Comparison

Wavemaps vs Swim Safe PR

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

Swim Safe PR

Check live ocean conditions and rip current risk levels at Puerto Rico's beaches before you go. Get real-time data, flag system information, and safety recommendations to make informed decisions for a safer beach experience.

Highlights
  • Rip current risk map
  • Beach flag system status
  • Real-time water temperature
  • Push notifications for flag changes
  • Official water safety recommendations
  • Emergency contact access
Features
Read full description

SwimSafe Puerto Rico is the go-to app for checking live ocean conditions at Puerto Rico's beaches before you hit the water. The app displays real-time rip current risk levels using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS), combined with the beach flag system from Puerto Rico's Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DRNA). KEY FEATURES • Daily rip current risk map powered by NOAA/NWS data. • Beach flag system: double red (water closed), red (strong currents), orange (moderate currents), white & green (calm conditions). • Real-time water temperature. • Push notifications when the flag color changes at monitored beaches. • Official water safety recommendations. • Puerto Rico emergency numbers accessible with a single tap. • Tourism office contact directory: Old San Juan, LMM Airport, Porta del Sol, Vieques & Culebra. • Available in Spanish and English. SwimSafe Puerto Rico helps you make informed decisions to protect yourself and your loved ones every time you visit the beach.

Screenshots

Wavemaps4 screens
Swim Safe PR4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Swim Safe PR at none against Wavemaps's 2. Swim Safe PR also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months) and review sentiment (100% vs 88%). Wavemaps's advantage is ratings volume (186 vs 3) and rating (4.9 vs 4.7). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Swim Safe PR asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Wavemaps holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Wavemaps has 186 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of Wavemaps's written reviews are positive against 100% of Swim Safe PR's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Wavemaps ships an update every 3 months, Swim Safe PR weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Wavemaps versus Swim Safe PR: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWavemapsSwim Safe PR
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (186 ratings) — better4.7 (3 ratings)
Positive reviews87.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings186 — better3
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
Best chart rank#172 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size119 MB20 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMiguel CanalsCompania de Turismo de Puerto Rico Inc

Customer experience

Wavemaps

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

Swim Safe PR

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Wavemaps

Subscriptions2
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year
None

Swim Safe PR

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Swim Safe PR free?
Swim Safe PR is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Wavemaps or Swim Safe PR?
Wavemaps is rated higher. Wavemaps averages 4.9 out of 5 from 186 ratings, while Swim Safe PR averages 4.7 from 3 ratings.
Do Wavemaps or Swim Safe PR have ads?
Neither Wavemaps nor Swim Safe PR shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Wavemaps or Swim Safe PR?
Wavemaps ships an update every 3 months, and Swim Safe PR weekly. Most recently, Wavemaps was updated on September 23, 2026 and Swim Safe PR on September 19, 2026.

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