# Tide Charts vs Tidecast

The clearest difference is price: Tide Charts at Free against Tidecast's $3.99. Tide Charts also leads on ratings volume (115K vs 5) and chart position (#28 vs unranked). Tidecast's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence there is nothing between them.

Tide Charts is free to download; Tidecast costs $3.99 up front. Tide Charts sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Tidecast asks for nothing beyond the download.

Tidecast 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 5, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Tide Charts | Tidecast |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | [4.8 (115K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tide-charts/id957143504/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidecast/id6767254590/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **115K** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 68.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | **#28** | — |
| Size | 104 MB | 11 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) | [My Dog Hates Technology LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1059454625) |

## What reviewers say

### Tide Charts

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

**Currently charting:** #28 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


### Tidecast

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tidecast/id6767254590)

Easily check tide times, water levels, and weather forecasts for coastal activities. Plan beach walks, tidepooling, or photography with tide charts and custom alerts. Access information offline and customize your view with light/dark modes and seasonal colors.

**Highlights:** Tide charts with sunrise, sunset, and moon phases, Integrated weather forecasts on tide charts, Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets, Customizable tide level alerts, Tidepooling mode with daylight and duration options, Wind, wave, and water temperature data, Offline tide and condition information

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, iMessage stickers

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Tide Charts free?

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

### Is Tidecast free?

Tidecast costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

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

### Do Tide Charts or Tidecast have ads?

Tide Charts shows ads; Tidecast does not.

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

Tide Charts ships an update every 3 weeks, and Tidecast every 3 weeks. Most recently, Tide Charts was updated on October 31, 2026 and Tidecast on October 24, 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.*