--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast" developer_entity: "NextStack LLC" bundle_id: "nextstack.org.tidesweather" app_store_id: "1269561948" category: "Weather" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Freemium" offline_capable: false market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS & Android" app_last_updated: "2026-04-18" report_date: "2026-06-08" last_verified: "2026-06-08T05:16:21.511Z" report_version: "2.6.7" total_reviews: 149 overall_rating: 3.68 sentiment: "Mixed" sentiment_score: 50 confidence: "medium" confidence_score: 0.85 top_praise_theme: "Data Accuracy" top_complaint_theme: "Navigation Friction" top_request_theme: "Weather Integration" review_sample_size: 149 data_age_days: 23 momentum_velocity: "intense" intelligence_version: 3 nemesis: "Tides Near Me" competitor_count: 8 tags: ["weather", "freemium", "mixed sentiment", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "maritime", "enthusiasts", "including"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/noaa-tide-chart-forecast" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast App Audit ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Weather · Freemium - **Signal**: Rating 3.68 · Sentiment Mixed - **Recent focus**: Navigation Friction (top complaint) · Data Accuracy (top praise) · Weather Integration (top request) > **TL;DR:** NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast is a weather app by NextStack LLC, rated 3.68/5 by 149 users, with Mixed user sentiment (50/100), available on iOS & Android. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** — Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast shows Mixed sentiment (3.68/5 from 149 reviews) — users praise data accuracy but report issues with navigation friction. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 3.68/5 (149 reviews) | | **User Mood** | Mixed | | **Category** | Weather | | **Developer** | NextStack LLC | | **Pricing** | Freemium | | **Platforms** | iOS & Android | | **Confidence** | Medium (0.85/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 0d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** NextStack LLC - **Category:** Weather - **Target Audience:** Maritime enthusiasts including sailors, fishermen, surfers, and beachgoers requiring localized tidal and solar data. - **Platforms:** iOS & Android - **Version Audited:** 2.6.7 - **Audit Date:** 2026-06-08 - **Signal Count:** 149 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Medium (0.85/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1269561948 - **Bundle ID:** nextstack.org.tidesweather - **Google Play ID:** nextstack.org.tidesweather - **Performance Trend:** Mixed - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-06-08 - **Short Description:** NOAA Tides Chart: Real-time tides, 90-day tracking & forecasts. Stay prepared! ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast is a weather utility providing tidal and solunar data for maritime enthusiasts on iOS and Android. **Why users hire it:** Users hire the app to plan coastal activities like fishing and sailing, relying on NOAA-sourced data to mitigate the risks of changing water conditions. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Standard] Tidal Chart Visualization:** Interactive charts displaying tidal patterns, fluctuations, and extremes for specific locations - **[Differentiator] Solunar Data:** Real-time sunrise, sunset, and lunar phase tracking for maritime activity planning * *User Intent:* Users want visibility into their own performance and progress. - **[Standard] Customizable Widgets:** Home screen widgets for Solunar or Tidal data with adjustable size and station preferences * *User Intent:* Users value self-expression and personalized experiences. - **[Differentiator] Monthly Tide Reports:** Long-term planning data for tidal patterns and solunar activity - **[Standard] Location Search and Suggestion:** Search by name or station ID with user-submitted location requests * *User Intent:* Users want to quickly find relevant content or features. ## Market Position {#market-position} The app holds a modest position in the weather category, with a #196 Grossing rank in the US and a #124 Free rank in Germany. The disparity between free-tier reach and grossing performance indicates a need to refine the premium conversion funnel. