Surf Forecast | Surfnerd vs Wavemaps
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Real-time surf forecasts
- Wind, swell, and tide on one screen
- Interactive surf maps
- Smart condition alerts
- Spot guides and local tips
- Session logging
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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
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd ships an update weekly, Wavemaps every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | Surf Forecast | Surfnerd | Wavemaps |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | 4.9 (237 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | — | 87.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 237 — better |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | #126 — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 63 MB | 119 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Joris de Ruiter | Miguel Canals |
Customer experience
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
Wavemaps
In-app purchases
Surf Forecast | Surfnerd
- Surfnerd+ Monthly$4.991 Month
- Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
- Surfnerd+ Monthly7 Days trial$6.991 Month
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- Surfnerd+ Yearly$29.991 Year
- Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
- Surfnerd+ Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Wavemaps
- Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
- Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
Questions
Is Surf Forecast | Surfnerd free?
Is Wavemaps free?
Which has better reviews, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps?
Do Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps have ads?
Which is updated more often, Surf Forecast | Surfnerd or Wavemaps?
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