Get the intel you need to score.
We model every break — swell, period, and wind — so you know when it's clean, and when to skip it. 16 days out.
675+ spots across 26 regions — No credit card required
See conditions at your beach right now
Where It's Working Today
Live conditions at popular spots
Start free. Go Premium when you're hooked.
Accurate breaking-wave heights, per-spot ratings, and regional cams — about a third of what the big sites charge.
- 5-day forecasts
- Breaking-wave heights, wind & tide
- Per-spot condition ratings
- 5 favorite + 5 nearby spots
- 1 surf alert
- 16-day forecasts
- Live wave & wind maps
- Wave energy & swell analysis
- 15 favorite + 15 nearby spots
- 10 surf alerts
No credit card required
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Swell Intel different from Surfline or Surf Captain?
We model breaking wave height at the beach and calibrate condition ratings per spot — accounting for things like jetty wind shelter and how each break handles swell period. No ads, no generic star formula, and Premium is $2.99/month.
What is breaking wave height?
The rideable wave size at the beach — what you'd actually paddle into — modeled from offshore swell, nearshore bathymetry, and each spot's exposure. Buoy height is measured miles offshore; breaking height is what it turns into at your spot.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. Free accounts get 5-day forecasts, tide charts, wind analysis, breaking wave predictions, five nearby and favorite spots, and one surf alert. Premium ($2.99/month, 7-day free trial) extends forecasts to 16 days and unlocks wave maps, more spots, and ten alerts.
Which spots are covered?
675+ spots across 26 regions: the East Coast, New England, the Gulf, California, the Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
How are condition ratings calculated?
Each spot is rated hourly from its breaking wave height, wind speed and direction relative to that beach, and swell period — calibrated per spot, so a jetty break sheltered from south winds rates clean on days that blow out the open beaches next door.
Is there an iOS app?
Yes — Swell Intel for iOS has the same forecasts, maps, and alerts, and your account syncs between web and app.