Portuguese app Swella, designed to help women find surfing partners, has grown to more than 1,800 members worldwide since launching in May 2026. An Android version is planned for release by the end of the year.
According to a press statement, Swella was founded by Rita Marques, a surfer who developed the app after experiencing difficulties finding other women to surf with, particularly when traveling to unfamiliar destinations.
Marques began surfing in Portugal at age 13 with a group of girls. After they quit, she continued surfing alone or with boys before eventually losing motivation and stopping herself. When she returned to surfing, she struggled to find women at a similar skill level, particularly as she progressed in the sport and traveled abroad.
“When you arrive somewhere new and you’re one of the only women in the lineup, it can be intimidating,” Marques said.
She explained that Swella is not about suggesting women need someone else to surf with. Rather, it aims to make connections easier to find for women who choose to travel and surf independently but still value having others alongside them in the water.
Marques hopes the platform will give women more confidence to explore unfamiliar surf destinations, including places where they may not already know other surfers.
How Swella works
Available on iOS, the platform allows users to create profiles, discover female surfers based on location, travel dates, and surfing experience, and organize sessions or trips together.
Members can share upcoming surf plans, find women nearby or at destinations they intend to visit, and exchange local advice about surf spots and conditions.
According to its website, Swella is free to use, with an optional Plus version offering additional features.
Community growth and planned features
Since its launch, Swella’s members have exchanged more than 5,000 messages and shared over 600 surf plans, according to figures provided by the company.
Alongside its planned Android release, Swella is developing features including notifications for relevant surf plans, improved discovery filters, the ability to add friends, and more personalized matching based on interests, surfing experience, and travel preferences.
The app also features Swella Experiences, a section showcasing surf trips, retreats, and other activities offered by selected partners.
Featured image: Swella founder Rita Marques (Photo courtesy of Rita Marques/LinkedIn)
