# HopeWaves vs WaveCheck

The clearest difference is update cadence: WaveCheck at every 4 days against HopeWaves's every 2 months. WaveCheck also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HopeWaves sells 3 one-off in-app purchases and WaveCheck sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

HopeWaves ships an update every 2 months, WaveCheck every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HopeWaves | WaveCheck |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (189 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hopewaves/id945847570/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **189** | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 58 MB | 89 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Matthew Iannucci](https://appshunter.io/developer/945847569) | [Austin Urraca](https://appshunter.io/developer/1862116061) |

## What reviewers say

### HopeWaves

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

Access live HD beach webcam snapshots and a 16-day forecast for Rhode Island's current wave conditions. Includes tide information, live NOAA buoy data, and home screen widgets for easy access.

**Highlights:** Live HD beach webcam snapshots, 16-day wave forecast (GFS/ECMWF), Tide information and forecasts, Live NOAA buoy data, Home and lock screen widgets, Apple Watch support

**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 |


### WaveCheck

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wavecheck-surf-forecast/id6759298516)

This app provides personalized surf forecasts, scoring conditions for your skill level and board. Discover over 2,500 surf spots worldwide with detailed hourly breakdowns and smart alerts for optimal sessions. Track your surf history and compete on leaderboards.

**Highlights:** Personalized surf scores, 2,500+ global surf spots, Detailed hourly forecasts, Smart push notifications, Session logging and history, Leaderboard competition, Map discovery of breaks

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Yearly | $49.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HopeWaves free?

HopeWaves is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is WaveCheck free?

WaveCheck is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do HopeWaves or WaveCheck have ads?

Neither HopeWaves nor WaveCheck shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HopeWaves or WaveCheck?

HopeWaves ships an update every 2 months, and WaveCheck every 4 days. Most recently, HopeWaves was updated on November 6, 2026 and WaveCheck on November 9, 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.*