Comparison

Yeah Buoy vs Current

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

Head to head
About

Yeah Buoy

Features
Read full description

REQUIRES THE YEAH BUOY! HARDWARE This app pairs with the Yeah Buoy! Slab display — a small ESP32 + e-ink unit you build or buy. Without the device the app has nothing to push to. Visit zonelab.app/yeahbuoy/ for hardware details and a parts list. WHAT YOU SEE • Spot name and day • Wave height range and Surfline rating (Poor → Epic) • Wind speed, direction, and an arrow showing where it's coming from • Water temperature pulled from the nearest NOAA buoy • Primary swell height, period, and direction WHY E-INK • Sips power — runs on a small battery or USB-C indefinitely • Stays readable in direct sunlight • Holds the last forecast on screen with zero power draw • No glare, no notifications, no doom-scrolling PRIVACY FIRST Yeah Buoy! collects nothing. Your spots, WiFi credentials, and preferences live only on your phone and your device. The app talks to Surfline for forecasts, NOAA for water temperature, and your own hardware over Bluetooth — that's it. No accounts, no analytics, no advertising. QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK Email us at hello@zonelab.app — we read everything. Sometimes it's not wrong!

About

Current

Get detailed, physics-based surf forecasts for California breaks. See wave height, how waves break, swell details, wind, tide, and water temperature. A free daily forecast is available, with premium features for multi-day predictions and advanced statistics.

Highlights
  • Physics-based surf forecasts
  • Wave break type prediction
  • Swell partitions and timeline
  • Lull duration and wave energy
  • Water temperature
  • Multi-day forecast (premium)
Currently charting
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Current gives you physics-based surf forecasts for every break In California and the East and Gulf Coasts. Current is part of a movement to create more accurate and detailed surf forecasts. What you get: • 8-day surf forecast for every spot - swell, wind, tide, surf heights, and ratings • An animated map - wind, currents, and swell in motion, surf height painted along the coastline • Spot stats you won't find anywhere else - set height, breaker type, peakiness • Secret spots - draw your own spot anywhere on the coast and get a full forecast for it Today's forecast is free for every spot. Upgrade to Current Premium for multi-day forecasts, detailed surf-zone statistics, and map overlays. Forecasts are estimates — always check real conditions and surf within your limits. - Support URL: https://currentsurf.com · Marketing URL (optional): https://currentsurf.com · Privacy Policy URL: https://currentsurf.com/privacy CURRENT PREMIUM (optional subscription) Premium Monthly - $4.99/month, auto-renews. Unlocks the full 8-day forecast everywhere: future-day map overlays, future-day spot stats, and up to 100 secret spots. Today's forecast is always free. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews monthly unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel in your App Store settings. Privacy Policy: https://currentsurf.com/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://currentsurf.com/terms

Screenshots

Yeah Buoy3 screens
Current4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Yeah Buoy at none against Current's 1. Current's advantage is chart position (#209 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Current sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Yeah Buoy asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Yeah Buoy versus Current: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterYeah BuoyCurrent
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.5 (16 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—80.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—16 — better
Update frequency—Fortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
Best chart rank—#209 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB40 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEvan MathisColin Weaver

In-app purchases

None

Yeah Buoy

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Current

Subscriptions1
  • Current Premium$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Yeah Buoy free?
Yeah Buoy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Current free?
Current is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Yeah Buoy or Current have ads?
Neither Yeah Buoy nor Current shows ads.

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