# SFRef Soccer Referee Watch vs Referee Academy

The clearest difference is update cadence: SFRef Soccer Referee Watch at every 3 weeks against Referee Academy's every 3 months. SFRef Soccer Referee Watch also leads on iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.4). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SFRef Soccer Referee Watch sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Referee Academy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SFRef Soccer Referee Watch ships an update every 3 weeks, Referee Academy every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SFRef Soccer Referee Watch | Referee Academy |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (160 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sfref-soccer-referee-watch/id1163321127/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **160** | — |
| Positive reviews | 59.3% of reviews | **66.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 29 MB | 63 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Peramanayagam Marimuthu](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163321126) | [Referee Academy UG](https://appshunter.io/developer/1608683496) |

## What reviewers say

### SFRef Soccer Referee Watch

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sfref-soccer-referee-watch/id1163321127)

This app helps referees manage soccer and futsal matches directly from their smartwatch or iPhone. It tracks game time, scores, substitutions, fouls, and player statistics. Rosters can be imported via Airdrop or OCR, and game reports can be generated instantly.

**Highlights:** Independent watch operation, GPS location tracking, Preconfigured match setup, Substitution tracking, Roster import (Airdrop, OCR), Instant game reports, Workout statistics

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Limited Access | $3.99 | one-time |
| Full Access | $6.99 | one-time |


### 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 SFRef Soccer Referee Watch free?

SFRef Soccer Referee Watch is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Referee Academy free?

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

### Do SFRef Soccer Referee Watch or Referee Academy have ads?

Neither SFRef Soccer Referee Watch nor Referee Academy shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SFRef Soccer Referee Watch or Referee Academy?

SFRef Soccer Referee Watch ships an update every 3 weeks, and Referee Academy every 3 months. Most recently, SFRef Soccer Referee Watch was updated on October 24, 2026 and Referee Academy on October 9, 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.*