Comparison

Wavemaps vs DiveGenius

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

Head to head
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

About

DiveGenius

Get real-time dive conditions directly on your lock screen. Check visibility, surf size, water temperature, and local notes before you go diving. Make informed decisions about your dive day with quick, glanceable information.

Highlights
  • Lock screen widgets
  • Live dive reports
  • Visibility updates
  • Surf size information
  • Water temperature
  • Local dive spot notes
Features
Read full description

Tired of pulling up three different apps just to see if today’s good for diving? This puts everything you care about right on your lock screen. - Lock screen widgets with live dive reports - Visibility updates so you know if the water’s clear - Surf size so you’re not surprised by big sets - Current water temps for that first splash - Local notes from the spots you actually dive No more guessing when you’re packing gear. Just glance at your phone and know if it’s a kelp forest day or a stay on land day. It’s simple, quick, and built for divers who actually get in the water. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Wavemaps4 screens
DiveGenius2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Wavemaps at 4.9 against DiveGenius's 3.5. Wavemaps also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 50%) and ratings volume (186 vs 4). DiveGenius's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). 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. Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and DiveGenius sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Wavemaps holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 186 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of Wavemaps's written reviews are positive against 50% of DiveGenius's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wavemaps ships an update every 3 months, DiveGenius weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 20, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Wavemaps versus DiveGenius: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWavemapsDiveGenius
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (186 ratings) — better3.5 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings186 — better4
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#161 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB313 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiguel CanalsBrett Roeloffs

Customer experience

Wavemaps

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

DiveGenius

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Wavemaps

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

DiveGenius

Subscriptions4
  • DiveGenius Pro$4.997 Days
  • DiveGenius Pro$5.991 Month
  • DiveGenius Pro$8.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • DiveGenius Pro Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Wallpaper Pack$4.99

Questions

Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DiveGenius free?
DiveGenius is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Wavemaps or DiveGenius?
Wavemaps is rated higher. Wavemaps averages 4.9 out of 5 from 186 ratings, while DiveGenius averages 3.5 from 4 ratings.
Do Wavemaps or DiveGenius have ads?
Neither Wavemaps nor DiveGenius shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Wavemaps or DiveGenius?
Wavemaps ships an update every 3 months, and DiveGenius weekly. Most recently, Wavemaps was updated on September 23, 2026 and DiveGenius on August 20, 2026.

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