Wavemaps vs Surf Prophet
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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
Surf Prophet
Get personalized surf spot recommendations powered by AI. This app analyzes ocean conditions and your past performance to help you find the best waves. Track your sessions, discover optimal conditions, and contribute to a community-driven surf forecasting database.
- AI-powered surf spot recommendations
- Personalized predictions with confidence percentages
- Detailed reasoning for spot suggestions
- Session logging and condition tracking
- Seasonal performance analytics
- Comprehensive spot database
- Community-driven data sharing
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Surf Prophet - AI Surf Forecasting Turn every surf session into better waves with intelligent, data-driven predictions. Surf Prophet revolutionizes surf forecasting by combining real-time ocean conditions with machine learning algorithms trained on actual surf sessions. Instead of guessing where to surf, get personalized recommendations based on historical performance data and current conditions. Smart Predictions AI analyzes current swell, wind, and tide data against user-logged sessions Get ranked recommendations with confidence percentages Detailed reasoning for each spot recommendation Learn which breaks work best in specific conditions Data-Driven Insights Track your sessions with detailed condition logging Seasonal performance analytics for every break Success rate tracking across different spots Discover optimal conditions for your favorite waves Real-Time Conditions Live NOAA buoy data from multiple sources Accurate swell height, period, and direction Current wind and tide information Data confidence indicators for reliability Comprehensive Spot Database Add and share new surf spots with the community Spot-specific break types and skill level recommendations GPS coordinates and optimal condition ranges Advanced Analytics Monthly performance breakdowns by spot Learned optimal conditions from successful sessions Historical trends and seasonal patterns Export session data for personal analysis Community Features Log sessions to improve predictions for everyone Contribute new surf spots to the database Anonymous data sharing for better forecasting Community-verified spot information Perfect For: Surfers who want to maximize their wave time Data enthusiasts who love surf analytics Beginners learning which breaks suit their skill level Experienced surfers tracking performance trends Why Surf Prophet? Traditional surf forecasts tell you what the waves are doing. Surf Prophet tells you where YOU should surf based on what actually works. Our AI learns from real surf sessions, not just meteorological models. Every session you log makes the predictions smarter. Every spot you add helps the community. Join the future of surf forecasting where data meets stoke. Requirements: iOS 15.0 or later Location permission for accurate local conditions Internet connection for real-time data Download Surf Prophet and never surf mediocre waves again.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surf Prophet at none against Wavemaps's 1. Surf Prophet also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 88%). Wavemaps's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (241 vs 1). On price, rating and device support 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. Wavemaps sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $7.99 per month. Surf Prophet asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Wavemaps against 5.0 for Surf Prophet. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 241 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of Wavemaps's written reviews are positive against 100% of Surf Prophet's.
Wavemaps ships an update every 3 months, Surf Prophet daily. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Wavemaps | Surf Prophet |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (241 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 241 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Daily — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Ad-supported — better |
| Best chart rank | #100 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 119 MB | 45 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Miguel Canals | Christopher Boyns |
Customer experience
Wavemaps
Surf Prophet
In-app purchases
Wavemaps
- Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
Surf Prophet
No in-app purchases









