Comparison

SurfWaves vs Wavemaps

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

Head to head
About

SurfWaves

This app uses AI to predict optimal surfing conditions, recommending the best beaches and times to surf. It offers real-time visual analysis of beach cameras for wave quality, crowd, wind, and tide, with customizable regional settings and multilingual support.

Highlights
  • AI-powered surf condition forecasting
  • Smart beach and time recommendations
  • Live image analysis of beach cameras
  • Wave quality, crowd, wind, and tide interpretation
  • Customizable regional settings and units
  • Multilingual support
  • Home screen widgets and Apple CarPlay integration
Features
Read full description

SurfWaves is an essential mobile app for surfers of all levels, using Artificial Intelligence to forecast the best surf conditions. Instead of just showing raw data, the app delivers smart recommendations, pointing you to the ideal beach and the best time to hit the water. Now SurfWaves speaks your language and matches your home: choose your country on first launch and the app opens in your language, with a color palette inspired by your region and the units you use every day — height in meters or feet, temperature in °C or °F, and wind in knots. Beach search is more relevant too, filtered by your country. SurfWaves goes beyond the traditional forecast: it features a live image analysis system that automatically interprets real-time beach cameras to visually identify wave quality, crowd, wind, and tide — giving you an instant, reliable read on sea conditions. Reading the forecast is clearer than ever: consistent wave colors across all beaches so you can compare spots at a glance, immediate offshore/onshore wind indication, and AI analysis always front and center, so you can quickly decide whether it's worth paddling out. In favorites, a background map shows exactly the beach you're tracking. With quick access to your favorite spots' conditions through Home Screen widgets, and the convenience of safely checking the forecast via Apple CarPlay on your way to the beach, SurfWaves is the most complete and integrated tool so you never miss a good surf session again. The app also offers multilingual support and is available in: Português (PT) English (EN) Español (ES) 日本語 (JA) Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

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
Currently charting
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

SurfWaves4 screens
Wavemaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: SurfWaves at weekly against Wavemaps's every 3 months. Wavemaps's advantage is review sentiment (88% vs 75%) and chart position (#178 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. SurfWaves sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SurfWaves ships an update weekly, Wavemaps every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on August 27, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
SurfWaves versus Wavemaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurfWavesWavemaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.9 (186 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings—186 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#178 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB119 MB
Age rating+44+
DeveloperDereck Vicentin LemeMiguel Canals

Customer experience

SurfWaves

Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

Wavemaps

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

In-app purchases

3 purchases

SurfWaves

Subscriptions3
  • mensal R$9.907 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Trimestral R$29.907 Days trial$24.993 Months
  • Anual R$129.907 Days trial$99.991 Year
2 purchases

Wavemaps

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

Questions

Is SurfWaves free?
SurfWaves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SurfWaves or Wavemaps have ads?
Neither SurfWaves nor Wavemaps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SurfWaves or Wavemaps?
SurfWaves ships an update weekly, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, SurfWaves was updated on August 27, 2026 and Wavemaps on September 23, 2026.

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