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Freemium - **Tiers:** Free tier with ad support, Premium subscription tier for extended capabilities - **Analysis:** Freemium model utilizes ad-supported free access to drive volume, with premium subscriptions gating long-term planning and advanced reports. ## 🟡 User Sentiment (Medium Confidence: 149 reviews) {#user-sentiment} - **Overall Rating:** 3.68/5 - **Platform Split:** iOS 3.9/5 (84 ratings) | Android 3.4/5 (65 ratings) - **Overall Sentiment:** Mixed ### Top Praises - **Data Accuracy** ### Top Complaints (Impact Areas) - **Navigation Friction** ### Top Requests (What Users Want) - **Weather Integration** ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Solunar data integration provides a unique retention hook for fishing niches - Community-driven location search ensures coverage in underserved coastal regions **Critical Frictions:** - 0.56-star rating gap between iOS and Android platforms - Navigation interface lacks the speed-to-data required by power users **Growth Levers:** - Untapped B2B partnerships with coastal tourism or fishing charter services - Wearable integration for real-time tide alerts **Market Threats:** - Multi-modal marine apps are bundling tide data into broader weather suites - Maintenance-mode update cadence leaves the app exposed to agile competitors ## Recent Changes (v2 → v3) {#recent-changes} The app adopted a freemium monetization model and clarified its competitive position, while user feedback surfaced specific navigation friction. **Overall trend**: Mixed **Compared at**: 2026-06-08 ### High-impact changes - **[Shifted] Freemium Model Adoption** (pricing) — Pricing model shifted from free-only to freemium, introducing a premium subscription tier to gate advanced reports and long-term planning. - **[Shifted] Competitive Narrative Update** (positioning) — Executive summary shifted from a neutral functional description to a critical assessment of the app's vulnerability to multi-modal marine competitors. ### Medium-impact changes - **[Improved] Solunar Data Elevation** (features) — Solunar data was repositioned from a standard feature to a key differentiator. - **[Added] Monthly Tide Reports** (features) — Added Monthly Tide Reports as a new differentiator feature for long-term planning. - **[Added] Navigation Friction Complaint** (sentiment) — User feedback now identifies navigation friction as a top complaint, whereas previous data lacked sentiment insights. ## Rivals Landscape {#rivals} > Competitive positioning identified by AI analysis of app features, category, and market signals. ### NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast vs Tides Near Me — Head to Head - **[Tides Near Me](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/me-tidesnear-free)** by Shelter Island Mapping Company, LLC: Dominates the specific tide-tracking niche with massive review volume and a high-frequency update cadence that keeps it at the top of search results. - **Moat strength:** High — sustainable advantage over 12 months - **Key differences:** - Maintains a hyper-focused utility interface that prioritizes immediate tide data over broader weather forecasting features. - Leverages a long-standing market presence since 2012 to build a massive, defensible user review base. - Ships frequent feature updates and bug fixes, averaging over two releases per month to maintain stability. - **Where NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast wins:** - ✅ Offers a more modern, streamlined UI design compared to the legacy-heavy interface of the nemesis. - ✅ Provides a more integrated experience by combining lunar data directly with tide forecasting in one view. - **Where Tides Near Me wins:** - ❌ Provides an extensive, battle-tested database of tide stations that covers more granular geographic locations. - ❌ Optimized for rapid, one-tap access to tide charts, reducing the time-to-data for power users. - **Verdict:** The target app must focus on superior UX and integrated lunar-tide insights to differentiate from the nemesis's sheer data-depth and legacy market dominance. ### Contenders (Strong Challengers) - **[Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/co-windyapp-windy)** by Windy Weather World Inc [Moat: Medium]: A powerful multi-modal marine weather tool that directly competes for the same sailing and fishing audience. - Integrates complex wind and wave modeling alongside standard tide data for a comprehensive marine forecast. - Targets professional and prosumer users with advanced meteorological data layers that exceed basic tide tracking. - **[PredictWind — Marine Forecasts](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-predictwind-app)** by PredictWind Limited [Moat: Medium]: Directly targets the marine navigation segment with high-fidelity weather modeling and professional-grade forecasting tools. - Provides proprietary weather routing and marine-specific forecasting models that go beyond standard NOAA API data. - Focuses on the high-intent sailing market with tools designed for offshore navigation and safety planning. - **[BoatUS - Boat Weather & Tides](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-boatus-boatus)** by BoatUS [Moat: Medium]: Leverages a strong brand association with boating safety and community to capture the recreational marine audience. - Bundles tide and