REFSIX vs Referee Tools
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
REFSIX
This app helps soccer referees manage matches with a timer, incident logging, and performance tracking. It syncs with other referee platforms and offers detailed statistics for analysis. Available on phone and smartwatch.
- Match timer with injury time tracking
- Record match incidents (goals, cards, substitutions)
- Smartwatch and phone compatibility
- Performance statistics and analysis
- Match and roster management
- Temporary dismissal (sin-bin) tracking
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The soccer referee app that combines timer, notebook and performance tracking into a single, easy-to-use app, which you can use on your smartwatch or phone, letting you concentrate on the match. See your Assignr and Ref Insight matches directly in the REFSIX app! REFSIX Features: - Add matches and rosters on your iPhone - Create matches for 5-a-side to 11-a-side football - Choose half length from 5 mins to 45 mins as well as the half time interval - Select if the match has extra time or penalties - Create templates of matches for different competitions - Add lineups for the game - Record match incidents in game on your smartwatch or phone - Record temporary dismissals (sin-bins) and be notified when the time is completed - Continuous timer, additional time timer and half time timer - Record injury time with a tap of the screen - Optionally record goal scorers - See all match incidents on your phone after the match - See your total distance covered - Track your fitness through the Apple Health and Activity apps Referee’s Process - Automatically see your upcoming matches from Assignr and Ref Insight or alternatively you can add them into the iPhone app manually. - On match day, select the match, add rosters and send to your smartwatch or phone - During the match you can record all of the key match incidents including goals, cards and substitutions as well as track the game time and injury time - After the match you can view a match report on your phone - The results page automatically updates giving you a running record of all of your matches REFSIX PRO is the advanced version of REFSIX that gives you enhanced analysis of your performance with the ability to see: - Your positioning on a heatmap - The location of your cards on the pitch - Your heart rate through the match - The distance covered in each half as well as every 5 minutes - View distance of walking, running, jogging and sprinting - View season and career statistics screen including average cards given per match REFSIX PRO also gives you even more functionality. With REFSIX PRO you'll get every feature in the free tier as well as the ability to: - Choose up to 3 timers from countup, countdown, elapsed and additional timers - Select team colours - Referee games with quarters REFSIX PRO is available with a monthly or annual subscription (price available in-app). You can subscribe and pay through your iTunes account. Payment will be charged to iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription will automatically renew unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renew may be turned off after purchase by going to the ‘Manage Subscription’ page in settings. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. The subscription will renew at the same cost. Terms of service: https://refsix.com/terms-conditions/ Privacy policy: https://refsix.com/terms-conditions-1/ FAQs + Can I use REFSIX without a smartwatch? Yes, you can use your phone in a match if you don’t have a compatible smartwatch. + Do I need my phone with me while refereeing a match if I’m using a smartwatch? No, we’ve designed the app to work in such a way you only need your smartwatch with you on the pitch. You can sync data between your iPhone and smartwatch before and after the match. + Do I need access to wi-fi or an internet connection? No, on match day no internet connection is necessary. + What if I don't receive teamsheets before a game? No problem, you can simply select player numbers without player names.
Referee Tools
This app provides essential tools for referees, including a timer, whistle sounds, and penalty card displays. It supports various sports like soccer and rugby, with customizable options for countdowns, count-ups, and card colors.
- Adjustable timer (countdown/count up)
- Multiple whistle sounds
- Full-screen penalty card display
- Customizable card colors
- Sound alerts for countdown timer
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Simple and easy-to-use referee tool app. It can be used when refereeing soccer, rugby, handball, etc. ● Basic functions 1. Timer function Tap the time to start the timer. If you want to stop it, tap it again. The timer can be set to “countdown” or “count up”. When "countdown" is selected, a sound can be played when the timer reaches zero. 2. Whistle Press the "Short", "Long", or “Twice” button to sound the whistle. If the whistle icon is held down, the whistle sound will play the entire time (up to approximately 30 seconds). 3. Penalty cards Tap a card to display it in full screen. In the initial display, "yellow card" and "red card" are shown, but other color cards can be displayed in the settings.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: REFSIX at none against Referee Tools's shown. REFSIX also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and ratings volume (252 vs 4). Referee Tools's advantage is review sentiment (70% vs 58%). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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. REFSIX sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Referee Tools sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
REFSIX holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: REFSIX has 252 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 58% of REFSIX's written reviews are positive against 70% of Referee Tools's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
REFSIX ships an update every 6 weeks, Referee Tools every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | REFSIX | Referee Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.2 (252 ratings) — better | 3.8 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 58.2% of reviews | 70.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 252 — better | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks — better | Every 6 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 116 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | REFSIX Ltd | NAOYA ONO |
Customer experience
REFSIX
Referee Tools
Bugs and requests
REFSIX
Reported bugs
4 issues- App crashes after updates
- Unable to create or sync matches
- Issues with entering cards and events
- Subscription not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Add support for other sports like futsal and handball
- Improve heat map accuracy and positioning data
- Allow importing/saving of team rosters
- Implement countdown timer and more timer options
- Add ability to track goal scorers and assist providers
Referee Tools
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
REFSIX
- REFSIX PLUS subscription$2.991 Month
- REFSIX PRO Subscription2 variants$11.991 Month
- REFSIX PRO Subscription14 Days trial$79.991 Year
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- REFSIX PRO Subscription$79.991 Year
Referee Tools
- Support Developer$0.99
- Remove ads$2.99
Questions
Is REFSIX free?
Is Referee Tools free?
Which has better reviews, REFSIX or Referee Tools?
Do REFSIX or Referee Tools have ads?
Which is updated more often, REFSIX or Referee Tools?
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