# The Wave Clock vs NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

The clearest difference is rating: NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data at 4.7 against The Wave Clock's 4.0. NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (2.5K vs 5). The Wave Clock's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ads (none vs shown). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per year. The Wave Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data has 2.5K ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of The Wave Clock's written reviews are positive against 74% of NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data's.

The Wave Clock ships an update every 6 months, NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Wave Clock | NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-wave-clock/id880629650/reviews) | **[4.7 (2.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-buoy-reports-and-ship-data/id1038264455/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **2.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **73.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#200** |
| Size | 153 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wave Cast, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/880629653) | [Juggernaut Technology, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/494748553) |

## What reviewers say

### The Wave Clock

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-wave-clock/id880629650)

This app provides real-time oceanographic data for coastal locations. View wave heights, periods, and tide information at a glance through an intuitive analog interface. Customize updates for your favorite spots.

**Highlights:** Customizable coastal location updates, Intuitive analog interface, Wave heights and period display, Tide heights and trend, Real-time oceanographic data

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/noaa-buoy-reports-and-ship-data/id1038264455)

**Currently charting:** #200 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Access detailed buoy and ship observation data without weather forecasts or tide information. View current conditions, historical trends, and storm locations on an intuitive map. Monitor your favorite locations with customizable widgets.

**Highlights:** Intuitive map interface, Quick-view Favorites, Tropical Storm/Hurricane/Cyclone locations, Full buoy current conditions, Past buoy data (Premium), Interactive graphs, Home Screen Widgets

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Annual Subscription | $7.99 | per year |
| Buoy Reports Premium | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Critical infrastructure
- 🚀 Excellent source of sea conditions
- 🚀 Valuable buoy information
- 👍 Plenty of information
- 👍 Great app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 More data needed
- 🐛 Incomplete and inaccurate
- 🐛 Wave height data not working
- 🐛 No buoy reports
- 🐛 No wave data

**Reported bugs**

- Buoy data not available most of the time
- Ships rarely contribute data
- Wave height data missing for certain areas
- Upgraded version still doesn't work

**Requested features**

- GPS coordinates for buoys
- Ability to filter by data type
- Display past wave heights
- Bring back removed buoys


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Wave Clock free?

The Wave Clock is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data free?

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Wave Clock or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data?

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data is rated higher. The Wave Clock averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data averages 4.7 from 2.5K ratings.

### Do The Wave Clock or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data have ads?

NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data shows ads; The Wave Clock does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Wave Clock or NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data?

The Wave Clock ships an update every 6 months, and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Wave Clock was updated on October 7, 2026 and NOAA Buoy Reports & Ship Data on October 29, 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.*