Comparison

SurfWaves vs SurfMap

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

SurfMap

This app uses AI to provide personalized surf forecasts based on your skill level and preferred spots. It offers an interactive map for viewing conditions and custom alerts to never miss a great session.

Highlights
  • AI-powered personalized forecasts
  • Interactive map with live conditions
  • 7-day surf planning
  • Customizable alerts
  • Tide and crowd level tracking
  • Skill-level adaptation
Features
Read full description

SurfMap rates the surf for your level at more than 5,000 spots around the world. For each spot, it shows you the best hours to go and tells you why. RATED FOR YOUR LEVEL • Tell SurfMap if you're a beginner, an intermediate or an advanced surfer, and every hour of the week gets a rating for you. • Each rating gives its reason in plain words, like "Ideal size for your level" or "Too much wind". • When the tide makes a spot dangerous, a warning sign shows next to its rating. • Rate your sessions and the AI adds a personal score that predicts how much you'll enjoy each hour. It runs on your iPhone and learns only from your own sessions. MAKE EACH SPOT YOURS • Tell SurfMap which tides work at your spot, which ones are dangerous and how big the waves really get there, and the ratings take it into account. • Save your favorite spots. Around 6:30 pm, SurfMap tells you if one of them looks good tomorrow, and it stays quiet when nothing is worth the trip. • Home Screen widgets show the spot you pick, or the closest spot wherever you are. FIND WHERE TO SURF • See which spots around you, or which of your favorites, look good today, tomorrow, this weekend or later in the week. • Hourly graphs show the waves, wind, tide and weather. Drag across the day to check any hour. • The nearby forecast shows seven days for every spot around you. Open the week in landscape, or compare two spots side by side. • Search spots, towns and guides by the name locals use or the one travelers know. WHERE THE FORECAST COMES FROM • Waves, wind and weather come from global wave and weather models, refreshed twice a day for the next seven days. The ratings are SurfMap's own reading of them. • Tides are predicted for each spot from its own tidal constants, the same method behind printed tide tables. 16 SURF GUIDES • The guides cover Ericeira, Peniche, the Algarve, Hossegor, both sides of the Basque Country, Galicia, Asturias, Cornwall, the west coast of Ireland, Fuerteventura, Taghazout, Bali, the Mentawai Islands, Siargao and Sri Lanka. • Each guide says which spot suits your level, the tide that makes it work and the hazards to watch out for. ASK SIRI • "Hey Siri, does it surf today in Huntington Beach with SurfMap?" Siri answers with your rating and the best window, and a tap opens the spot. • With Apple Intelligence, ask SurfMap anything, like "Is tomorrow better than today at Huntington Beach?" Siri questions need iOS 26. APPLE WATCH • Track your session from your wrist, with no phone in the water. The watch counts your waves, and notices missed waves and wipeouts too. • Follow your heart rate, calories and paddle distance live, and keep the GPS track. If your watch runs out of battery, the session isn't lost. • The watch shows conditions and tide for your spots, and its complications can follow the closest spot. YOUR SURF LOG • Every session goes into your log with its conditions and the board you rode, and each month gets its own recap page. • Share a spot's forecast, a session or a whole month as an image. • Your profile keeps your records and a stamp for each new spot and each new country. • Surf workouts go to Apple Health and count toward your rings. SurfMap has no ads. Please note: All features in SurfMap require a subscription. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

SurfWaves4 screens
SurfMap4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is monetization model: SurfWaves at free with in-app purchases against SurfMap's subscription. SurfWaves also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads 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 SurfMap sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SurfWaves ships an update weekly, SurfMap every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
SurfWaves versus SurfMap: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurfWavesSurfMap
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (40 ratings) — better
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews75.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—40 — better
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 6 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterSubscription
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB57 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperDereck Vicentin LemeGuillaume Bernos

Customer experience

SurfWaves

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

SurfMap

All ratings40 ratings
Positive92.5%
Neutral2.5%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%

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
4 purchases

SurfMap

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Plan$1.997 Days
  • Monthly Plan$6.991 Month
  • Annual Plan14 Days trial$34.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Access$99.00

Questions

Is SurfWaves free?
SurfWaves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SurfMap free?
SurfMap is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do SurfWaves or SurfMap have ads?
Neither SurfWaves nor SurfMap shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SurfWaves or SurfMap?
SurfWaves ships an update weekly, and SurfMap every 6 days. Most recently, SurfWaves was updated on October 24, 2026 and SurfMap on October 24, 2026.

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