Comparison

Surf Prophet vs Shaka Surf

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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.

About

Shaka Surf

Features
Read full description

Shaka Surf is a free, open surf-forecast app for surf breaks all over the world. No subscription. No paywall. No account required. Spin a live 3-D globe, tap any glowing break, and instantly see: • Current swell height, direction and period • Wind speed and direction — with an offshore/onshore quality rating • A transparent 0–10 surf quality score broken down by factor • 10-day hourly forecast with a rated "best window" highlighted • NOAA tide curve for the nearest station • Live NDBC buoy observations (US breaks) • Free public webcam streams where available SURF QUALITY, MADE TRANSPARENT Every break shows a live quality score built from swell energy, wave period, swell direction, tide stage and a wind-direction penalty calibrated to the spot's offshore heading. Each factor is shown separately — no magic black box. GLOBAL COVERAGE More than 6,700 surf breaks worldwide: every coast, every country. Famous big-wave spots, local beach breaks, reef breaks, point breaks and river mouths. Zoom into any coastline and the pins appear, coloured live by how good it is right now. BUILT ON FREE, OPEN OCEAN DATA • Swell / wind forecast: Open-Meteo Marine API (DWD/ECMWF/GFS models) • Tides: NOAA CO-OPS • Live buoys: NOAA NDBC No API keys. No vendor lock-in. Full data attribution shown in the app. CLEAN, FAST, PRIVATE • Browse everything without an account • Favourites and recently viewed spots saved on your device • Imperial or metric, your choice • Deep-linkable URLs for sharing any spot • Installable as a home-screen app If you have ever wondered why surf forecasts cost $10+/month when they are built from the same free government data as your phone's weather app — here is your answer. Forecast data © Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0). Tides & buoys courtesy of NOAA (public domain). Map imagery © Esri. Labels © CARTO.

Screenshots

Surf Prophet3 screens
Shaka Surf4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Shaka Surf at none against Surf Prophet's shown. Shaka Surf also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). Surf Prophet's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 5 days). On price, in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Surf Prophet ships an update daily, Shaka Surf every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Surf Prophet versus Shaka Surf: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurf ProphetShaka Surf
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 5 days
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristopher BoynsBrian Boler

In-app purchases

None

Surf Prophet

No in-app purchases

None

Shaka Surf

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Surf Prophet free?
Surf Prophet is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shaka Surf free?
Shaka Surf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Surf Prophet or Shaka Surf have ads?
Surf Prophet shows ads; Shaka Surf does not.
Which is updated more often, Surf Prophet or Shaka Surf?
Surf Prophet ships an update daily, and Shaka Surf every 5 days. Most recently, Surf Prophet was updated on October 30, 2026 and Shaka Surf on November 1, 2026.

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