# DFB vs Referee Academy

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DFB at none against Referee Academy's 8. DFB also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). Referee Academy's advantage is review sentiment (67% vs 50%) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 8 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Referee Academy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. DFB asks for nothing beyond the download.

DFB ships an update every 8 months, Referee Academy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DFB | Referee Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 168 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DFB GmbH & Co. KG](https://appshunter.io/developer/424424868) | [Referee Academy UG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1608683496) |

## What reviewers say

### DFB

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dfb-magazine/id1146745234)

Access official German Football Association publications, including the DFB-Journal and Schiri-Zeitung. Enjoy in-depth articles, exclusive interviews, and referee insights, with multimedia content and download options for offline viewing.

**Highlights:** Official DFB publications, DFB-Journal and Schiri-Zeitung, In-depth football articles, Referee insights and tips, Exclusive interviews and reports, Multimedia content (videos, galleries), Downloadable for offline access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### Referee Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/referee-academy/id1608763139)

Enhance your understanding of sports rules with a vast collection of over 6,000 questions. This app offers personalized learning, detailed explanations, and custom statistics to track your progress. It covers football, futsal, beach soccer, handball, and more, with options for multiple-choice answers and community discussions.

**Highlights:** Over 6,000 sports rules questions, Personalized learning environment, RefExpert explanation feature, Customizable statistics, Covers football, futsal, beach soccer, handball, Community discussion forum, Webinar access

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Fan (1 Monat) | $1.49 | per month |
| Beginner (1 Monat) | $2.99 | per month |
| Advance (1 Monat) | $4.49 | per month |
| Fan (12 Monate) | $8.49 | per year |
| Beginner (12 Monate) | $17.49 | per year |
| Advance (12 Monate) | $26.49 | per year |
| Professional (1 Monat) | $26.49 | per month |
| Professional (12 Monate) | $139.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DFB free?

DFB is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Referee Academy free?

Referee Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do DFB or Referee Academy have ads?

Neither DFB nor Referee Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DFB or Referee Academy?

DFB ships an update every 8 months, and Referee Academy every 3 months. Most recently, DFB was updated on November 2, 2026 and Referee Academy on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*