# HopeWaves vs Wavemaps

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 (#136 vs unranked). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

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.

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.

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

## The numbers

| Metric | HopeWaves | Wavemaps |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopewaves/id945847570/reviews) | [4.9 (186 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 186 | 186 |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 87.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#136** |
| Size | 51 MB | 119 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Iannucci](https://appshunter.io/developer/945847569) | [Miguel Canals](https://appshunter.io/developer/1830493078) |

## What reviewers say

### HopeWaves

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopewaves/id945847570)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Tip | $1.99 | one-time |
| Medium Tip | $4.99 | one-time |
| Large Tip | $9.99 | one-time |


### Wavemaps

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavemaps-wave-forecasts/id6749452038)

**Currently charting:** #136 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Wavemaps Pro | $7.99 | per month |
| Wavemaps Pro | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*