# The Wave Clock vs Tide Alert (NOAA)

The clearest difference is rating: Tide Alert (NOAA) at 4.8 against The Wave Clock's 4.0. Tide Alert (NOAA) also leads on update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 6 months) and ratings volume (45K vs 5). The Wave Clock's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tide Alert (NOAA) sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per 3 months. The Wave Clock asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tide Alert (NOAA) holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tide Alert (NOAA) has 45K 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 73% of Tide Alert (NOAA)'s.

The Wave Clock ships an update every 6 months, Tide Alert (NOAA) every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Wave Clock | Tide Alert (NOAA) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-wave-clock/id880629650/reviews) | **[4.8 (45K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-alert-noaa-tide-chart/id1352211125/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 5 | **45K** |
| Positive reviews | 57.1% of reviews | **72.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#40** |
| Size | 153 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wave Cast, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/880629653) | [Rivolu LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1086229238) |

## 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


### Tide Alert (NOAA)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-alert-noaa-tide-chart/id1352211125)

**Currently charting:** #40 Top Grossing · Weather, #91 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Get accurate tide predictions, current speeds, and lunar phases with this app. It offers custom alerts, offline access, and detailed weather conditions for coastal areas. Plan your outdoor activities with confidence using comprehensive tidal data.

**Highlights:** Tide predictions for thousands of US stations, Tidal current speed and slack tide data, Customizable tide alerts, Full offline access to tide data, Wind, swell, and water temperature forecasts, Apple Watch app and widgets, Moon phase calendar

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 3 Months Full Access | $6.99 | per 3 months |
| Tide Alert 1 Year Subscription | $19.99 | per year |
| Tide Alert Gold | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate and easy to use
- 👍 Straightforward and intuitive interface
- 💡 Useful tide and moon phase information
- 🚀 Convenient widget and alerts
- 👍 Reliable and consistent performance

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes and sync issues
- 🔋 High battery consumption
- 💰 Subscription requirement for full features

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on launch after iOS updates
- Tide data not syncing correctly with visual indicators

**Requested features**

- Add support for negative tide levels
- Improve sync between app and Apple Watch
- Implement family sharing for subscription


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Wave Clock free?

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

### Is Tide Alert (NOAA) free?

Tide Alert (NOAA) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, The Wave Clock or Tide Alert (NOAA)?

Tide Alert (NOAA) is rated higher. The Wave Clock averages 4.0 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Tide Alert (NOAA) averages 4.8 from 45K ratings.

### Do The Wave Clock or Tide Alert (NOAA) have ads?

Neither The Wave Clock nor Tide Alert (NOAA) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Wave Clock or Tide Alert (NOAA)?

The Wave Clock ships an update every 6 months, and Tide Alert (NOAA) every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Wave Clock was updated on November 1, 2026 and Tide Alert (NOAA) on November 12, 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.*