# The Golf Tracer vs SmoothSwing

The clearest difference is rating: SmoothSwing at 4.8 against The Golf Tracer's 3.8. SmoothSwing also leads on review sentiment (50% vs 33%) and ratings volume (12K vs 1.6K). The Golf Tracer's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Golf Tracer sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and SmoothSwing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

SmoothSwing holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmoothSwing has 12K ratings behind it against 1.6K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of The Golf Tracer's written reviews are positive against 50% of SmoothSwing's.

The Golf Tracer ships an update every 2 months, SmoothSwing monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Golf Tracer | SmoothSwing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-golf-tracer/id1330717186/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smoothswing/id1514586439/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 1.6K | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 32.6% of reviews | **50.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 114 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Swing by Swing Golf, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1266160520) | [Thomas Turnbull](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514586438) |

## What reviewers say

### The Golf Tracer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-golf-tracer/id1330717186)

Easily trace your golf shots from captured or uploaded videos. Customize tracers with various styles, add yardage, and create engaging content for learning or entertainment. Visualize your game like never before.

**Highlights:** Manual tracer control, Customizable tracer styles, Add shot yardage, Easy video export and sharing, Swing sequence creation, Video looper functionality, Overlay options

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Golf Tracer Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Golf Tracer Premium - Yearly | $5.99 | per year |
| Golf Tracer All Access | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Customizable tracer options
- 🚀 Quick processing
- 👍 Accurate tracing
- 💡 Ability to edit ball flight

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent ball contact frame selection
- 🐛 Tracer not staying in place when camera moves
- 🐛 Delayed tracer response after impact
- 🐛 Difficulty getting precise impact point
- 🐛 Inaccurate automatic tracing

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or won't open
- Inability to save or upload videos
- Glitches when trying to use manual tracing

**Requested features**

- Ability to preview video without downloading
- Option to adjust tracer distance units
- Improved UI for selecting ball contact frame
- Automatic distance/trajectory detection
- Ability to delete/organize saved videos


### SmoothSwing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smoothswing/id1514586439)

This app offers a real-time golf shot tracer that visually tracks your ball's flight path. It also provides advanced GPS features, including club distance assistance and slope-adjusted yardage, to help you play smarter on the course.

**Highlights:** Real-time shot tracer, 360 Golf GPS, Club Assistant, PLAYS LIKE Distance (Slope Adjusted Distance), Elevation Change measurement

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SmoothSwing Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate shot tracer
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 One-time purchase for pro version
- 🚀 Impressive performance for a free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent ball tracking, especially for high-speed shots
- 🔋 Overheating issues in hot weather
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Shot tracer not working after purchasing pro version
- GPS and map features not functioning properly
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Inability to track certain ball colors

**Requested features**

- Ability to upload and trace pre-recorded videos
- Landscape mode support
- More customization options for the shot tracer
- Improved range finder with clearer visuals


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Golf Tracer free?

The Golf Tracer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is SmoothSwing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Golf Tracer or SmoothSwing?

SmoothSwing is rated higher. The Golf Tracer averages 3.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while SmoothSwing averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do The Golf Tracer or SmoothSwing have ads?

Neither The Golf Tracer nor SmoothSwing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Golf Tracer or SmoothSwing?

The Golf Tracer ships an update every 2 months, and SmoothSwing monthly. Most recently, The Golf Tracer was updated on November 6, 2026 and SmoothSwing on November 8, 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.*