# SwellMap Boat vs Surf

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Surf at 86% against SwellMap Boat's 34%. Surf also leads on ratings volume (1K vs 11) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SwellMap Boat sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $1.49 per month and Surf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Surf holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Surf has 1K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 34% of SwellMap Boat's written reviews are positive against 86% of Surf's.

SwellMap Boat ships an update every 3 months, Surf every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SwellMap Boat | Surf |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swellmap-boat/id965612543/reviews) | **[4.9 (1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 11 | **1K** |
| Positive reviews | 34.1% of reviews | **86.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#121** |
| Size | 16 MB | 138 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Wesley Warner](https://appshunter.io/developer/965423811) | [Meteo365 Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/661723505) |

## What reviewers say

### SwellMap Boat

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/swellmap-boat/id965612543)

Get detailed marine weather forecasts for hundreds of locations across New Zealand. View 7-day sea and wind graphs, tide information, and receive alerts for your favorite spots. Access forecast maps for rain, temperature, wind, and waves.

**Highlights:** 7-day sea and wind forecast graphs, Detailed daily forecasts, Forecast maps (rain, temp, wind, waves), Save favorite spots, Customizable alerts, SwellMap boat ratings

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SwellMap Boat | $1.49 | per month |


### Surf

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surf-forecastcom/id6450721636)

**Currently charting:** #121 Top Free · Weather, #127 Top Grossing · Weather (US App Store)

Get simple, accurate surf forecasts for over 7,000 breaks worldwide. Plan your sessions with detailed wave information, tide times, and mapping to find the best conditions and nearby spots. Access extended forecasts and custom alerts with premium features.

**Highlights:** Detailed surf forecasts, Wavefinder map, Live webcam links, Tide times, 12-day forecasts, Custom surf alerts

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Service: Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium Service (Yearly) | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🌊 Accurate surf forecasts
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 🗺️ Comprehensive coverage of locations
- 🔍 Detailed information (swell, wind, tides, etc.)
- 💰 Good value for subscription

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔄 Inconsistent data updates
- 🌊 Wave height/conditions not always accurate
- 🏞️ Missing data for some locations (e.g. Great Lakes)
- 🤔 Confusing or misleading surf ratings/forecasts

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes or freezes on some devices
- Geolocation issues with break markers

**Requested features**

- Ability to manually refresh data
- More detailed tidal/current information
- Expanded location coverage
- Improved accuracy for wave height/conditions


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SwellMap Boat free?

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

### Is Surf free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SwellMap Boat or Surf?

Surf is rated higher. SwellMap Boat averages 4.6 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Surf averages 4.9 from 1K ratings.

### Do SwellMap Boat or Surf have ads?

Both SwellMap Boat and Surf show ads.

### Which is updated more often, SwellMap Boat or Surf?

SwellMap Boat ships an update every 3 months, and Surf every 6 weeks. Most recently, SwellMap Boat was updated on October 26, 2026 and Surf 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.*