Hornady Ballistics vs GaugeWatcher
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Hornady Ballistics
This app provides advanced ballistic calculations using Doppler radar measured bullet drag coefficients. It includes a BC-based calculator and an extensive ammo library to help users achieve greater accuracy.
- 4DOF trajectory calculations
- Doppler radar measured bullet drag coefficient input
- BC-based calculator
- Comprehensive ammo library
- Shooting angle and azimuth features
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Hornady Ballistics features advanced 4DOF trajectory and ballistic calculations based on Doppler Radar measured bullet drag coefficient inputs. Also includes BC based calculator and ammo library
GaugeWatcher
Access real-time river flow data without needing an account or encountering advertisements. Discover nearby gauges, monitor flow rates, and save your preferred locations for quick access.
- Real-time river flow data
- Discover nearby gauges
- Check flow rates
- Bookmark favorite gauges
- No signup required
- Ad-free experience
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Simple river flow data. No signup required. No ads. No fluff. Find nearby gauges, check flow rates, bookmark favorites. That's it.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Hornady Ballistics at 4.8 against GaugeWatcher's 3.8. Hornady Ballistics also leads on ratings volume (44K vs 9) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). GaugeWatcher's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and review sentiment (67% vs 40%). On price 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. Hornady Ballistics sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. GaugeWatcher asks for nothing beyond the download.
Hornady Ballistics holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hornady Ballistics has 44K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 40% of Hornady Ballistics's written reviews are positive against 67% of GaugeWatcher's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Hornady Ballistics ships an update every 5 weeks, GaugeWatcher weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Hornady Ballistics | GaugeWatcher |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (44K ratings) — better | 3.8 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 39.7% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 44K — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 54 MB | 29 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Hornady | Andrew Althage |
Customer experience
Hornady Ballistics
GaugeWatcher
Bugs and requests
Hornady Ballistics
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes on launch or during use
- Saved data not persisting or resetting
- Incorrect data being saved (e.g. wrong bullet weight)
- Navigation and UI elements not functioning properly
Requested features
4 requests- Add more bullet and caliber options
- Allow customization of units (metric/imperial)
- Integrate with weather stations for automatic data input
- Ability to save and export range cards
GaugeWatcher
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Hornady Ballistics
- Multi Hud$0.99
- Range Cards$0.99
- Group Analysis$4.99
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- Moving Target$4.99
GaugeWatcher
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Hornady Ballistics free?
Is GaugeWatcher free?
Which has better reviews, Hornady Ballistics or GaugeWatcher?
Do Hornady Ballistics or GaugeWatcher have ads?
Which is updated more often, Hornady Ballistics or GaugeWatcher?
Other comparisons
