Comparison

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd vs Wavemaps

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

Head to head
About

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd

Get accurate, real-time surf forecasts including wind, swell, and tide information on a single screen. Explore surf spots, receive smart alerts for changing conditions, and log your sessions to improve your wave reading skills.

Highlights
  • Real-time surf forecasts
  • Wind, swell, and tide on one screen
  • Interactive surf maps
  • Smart condition alerts
  • Spot guides and local tips
  • Session logging
Read full description

Accurate surf forecasts, always fresh. Wind, swell and tide, all on one screen, updated in real time. No more “you should have been here yesterday.” View interactive surf maps, detailed surf forecast tables, and get smart alerts when conditions shift — so you never miss a session. Whether you’re checking your home break or planning a trip, Surfnerd gives you the best possible read on the waves, right now. Features: - One-screen overview: swell, wind, tide, and wave energy - Always fresh forecasts, with alerts for significant changes - Explore surf spots near and far - Spot guides packed with break details and local tips - Log sessions to compare with past conditions and improve your forecasting Surfnerd delivers accurate surf forecasts. Nothing more, nothing less. Terms of Use: https://www.surfnerd.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.surfnerd.com/privacy

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

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd4 screens
Wavemaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Surf Forecast | Surfnerd at weekly against Wavemaps's every 3 months. Wavemaps's advantage is ratings volume (237 vs 2) and chart position (#126 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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. Surf Forecast | Surfnerd sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Surf Forecast | Surfnerd against 4.9 for Wavemaps. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 237 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd ships an update weekly, Wavemaps every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd versus Wavemaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurf Forecast | SurfnerdWavemaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.9 (237 ratings)
Positive reviews—87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2237 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#126 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoris de RuiterMiguel Canals

Customer experience

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Wavemaps

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

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Surf Forecast | Surfnerd

Subscriptions6
  • Surfnerd+ Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Surfnerd+ Yearly$29.991 Year
  • Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
  • Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Wavemaps

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

Questions

Is Surf Forecast | Surfnerd free?
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd 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, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps?
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd is rated higher. Surf Forecast | Surfnerd averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Wavemaps averages 4.9 from 237 ratings.
Do Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps have ads?
Neither Surf Forecast | Surfnerd nor Wavemaps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps?
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd ships an update weekly, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd was updated on October 30, 2026 and Wavemaps on October 30, 2026.

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