# 949 The Surf vs RIPTIDE Radio The clearest difference is review sentiment: RIPTIDE Radio at 100% against 949 The Surf's 65%. RIPTIDE Radio also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.5). 949 The Surf's advantage is ratings volume (109 vs 15). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them. Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay. RIPTIDE Radio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 949 The Surf has 109 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of 949 The Surf's written reviews are positive against 100% of RIPTIDE Radio's. 949 The Surf ships an update every 9 months, RIPTIDE Radio every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively. ## The numbers | Metric | 949 The Surf | RIPTIDE Radio | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | Free | Free | | Rating | [4.5 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/949-the-surf/id762787884/reviews) | **[5.0 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riptide-radio/id1268018976/reviews)** | | Number of ratings | **109** | 15 | | Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | | In-app purchases | No | No | | Ads | Yes | Yes | | Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 8 months** | | Monetization | Ad-supported | Ad-supported | | Size | 12 MB | 12 MB | | Requires iOS | 18.2 | 18.2 | | Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad | | Age rating | 4+ | 4+ | | Developer | [Carolina Beach Music LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/762787887) | [Riptide Internet Radio, LTD. Co.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1268018975) | ## What reviewers say ### 949 The Surf [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/949-the-surf/id762787884) Stream live Carolina Beach Music, Shag, and Classic Hits from Ocean Drive. This app is your official source for industry news, events, and is the official station for the Society of Stranders and the CBMA Hall of Fame. **Highlights:** Live streaming, Carolina Beach Music, Shag music, Classic Hits, Industry news, Event listings **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases:** none ### RIPTIDE Radio [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riptide-radio/id1268018976) This app broadcasts Carolina Beach Music, featuring new artists and songs alongside classics. Enjoy live and scheduled shows from award-winning DJs and stations. It's a dedicated stream for fans of the genre. **Highlights:** Carolina Beach Music focus, New songs and artists, Classic tracks, Live and scheduled shows, Award-winning DJs, Internet Station of the Year winner **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases:** none ## Frequently asked questions ### Is 949 The Surf free? 949 The Surf is free to download, with no in-app purchases. ### Is RIPTIDE Radio free? RIPTIDE Radio is free to download, with no in-app purchases. ### Which has better reviews, 949 The Surf or RIPTIDE Radio? RIPTIDE Radio is rated higher. 949 The Surf averages 4.5 out of 5 from 109 ratings, while RIPTIDE Radio averages 5.0 from 15 ratings. ### Do 949 The Surf or RIPTIDE Radio have ads? Both 949 The Surf and RIPTIDE Radio show ads. ### Which is updated more often, 949 The Surf or RIPTIDE Radio? 949 The Surf ships an update every 9 months, and RIPTIDE Radio every 8 months. Most recently, 949 The Surf was updated on October 22, 2026 and RIPTIDE Radio on October 5, 2026. --- *Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*