Comparison

Waveform Surf vs SurfTribe

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

Head to head
About

Waveform Surf

Features
Read full description

Never miss a wave at Bristol's favourite surf spot. Get real-time session schedules, live water temperatures, and forecasts all in one app. EASY, FAST, SESSION SCHEDULES Whether it's Advanced, Expert or Beginner, browse the complete session timetable with an intuitive, swipeable calendar view. See what's available today, tomorrow, or months ahead. The smart layout adapts to your screen, showing multiple days at once on larger devices. Filter sessions by type to focus on exactly what you're looking for. LIVE WATER TEMPERATURE Know before you go. Waveform displays the current water temperature so you can prepare appropriately for your session. No surprises when you arrive at the lake. BE FIRST TO KNOW WITH SESSION NOTIFICATIONS Enable push notifications to receive alerts about session availability. Grab a cancellation on a full session, or find out when a session is nearly full. 7 DAY WATER TEMPERATURE FORECAST Waveform displays a 7 day water temperature forecast. FLOW STATE INTEGRATION Jump straight to your videos from the app as soon as your session ends. BOOKINGS INTEGRATION Jump straight to the right session booking from the app. KEY FEATURES Complete session schedule with multi-day view Real-time water temperature display Personalised wetsuit recommendations Smart temperature algorithm Session filtering by type Push notifications for availability Swipe navigation between days Compressed view for seeing more days at once Dark mode support No account required PRIVACY FOCUSED No account creation required. No personal data collected. No Ads. No payments. Just the surf information you need, when you need it. Waveform is an independent app created by surfers, for surfers. We're not officially affiliated with The Wave but built this app because we wanted a better way to check sessions and conditions.

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

Waveform Surf4 screens
SurfTribe4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Waveform Surf at none against SurfTribe's shown. SurfTribe's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Waveform Surf ships an update fortnightly, SurfTribe every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Waveform Surf versus SurfTribe: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWaveform SurfSurfTribe
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size20 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMarc FlanneryDmitrii Nikonov

In-app purchases

None

Waveform Surf

No in-app purchases

None

SurfTribe

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Waveform Surf free?
Waveform Surf is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is SurfTribe free?
SurfTribe is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Waveform Surf or SurfTribe have ads?
SurfTribe shows ads; Waveform Surf does not.
Which is updated more often, Waveform Surf or SurfTribe?
Waveform Surf ships an update fortnightly, and SurfTribe every 4 days. Most recently, Waveform Surf was updated on October 3, 2026 and SurfTribe on September 29, 2026.

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