Comparison

Session vs SurfTribe

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

Head to head
About

Session

Log your surf sessions to understand what conditions, spots, and gear lead to your best experiences. It automatically tracks weather and tide data, helping you discover personalized ideal conditions and optimize your quiver. Build streaks and gain insights into your surfing habits.

Highlights
  • Personalized target condition forecasting
  • Automatic condition data logging
  • Surfboard and gear tracking
  • Session logging with ratings
  • Streak tracking and performance insights
  • Crew tagging and session sharing
Features
Read full description

Session is the surf log that learns what makes your best sessions good – the spots, boards, and conditions you rate highest – then watches the forecast for when they line up again. The more you log, the more it's tuned to you. You remember the feeling, not the details. Session captures each session in about 30 seconds — conditions auto-filled, board, crew, your rating — then learns the spots, boards, and conditions behind your best-rated sessions. A generic report calls it "epic" for everyone; Session learns what epic means for you, at your level. The more you log, the more it's dialed to you. YOUR PERSONALIZED FORECAST Session learns which conditions produced your best-rated sessions — per spot, per board — and watches the forecast for when they line up again. Get a heads-up when your spots are about to match your kind of day. The more you log, the sharper it gets. CONDITIONS ON AUTOPILOT Wave height, swell, wind, tide — pulled in automatically from trusted weather and tide providers for your spot and session time. One tap and your conditions are logged. No typing, no guessing from memory. YOUR QUIVER, SORTED Boards, fins, wetsuits — all in one place. Tag what you rode each session. After a few weeks, you'll know which board actually works best in which conditions instead of just guessing. STREAKS & INSIGHTS Build a weekly streak. Get insights about your top spots, best conditions, and favorite boards — the kind of thing you'd want to know but would never bother calculating. TAG YOUR CREW Tag the buddies you paddled out with. See who you surf with most. Your friends get a notification and can log the same session in one tap. TRACK YOUR SPOTS Save your home breaks and travel spots. Works at any break in the world — not just the ones with cameras. No ads. No social feed. No noise. Just your sessions. 7-day free trial, then $3.99/month or $14.99/year. Cancel anytime. Terms of Use (EULA): https://sessionsurf.app/terms

About

SurfTribe

Features
Read full description

SurfTribe is your ultimate surfing companion, built for surfers of all levels. From tracking local forecasts to optimizing your surfboard selection, SurfTribe has everything you need to catch the perfect wave. Key Features: - Accurate Surf Forecasts: Real-time data on wave height, swell period, wind direction, water temperature, and tides. - Surf Lab & Board Calculator: Enter your metrics and daily wave conditions to get the perfect surfboard volume (L) recommendation. - AI Coach Tips: Get personalized technique tips based on today's exact wave conditions. - Live Cams & Analysis: Check out live surf cameras and analyze conditions before heading to the beach. - Community Chat: Connect with local surfers, share session reports, and never miss a good swell. Join the tribe and elevate your surfing experience today!

Screenshots

Session4 screens
SurfTribe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SurfTribe at none against Session's 2. SurfTribe also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.2). Session's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence 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. Session sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. SurfTribe asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Session ships an update every 6 days, SurfTribe every 10 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Session versus SurfTribe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSessionSurfTribe
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 days — betterEvery 10 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationSubscription—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.215.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB54 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperHoelleyday Consulting LLCDmitrii Nikonov

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Session

Subscriptions2
  • Session Pro Monthly7 Days trial$3.991 Month
  • Session Pro Annual$14.991 Year
None

SurfTribe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Session free?
Session is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SurfTribe free?
SurfTribe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Session or SurfTribe have ads?
SurfTribe shows ads; Session does not.
Which is updated more often, Session or SurfTribe?
Session ships an update every 6 days, and SurfTribe every 10 days. Most recently, Session was updated on October 24, 2026 and SurfTribe on October 24, 2026.

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