# Ocean Pulse vs SeaState

Ocean Pulse and SeaState both sit at 5.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Ocean Pulse's written reviews are positive against 50% of SeaState's. Ocean Pulse also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). SeaState's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and chart position (#198 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SeaState sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Ocean Pulse asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Ocean Pulse against 5.0 for SeaState. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Ocean Pulse's written reviews are positive against 50% of SeaState's.

Ocean Pulse ships an update every 4 months, SeaState every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ocean Pulse | SeaState |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocean-pulse/id6759033100/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seastate/id6760665846/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | **#198** |
| Size | 22 MB | 20 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sean O'Brien](https://appshunter.io/developer/1876459716) | [Tom Curry](https://appshunter.io/developer/1810220558) |

## What reviewers say

### Ocean Pulse

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ocean-pulse/id6759033100)

Visualize real-time NOAA buoy data as a dynamic, glowing map. Understand ocean conditions like swell direction, wave period, and height through intuitive visual cues rather than numbers. Access detailed conditions for over 170 buoys across various ocean regions.

**Highlights:** Real-time NOAA buoy data visualization, Color-coded swell direction, Pulse speed indicates wave period, Brightness shows wave height, Detailed buoy condition reports, Save favorite buoys, Search buoys by name, ID, or region

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### SeaState

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/seastate/id6760665846)

**Currently charting:** #198 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

This marine weather app provides detailed forecasts for oceans worldwide, including swell height, wind, tides, and currents. It features a unique side-by-side comparison of conditions at two locations and an AI-powered briefing for go/no-go decisions.

**Highlights:** Worldwide marine weather forecasts, Side-by-side condition comparison, 24-hour wave height graphs, Redesigned wind page with compass rose, AI Captain's Brief for go/no-go advice, Passage planning with ETA, Safety Hub with emergency contacts and float plans

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SeaState Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| SeaState Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| SeaState Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ocean Pulse free?

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

### Is SeaState free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ocean Pulse or SeaState?

Ocean Pulse and SeaState are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do Ocean Pulse or SeaState have ads?

Neither Ocean Pulse nor SeaState shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Ocean Pulse or SeaState?

Ocean Pulse ships an update every 4 months, and SeaState every 2 weeks. Most recently, Ocean Pulse was updated on October 31, 2026 and SeaState on November 9, 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.*