My Tide Times Pro

My Experience with My Tide Times Pro

I got tired of free tide apps that felt like data harvesters, asking for every permission under the sun. I downloaded My Tide Times Pro over a year ago mainly to see if a paid app was any different. I use it mostly for planning weekend walks with my dog along the rocky shores near Seattle. Last Saturday, it told me the low tide at Discovery Park would be at 8:14 AM and -2.3 feet. I got there, and the tide pools were exposed perfectly, just like the app said. It’s become my go-to for that kind of accuracy. It doesn’t try to be a flashy all-in-one tool, which I appreciate. It just shows me the water.

Features Worth Noting

The offline maps are a killer feature for me. Before a trip to the Olympic Peninsula last summer where I knew service would be spotty, I downloaded the data for a few beaches. Sure enough, I was able to check the tides while completely off-grid. The interactive graph is simple but powerful. I can press and hold on any point to see the exact height and time, which is crucial for knowing if a certain path will be clear. Saving my frequent spots is easy, and I like that the home screen defaults to my primary location without any clutter. The moon phase calendar is integrated well, and it helped me understand why the tides were so dramatic this past September.

What Needs Work

The initial load time for the app on my Galaxy S23 feels a tad slower than it should be. It’s not a dealbreaker, but I notice it. I wish the weather integration was optional or more transparent about its data source. I turned it off because it seemed like a bolt-on feature from a third party. My main gripe was with a notification bug a few months back. I set an alert for a favorable tide window, but it never went off. I had to manually check and almost missed my planned time.

Pricing

The $3.99 one-time fee was the main reason I clicked install. I refuse to subscribe to a utility app. Paying upfront felt like a transaction for a tool, not a leash. Compared to the free alternatives plastered with ads for boat insurance and fishing charters, this was a clean purchase. For how often I open it—several times a week from spring to fall—the cost is negligible. It’s a focused product that doesn’t pester me for more money.

Developer Notes

I had that one issue with the missed notification. I emailed support from the link in the app’s settings on a Tuesday evening. I got an automated reply immediately, but a real human named Marta didn’t get back to me until Friday. She was helpful, asked for my phone model and Android version, and explained it was a known conflict with a recent OS update. The fix was rolled out in the next app update two weeks later. The updates are steady and usually mention specific improvements, like better data for Scandinavian fjords, which shows they’re maintaining it.

Security & Privacy

This is where the app really won me over. The permissions are minimal. It asks for location, but only to suggest nearby tide stations, and you can deny that and manually search. I read the privacy policy before buying. It’s straightforward and states clearly that they don’t sell or share personal data. There are no third-party ad networks embedded in the app. I’ve never seen a creepy ad related to my saved beach locations pop up elsewhere on my phone. It operates like a standalone, respectful tool, which is exactly what I wanted.