Spark Golf vs GolfNow Compete
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Spark Golf
This app connects people through recreational golf leagues. It facilitates social interaction, friendly competition, and organized 9-hole games. Discover local leagues and enjoy a more social and fun golf experience.
- Nationwide network of leagues
- 9-hole recreational golf
- Social connection and networking
- Friendly competition
- Organized league play
- Find local leagues
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At Spark, our mission is to bring people together to play golf. Spark began with a group of Orlando locals who wanted a regular night where they could have fun with friends, meet new ones and play golf. It was informal but authentic. As the word spread, more people joined the fun and Spark Golf was formed. Spark is now a nationwide network of 9-hole, recreational golf leagues where people play fun golf, connect with others and experience friendly competition. We bring people together to play golf. Our intention is to make Spark Golf more fun, social and organized than your everyday round of golf. So, find a league to join near you and start playing more golf!
GolfNow Compete
Enhance your golf experience with a comprehensive app for competitive play. Track scores, challenge friends, and utilize GPS features for over 30,000 courses worldwide. Improve your game with advanced stats and find local tournaments.
- Live leaderboards
- Virtual wagers
- 30,000+ course GPS
- Advanced stat tracking
- Live scoring for up to 8 golfers
- Tournament and event search
- Custom competitions
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GolfNow Compete – Golf GPS & Scoring Make every round count with GolfNow Compete. Challenge yourself and your friends with the #1 app in competitive golf. Raise the stakes with custom competitions and exciting side games that add excitement to every hole. Plus, you can register for local events, improve your game with stat tracking and use the built-in golf course GPS and rangefinder to measure shots and select the right club every time. Play for more than bragging rights • Compete against your friends in unique multi-games and track standings on the live leaderboards • Add virtual wagers to the round and put some skin in the game Keep your game sharp • Track your round with state-of-the-art golf course GPS maps and yardages for 30,000+ courses worldwide • Identify areas you can improve your game with advanced scoring and stat tracking Ditch the paper scorecard • Make every shot count and score live with up to eight golfers on the built-in scorecard • Score for your friends when they forget their phone, or add guests and we’ll share the scorecard with them • Add your Handicap to your profile and even the playing field with the Net scoring format Tee off against anyone, anywhere • Search for tournaments and outings near you from the Compete tab, or create your very own public or private event. • Find, invite and add your friends to join you in competitions, group rounds, your favorite games and virtual wagers. GolfNow Compete is for golfers, by golfers, and we want to hear from you! If you have feedback for us, please email us at compete@golfnow.com Terms of Use: https://www.golfnow.com/support/about-us/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy?intake=Golf&appname=GNCompete Your Privacy Choices: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy/notrtoo CA Notice: https://www.versantprivacy.com/privacy/california-consumer-privacy-act
Screenshots
Verdict
Spark Golf and GolfNow Compete both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 69% of Spark Golf's written reviews are positive against 45% of GolfNow Compete's. Spark Golf also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). GolfNow Compete's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Spark Golf against 4.7 for GolfNow Compete. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 8.6K and 5.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 69% of Spark Golf's written reviews are positive against 45% of GolfNow Compete's.
Spark Golf ships an update every 3 months, GolfNow Compete every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on November 11, 2026.
| Parameter | Spark Golf | GolfNow Compete |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (8.6K ratings) — better | 4.7 (5.6K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 69.1% of reviews — better | 45.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8.6K — better | 5.6K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 276 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Epic Golf, Inc. | GolfNow.com |
Customer experience
Spark Golf
GolfNow Compete
User reviews
Spark Golf
From 8.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Fun format
- 👍 Friendly and accommodating
- 👍 Great customer service
- 👍 Convenient and easy to use
- 👍 Good opportunity to meet new people
Room to improve
- 🐛 Scoring issues and imbalanced system
- ⏱️ Slow pace of play
- 💰 Overpriced compared to regular play
- 🤔 Confusing and lacking in organization
- 📞 Poor customer support responsiveness
GolfNow Compete
From 5.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate GPS and yardages
- 👍 Easy to use interface
- 💡 Ability to adjust pin position
- 🚀 Seamless transition from lock screen
Room to improve
- 🐛 Crashes and login issues
- 🔨 Missing features from previous app
- 🔨 Inability to track 9-hole rounds
- 🔨 Can't add other players to a round
- 🔨 Limited statistics and scorecard history
Bugs and requests
Spark Golf
Reported bugs
2 issues- Issues with score registration
- Compatibility problems with older devices
Requested features
3 requests- Add GPS functionality
- Improve real-time booking and scheduling
- Implement fairer scoring system
GolfNow Compete
Reported bugs
4 issues- GPS not working properly
- Auto-scoring feature not functioning
- Courses not showing up in search
- Handicap not updating correctly
Requested features
4 requests- Apple Watch compatibility
- Advanced statistics and analytics
- Ability to edit and delete scorecards
- Support for 9-hole rounds and competitions
In-app purchases
Spark Golf
No in-app purchases
GolfNow Compete
No in-app purchases









