# Tide Charts vs AlphaCast

The clearest difference is ads: AlphaCast at none against Tide Charts's shown. AlphaCast also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 69%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Tide Charts's advantage is ratings volume (115K vs 11) and chart position (#34 vs unranked). On price, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Tide Charts sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and AlphaCast sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $0.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

AlphaCast holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Tide Charts has 115K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Tide Charts's written reviews are positive against 100% of AlphaCast's.

Tide Charts ships an update every 3 weeks, AlphaCast every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide Charts | AlphaCast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (115K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-charts/id957143504/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphacast/id6752629975/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **115K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 68.9% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 8 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#34** | — |
| Size | 104 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.1** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [7th Gear](https://appshunter.io/developer/321178305) | [STIX FISHING GEAR LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1833619037) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide Charts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-charts/id957143504)

**Currently charting:** #34 Top Free · Weather (US App Store)

Access worldwide tidal estimates, lunar data, and weather forecasts. Plan outdoor adventures with ease using current radar and offline predictions. Supports Apple Watch and includes a Today Extension for quick access.

**Highlights:** Worldwide tidal estimates, Lunar data, Weather forecast, Current radar, Offline predictions, Favorite station management, Apple Watch support

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $1.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Clear tide information
- 👍 Useful for planning activities
- 💡 Comprehensive data including weather and moon phases
- 🤖 Accurate and reliable
- 🌟 Great app for Apple Watch

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inaccurate tide data in some locations
- 🙈 Intrusive and unskippable ads
- 🤯 Ads crashing the app
- 🤔 Confusing UI and navigation
- 🤖 Unreliable Apple Watch complications

**Reported bugs**

- Tide data off by several hours
- Tide graph not displaying correctly
- App crashing on ad dismissal
- Apple Watch complications freezing

**Requested features**

- Ability to set custom locations
- Improved accuracy and data sources
- Option to purchase ad-free version
- Landscape mode support
- More detailed tide height information


### AlphaCast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alphacast/id6752629975)

This outdoor companion provides accurate local weather forecasts, moon phases, and tide information for hikers, anglers, and campers. Plan your adventures confidently with offline forecast downloads and smart alerts for changing conditions.

**Highlights:** Accurate local weather forecasts, Offline forecast downloads, Moon phases and illumination data, Tide information, Smart weather alerts, Clutter-free interface

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Alphacast Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide Charts free?

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

### Is AlphaCast free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Tide Charts or AlphaCast?

AlphaCast is rated higher. Tide Charts averages 4.8 out of 5 from 115K ratings, while AlphaCast averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Tide Charts or AlphaCast have ads?

Tide Charts shows ads; AlphaCast does not.

### Which is updated more often, Tide Charts or AlphaCast?

Tide Charts ships an update every 3 weeks, and AlphaCast every 8 days. Most recently, Tide Charts was updated on November 9, 2026 and AlphaCast on October 30, 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.*