Comparison

HopeWaves vs Wavemaps

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

Head to head
About

HopeWaves

Access real-time HD beach webcam snapshots and 16-day wave forecasts for Rhode Island. Get tide information and live buoy data to track current swell conditions. Widgets are available for home and lock screens.

Highlights
  • HD beach webcam snapshots
  • 16-day wave forecasting
  • Tide information
  • Live NOAA buoy data
  • Home and lock screen widgets
  • Apple Watch widgets
Features
Read full description

HopeWaves is the best way to check the waves on the go in Rhode Island. It displays the latest HD snapshots from beach webcams all over Rhode Island, keeping you in the loop with the current conditions. It also features a custom 16 day forecast derived from GFS and ECMWF Wave models, tide information and forecasts, and live buoy data straight from NOAA buoys. All of the tools you need to track down the current swell in one easy to use app. Try out the Tide and Buoy Widgets to get the latest data on your home or lock screen or apple watch!

About

Wavemaps

This app provides detailed wave, surf, and wind forecasts for water enthusiasts and marine professionals. It offers global and nearshore wave modeling, real-time ocean data, and interactive 3D maps to visualize conditions. Users can save favorite locations and access premium features for advanced analysis.

Highlights
  • Global and nearshore wave forecasts
  • Custom ultra high-resolution wave models
  • Thousands of worldwide locations
  • Real-time ocean conditions from buoys
  • Interactive 3D-capable maps
  • Wave-seabed interaction visualization
  • Professional tools and extended forecasts
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Wavemaps — A Professional Wave Forecasting Platform Wavemaps is a professional wave, wind, and marine forecasting platform built for people who spend serious time on or near the water. Surfers, fishers, sailors, captains, lifeguards, marine engineers, and coastal professionals run on the same system: the world's leading wave and marine weather models, refined into hyperlocal forecasts up to 16 days out. MULTI-MODEL COMPARISON Detailed wave forecasts compared side by side across leading global models, including ECMWF and GFS. Read the agreement between models at a glance and make calls with confidence. WAVEMAPS TIME MACHINE Visualize wave and wind forecast maps from 1979 to the present. Replay historical swells, storms, and seasons — and save them as memories to revisit. WAVEMAPS ENERGY COMPASS Our signature swell-direction visualization. See where wave energy is coming from, how it's distributed across components, and how it aligns with the coast you care about. ADVANCED SWELL COMPONENT ANALYSIS Decompose every wave forecast into its swell and wind-wave components — height, period, and direction for each. Know exactly which swell is doing the work. WAVEMAPS HD Ultra-high-resolution nearshore wave forecasts powered by our custom Wavemaps HD engine. For the first time in a forecasting platform, see how waves interact with the seabed — bathymetry, refraction, and shoaling rendered the way you'd see them on a research instrument. Available only in certain regions. WIND FORECASTS High-resolution wind forecasts including gusts, sustained speeds, and direction. Identify offshore, side-shore, and onshore conditions for any spot. THOUSANDS OF LOCATIONS Browse surf spots, fishing zones, and wave buoys worldwide. Save your favorites for personalized forecasts. Add your own spots and pull wave forecasts anywhere in the world. INTERACTIVE 3D MAPS Explore ultra-high-resolution maps of ocean and weather conditions across nearshore and offshore areas. Smooth, GPU-driven 3D visualization helps you understand current conditions and how they're changing over time. PROFESSIONAL FEATURES Premium subscriptions unlock advanced capabilities, extended forecast ranges, and deeper data analysis for users who need traceable, decision-grade ocean intelligence. Terms of Service: https://www.wavemaps.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.wavemaps.com/privacy

Screenshots

HopeWaves4 screens
Wavemaps4 screens

Verdict

The call

HopeWaves and Wavemaps both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of HopeWaves's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's. Wavemaps's advantage is chart position (#166 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. HopeWaves sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and Wavemaps sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for HopeWaves against 4.9 for Wavemaps. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 186 and 186 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of HopeWaves's written reviews are positive against 88% of Wavemaps's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HopeWaves ships an update every 2 months, Wavemaps every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
HopeWaves versus Wavemaps: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHopeWavesWavemaps
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (186 ratings)4.9 (186 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better87.5% of reviews
Number of ratings186186
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 3 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#166 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size51 MB119 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMatthew IannucciMiguel Canals

Customer experience

HopeWaves

All ratings186 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral1.1%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Wavemaps

All ratings186 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral0.5%
Negative2.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral0.0%
Negative12.5%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

HopeWaves

One-time3
  • Small Tip$1.99
  • Medium Tip$4.99
  • Large Tip$9.99
2 purchases

Wavemaps

Subscriptions2
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$7.991 Month
  • Wavemaps Pro7 Days trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is HopeWaves free?
HopeWaves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wavemaps free?
Wavemaps is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, HopeWaves or Wavemaps?
HopeWaves and Wavemaps are both rated 4.9 out of 5 on the App Store, from 186 and 186 ratings respectively.
Do HopeWaves or Wavemaps have ads?
Neither HopeWaves nor Wavemaps shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HopeWaves or Wavemaps?
HopeWaves ships an update every 2 months, and Wavemaps every 3 months. Most recently, HopeWaves was updated on October 15, 2026 and Wavemaps on October 15, 2026.

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