Race Buddy vs The Bracket Racer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Race Buddy
This app transforms your device into a professional racing performance analyzer. It offers GPS lap timing, drag racing measurements, and video data overlay for automotive enthusiasts. Track your performance, compare with others globally, and analyze your runs with detailed telemetry.
- Drag racing and acceleration testing
- GPS lap timing with sector splits
- Video recording with telemetry overlay
- Density altitude calculations
- Online leaderboards and community
- Vehicle management profiles
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Time your laps. Measure acceleration. See where you can improve. RaceBuddy brings lap timing, drag results, performance analysis and video overlays together for closed-course driving. LAP TIMING AND ANALYSIS • Record lap times and sector splits on circuits worldwide. • Follow live delta timing and compare laps to find where time is gained or lost. • Review your racing line, speed and session history. DRAG AND ACCELERATION • Measure 0–60 mph, 0–100 km/h, quarter-mile and rolling acceleration. • Review run graphs, slope and conditions alongside your results. • Compare runs and follow DIFF time or predicted quarter-mile ET with PRO and compatible external GPS. VIDEO WITH YOUR DATA • Record driving video and export it with synchronized telemetry. • Show speed, lap times, G-forces and track position. • PRO adds custom layouts, portrait output and export up to 4K. POWER AND ENGINE DATA • Estimate power and torque from a GPS run with PRO. Results depend on measurement conditions and vehicle settings. • Record supported OBD-II channels, such as RPM and throttle, with PRO and a compatible adapter. • Keep vehicle profiles and compare your performance over time. CHOOSE YOUR GPS SOURCE RaceBuddy ONE, Dragy, Dragy Pro, RaceBox Mini, Mini S, Micro, RaceBox.cc and RaceHF are supported. An external GPS receiver is recommended for greater timing precision. Phone Mode is also available using your iPhone’s GPS and sensors. Its timing precision is limited. DIFF time and predicted ET require compatible external GPS. FREE AND PRO Free includes Phone Mode, connection to RaceBuddy ONE, lap and drag timing, session history, VBO export and 1080p landscape video overlay export, subject to the GPS-source limitations above. PRO adds third-party GPS connections, run and lap comparison, Power & Torque, OBD telemetry, advanced video layouts and export options, and custom track creation. A compatible GPS receiver or OBD adapter is required for the corresponding hardware features. PRO is available as a monthly or yearly subscription, or a one-time Lifetime purchase. See the app for current offers and terms. For closed-course use only: circuits, drag strips and autocross courses. Not for street racing. Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
The Bracket Racer
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Know your number before you stage. The Bracket Racer predicts your car's next elapsed time from live track weather, then learns your car from every run you save — so your suggested dial-in gets sharper every meeting. Built for bracket racers, with live weather for major strips including Willowbank, Sydney Dragway, Perth Motorplex, The Bend, Warwick, Springmount, Calder Park, South Coast, Mildura and Hidden Valley — plus manual weather entry for anywhere else. HOW IT WORKS Save one baseline run — your ET, 60ft, MPH and the density altitude it was set in. From there the app corrects your prediction for the air you're actually racing in: density altitude, humidity, barometric pressure and headwind or tailwind down your strip's true heading. IT LEARNS YOUR CAR Every run you save teaches the predictor. It weighs runs from the same track and similar air more heavily, ignores the odd bad pass instead of averaging it in, and shows you exactly how much it has learned. Watch the accuracy build with your run history. MADE FOR RACE DAY - Live suggested dial-in, updating as the air changes - Density altitude trend — see the air improving or fading between rounds - Head/tailwind effect calculated for your track's actual direction - Full weather board: DA, correction factors, dew point, wet bulb, water grains, vapor pressure and more - Optional 60ft correction for track conditions - Run log organised by track and race day, with prediction-vs-actual accuracy at a glance - Supports quarter-mile classes and Junior Dragster eighth-mile No ads. No tracking. Your run data belongs to you, and you can export or delete it any time. From club brackets to championship rounds — spend less time guessing and more time cutting lights.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Bracket Racer at none against Race Buddy's 8. The Bracket Racer also leads on update cadence (every 8 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. Race Buddy sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. The Bracket Racer asks for nothing beyond the download.
Race Buddy ships an update every 3 weeks, The Bracket Racer every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Race Buddy | The Bracket Racer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (13 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 42.9% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 13 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 8 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 15.1 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 131 MB | 34 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Imperio | Stephan Gouws |
In-app purchases
Race Buddy
- RaceBuddy Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
- RaceBuddy Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- Drag & Laptimer PRO Monthly$6.991 Month
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- RaceBuddy Pro Annually$8.991 Year
- RaceBuddy Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
- Drag & Laptimer PRO Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
- RaceBuddy Lifetime PRO$29.99
- Lifetime PRO$89.99
The Bracket Racer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Race Buddy free?
Is The Bracket Racer free?
Do Race Buddy or The Bracket Racer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Race Buddy or The Bracket Racer?
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