# Surflens vs Riptyde

The clearest difference is ads: Riptyde at none against Surflens's shown. Riptyde also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). Surflens's advantage is ratings volume (20 vs 1) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Surflens sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Riptyde sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Riptyde holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surflens has 20 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Surflens ships an update fortnightly, Riptyde weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Surflens | Riptyde |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (20 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surflens-ai-surf-camera/id6757678275/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riptyde/id6793336480/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **20** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 87.5% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 132 MB | 10 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **17.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Workstories, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1580937218) | [Michael Zick](https://appshunter.io/developer/6793336482) |

## What reviewers say

### Surflens

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surflens-ai-surf-camera/id6757678275)

This app uses AI to automatically record your surf rides when you place your iPhone on the beach. It processes and edits clips instantly, even offline, allowing you to review and improve your surfing.

**Highlights:** AI-powered automatic wave recording, Apple Watch camera control, Instant offline clip processing, Built-in surf video editor, Optimized camera and battery performance, Session review and progress tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Surflens Plus (Monthly) | $7.99 | per month |
| Surflens Plus (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |


### Riptyde

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riptyde/id6793336480)

This app provides detailed surf forecasts for the West Coast, offering a "RAD Score" for each spot based on swell, tide, and wind data. It features hour-by-hour charts, historical data, live cams, and social sharing capabilities for surfers.

**Highlights:** Real-time Advanced Data (RAD) score, Hour-by-hour surf condition charts, 10-day forecast outlook, Historical surf data (Throwback Mode), Live surf cams and spot previews, Crew check-ins and secret spot sharing, AI-powered written surf reports

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Riptyde Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Riptyde Pro Annual | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Surflens free?

Surflens is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Riptyde free?

Riptyde is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Surflens or Riptyde?

Riptyde is rated higher. Surflens averages 4.7 out of 5 from 20 ratings, while Riptyde averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Surflens or Riptyde have ads?

Surflens shows ads; Riptyde does not.

### Which is updated more often, Surflens or Riptyde?

Surflens ships an update fortnightly, and Riptyde weekly. Most recently, Surflens was updated on October 12, 2026 and Riptyde on September 30, 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.*