Whisperer. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Swell Intel has 12 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, Wave Whisperer monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Swell Intel | Wave Whisperer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swell-intel-surf-forecast/id6747780816/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-whisperer/id6769619488/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **12** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 51 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Swell Intel LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1822856502) | [In the Moment Technology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896674486) |

## What reviewers say

### Swell Intel

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

Get detailed surf forecasts, real-time conditions, and smart alerts to find the best waves. Plan your surf trips with up to 16 days of predictions and easily discover nearby surf spots.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts up to 16 days, Real-time wave height, swell, and wind data, Smart push notification alerts for ideal conditions, At-a-glance spot condition ratings, Find and save nearby surf spots, Detailed forecast charts including tides and sunrise/sunset

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Swell Intel Premium Plus | $2.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $24.99 | per year |


### Wave Whisperer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wave-whisperer/id6769619488)

Access real-time buoy data for surfers, including swell height, period, direction, and sea surface temperature. Track historical readings, compare conditions over 24 hours, and learn about buoy data with an educational section. Features a low-light mode and customizable units.

**Highlights:** Real-time buoy data (swell, period, direction, temp), 24-hour condition comparison, Save and revisit historical readings, Rotating compass with swell direction, Buoy School educational section, Low Light display mode, Customizable units (feet/meters, F/C)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Lifetime Unlock | $1.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Swell Intel free?

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

### Is Wave Whisperer free?

Wave Whisperer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Swell Intel or Wave Whisperer?

Swell Intel and Wave Whisperer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 12 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Swell Intel or Wave Whisperer have ads?

Neither Swell Intel nor Wave Whisperer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Swell Intel or Wave Whisperer?

Swell Intel ships an update every 6 days, and Wave Whisperer monthly. Most recently, Swell Intel was updated on November 8, 2026 and Wave Whisperer on October 31, 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.*