weather data with essential boating safety resources and member-exclusive marine services. - Positions itself as a comprehensive safety companion rather than just a standalone tide-tracking utility. ### Peers (What They Do Better) - **[Windfinder: Wind & Weather map](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/net-windfinder-windfinderapp)** by Windfinder: A widely used weather utility that serves the same outdoor activity audience but with a focus on wind sports. - Specializes in wind-specific forecasting maps that are essential for kitesurfing, windsurfing, and sailing enthusiasts. - Maintains a global network of real-time weather stations that provides hyper-local wind data accuracy. - **[My Moon Phase - Lunar Calendar](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-jrustonapps-my-moon-phase)** by JRustonApps B.V.: Competes directly on the lunar data component of the target app's value proposition. - Offers a dedicated, highly polished interface specifically for tracking lunar cycles and moon phases. - Includes specialized features like golden hour and blue hour calculators for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. - **[MyRadar Accurate Weather Radar](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-fboweb-myradar)** by Aviation Data Systems, Inc: A massive general-purpose weather app that includes tide and marine data as part of a broader feature set. - Provides a high-performance, real-time radar visualization engine that is significantly more advanced than standard tide apps. - Offers a massive ecosystem of weather-related data layers, making it a 'one-stop-shop' for all weather needs. ### New Kids on the Block (What's Innovative) - **[Drone Forecast. UAV Air map](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-drone-assist)** by Aleksandr Alekseev: An emerging niche utility that uses weather and environmental data to serve the growing drone pilot market. ## App Momentum (Intense) {#momentum} - Redesigned Android navigation in latest release. - Shipped performance improvements across both platforms. > **Cadence:** 5 total versions · 0 majors in last 6 months · 5 days since last update ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast is an established weather app that is free with in-app purchases. With a 3.68/5 rating from 149 reviews, it shows polarized user reception. > **Bottom Line:** The app maintains a loyal base through accurate NOAA data, but the legacy UI and lack of weather integration limit its growth, so the PM should prioritize speed-to-data features to defend against multi-modal marine competitors. **Best for:** Maritime enthusiasts including sailors, fishermen, surfers, and beachgoers requiring localized tidal and solar data. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [INVEST] [HIGH IMPACT] Ship a one-tap 'Nearest Tide' widget — *It is the top-requested feature for power users who need immediate data access.* _(trade-off: deprioritize Push the wearable companion app sprint to Q3.)_ - [ ] [PIVOT] [MEDIUM IMPACT] Pivot the Android navigation redesign to prioritize speed-to-data — *The 0.56-star rating gap between platforms suggests UI friction is driving churn on Android.* _(trade-off: deprioritize Pause the price-test on the annual tier.)_ - [ ] [MAINTAIN] [MEDIUM IMPACT] Audit the ad-frequency in the free tier — *User complaints indicate current ad density disrupts the core utility.* _(trade-off: deprioritize Same-quarter capacity available — no major lever displaced.)_ ### Feature Gaps vs Competitors - Real-time wind and wave modeling (available in Windy.app but absent here) - Offshore navigation tools (available in PredictWind but absent here) ### Outlook: Mixed The marine utility market is consolidating around multi-modal tools that bundle tide data with wind and wave modeling. NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast remains exposed due to its narrow focus and legacy interface, so the PM must accelerate feature parity with broader marine weather apps to prevent further churn. - 🔴 The 0.56-star rating gap between Android and iOS indicates platform-specific UI friction that is currently eroding the user base on Android. - 🟢 The recent Android navigation redesign shows the team is actively addressing usability, which could stabilize the rating trend if performance improves. