BeachFinderBeachFinder, the Windguru alternative for the beach and swimming
Updated on
BeachFinder vs Windguru
| Criterion | BeachFinder reco | Windguru |
|---|---|---|
| What the app is for | ✓Choosing the right spot today | Reading precise wind tables |
| Per-spot sea temperature | ✓Yes, today's value, spot by spot | Model temperature, not today's water |
| Directory of rated spots | ✓985,317 category records across separate activity datasets | List of wind spots, no swim ratings |
| Water quality / swimming | ✓Swim signals + UV where available | No |
| Activities covered | ✓Beach, surf, snorkeling, diving, van, whitewater, lakes | Kite, windsurf, sailing (wind spots) |
| Wind table precision | Yes (speed, direction, period) | Yes, very deep (GFS/WRF, fine numbers) |
| Photos, parking & access | ✓Real photos, parking, drive time | No |
| Apple Watch & widgets | ✓Watch app + site & Windows widget | Web widget |
| Price | Free (optional advanced features) | Free + Pro |
Methodology
This comparison is built from each app's publicly documented features (App Store and Google Play listings, publishers' official websites) and from BeachFinder's own data (184,900 unique beaches, lakes and swim spots after app-level geographic deduplication). Every competitor keeps the advantage in its area of specialty — the rows without a green check are the ones it wins. No usage statistics and no precise pricing are claimed about competitors. Other apps' features may change after this date.
What Windguru does really well
- Ultra-dense wind and gust forecast tables, the reference for kitesurfers and windsurfers.
- Choice of forecast models (GFS, high-resolution WRF) for precise hour-by-hour numbers.
- Fine tracking of a known spot: wind, gusts, swell, period and temperature across several days.
Why switch from Windguru to BeachFinder
Windguru answers "how many knots at my spot on Wednesday?". BeachFinder answers "where do I go today?". If you already know your Windguru tables by heart for a kite spot, keep them. But the moment you want to discover a beach, a snorkeling cove, a lake or a surf spot near you, Windguru shows its limits: it's a numbers tool, not a place guide. BeachFinder ranks nearby spots by water temperature, wind, UV, swim quality, photos and access, in thirty seconds.
Can you use both?
Yes, and they complement each other. Keep Windguru to read fine wind and gust numbers before a kite or windsurf session at your usual spot. Open BeachFinder to find a new beach, check water temperature, UV, water quality, photos and access, then go. Both are free and cover different needs.
Frequently asked questions
Is BeachFinder free like Windguru?
Yes, BeachFinder is free to download on iOS and Android, with optional advanced features — just like Windguru with its Pro tier.
Does BeachFinder show wind like Windguru?
Yes: speed, direction and swell period per spot. Windguru goes deeper on its dense forecast tables (GFS/WRF, hour-by-hour numbers); BeachFinder adds the sea temperature, UV and water quality that Windguru doesn't show.
Does Windguru have sea temperature per beach?
Windguru shows a model-derived temperature, but not today's water temperature spot by spot, nor a directory of rated beaches with photos and access — which BeachFinder does.
Which app to choose a beach today?
BeachFinder: it ranks nearby beaches by sea temperature, wind, UV, water quality and access, with photos and reviews. Windguru is built to read precise wind tables at a known spot, not to discover a place.
Try BeachFinder — it's free
One app for every water outing, with community observations where available.
Independent comparison. Brand names belong to their respective owners and are cited for informational purposes (nominative use). Information accurate as of the update date; other apps' features may change.