# Buoys vs WaveWatch

The clearest difference is update cadence: WaveWatch at every 11 days against Buoys's every 3 weeks. WaveWatch also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

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

Buoys ships an update every 3 weeks, WaveWatch every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Buoys | WaveWatch |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buoys-live-ocean-data/id6756240428/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **3** | — |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 3 MB | 31 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Erik Savage](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859448851) | [Adrian Huma](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772125759) |

## What reviewers say

### Buoys

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/buoys-live-ocean-data/id6756240428)

Access live ocean conditions directly from your lock screen with a convenient widget. Monitor swell, wave height, and water temperature in real-time from over 1,400 NOAA buoy stations.

**Highlights:** Lock screen widget for live swell data, Real-time swell conditions from NOAA buoys, Favorite buoy list, Global map of active stations, Wave height, period, and direction metrics, Water temperature data

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### WaveWatch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavewatch/id6757127741)

Get precise marine and weather data for water sports. Track wave height, swell, wind, and sea surface temperature. Access 10-day hourly forecasts with interactive maps and GPS integration for safe and enjoyable time on the water.

**Highlights:** Wave height and direction tracking, Detailed swell analysis, 10-day hourly weather forecasts, Interactive time-based weather maps, GPS integration for location detection, Offline data storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Buoys free?

Buoys is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is WaveWatch free?

WaveWatch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Buoys or WaveWatch have ads?

Neither Buoys nor WaveWatch shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Buoys or WaveWatch?

Buoys ships an update every 3 weeks, and WaveWatch every 11 days. Most recently, Buoys was updated on November 5, 2026 and WaveWatch on October 31, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*