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 3.68/5 | | Total Reviews | 149 | | Sentiment | Mixed (50/100) | | Confidence | Medium | | Pricing Model | Freemium | | Platforms | iOS & Android | | Key Features | 5 analyzed | | Trend | Mixed | | Outlook | Mixed | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast** (this app) | 3.68/5 | Mixed | NextStack LLC | | [Windfinder: Wind & Weather map](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/net-windfinder-windfinderapp) | 4.8/5 | N/A | Windfinder | | [My Moon Phase - Lunar Calendar](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-jrustonapps-my-moon-phase) | 4.9/5 | Thrilled | JRustonApps B.V. | | [Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/co-windyapp-windy) | 4.7/5 | N/A | Windy Weather World Inc | | [Tides Near Me](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/me-tidesnear-free) | 4.8/5 | N/A | Shelter Island Mapping Company, LLC | | [Drone Forecast. UAV Air map](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-drone-assist) | 4.6/5 | N/A | Aleksandr Alekseev | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** NextStack LLC - **Website:** [https://tides-chart.com](https://tides-chart.com) - **Social:** [Instagram](https://instagram.com/nextstack.armenia) · [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/nextstack?mibextid=LQQJ4d) · [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nextstack) ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/noaa-tide-chart-forecast/id1269561948?uo=4) - **Google Play:** [View on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nextstack.org.tidesweather&hl=en&gl=us) - **Dev Site:** [Official Website](https://tides-chart.com) - **Sources:** Developer website content, App store metadata, User reviews. ## Related Intel Reports - [*Windfinder: Wind & Weather map*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/net-windfinder-windfinderapp) (Windfinder) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*My Moon Phase - Lunar Calendar*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-jrustonapps-my-moon-phase) (JRustonApps B.V.) — 4.9/5 Rating | Excellent Sentiment - [*Windy.app — Wind, Tides, Radar*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/co-windyapp-windy) (Windy Weather World Inc) — 4.7/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Tides Near Me*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/me-tidesnear-free) (Shelter Island Mapping Company, LLC) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*Drone Forecast. UAV Air map*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-drone-assist) (Aleksandr Alekseev) — 4.6/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*MyRadar Accurate Weather Radar*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-fboweb-myradar) (Aviation Data Systems, Inc) — 4.8/5 Rating | Positive Sentiment - [*BoatUS - Boat Weather & Tides*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-boatus-boatus) (BoatUS) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*PredictWind — Marine Forecasts*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/com-predictwind-app) (PredictWind Limited) — 4.8/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*KBZK Montana Weather*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/kbzk-montana-weather) (E.W. Scripps Company) — 4.1/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment - [*14 days Weather*](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/14-days-weather) (Tasmanic Editions) — 4.5/5 Rating | N/A Sentiment ## Frequently Asked Questions {#faq} ### Is NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast good for casual beachgoers? Yes, the app provides high-tide and low-tide forecasts that are useful for beachcombing and planning coastal trips, though its features are also tailored for more specialized maritime activities like fishing and sailing. ### How does this app compare to Tides Near Me? Tides Near Me is a direct competitor that focuses on a hyper-minimalist interface for rapid data access. NOAA Tide Chart & Forecast differentiates itself by integrating broader solunar and lunar data alongside standard tidal charts. ### Does the app require an internet connection? The app uses the NOAA API to deliver real-time data, so an active internet connection is typically required to fetch the most current tide forecasts and weather conditions. ### What is a free alternative for marine weather? Users looking for broader marine weather data often consider apps like Windy.app or MyRadar, which provide more extensive radar and wind-modeling layers compared to this app's tide-focused utility. ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** — Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** — Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** — Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction and evidence quoting. 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** — Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** — Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.85/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 149 - **Data Sources:** user reviews, developer website, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 0 days since last refresh --- © 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/intel-report/weather/noaa-tide-chart-forecast) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.