Comparison

Race Buddy vs DOWNLINK

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

For track day drivers, drag strip racers and tuners. Pair RaceBuddy ONE, RaceBox, Dragy or RaceHF — measure 0-60 mph, quarter mile, sector times, lap deltas, and real-world horsepower in one app. Used at 1,000+ sanctioned tracks worldwide by track day enthusiasts, autocross drivers, drag strip racers, motorcycle riders and performance tuners. Designed for closed-course use only — sanctioned circuits, drag strips, autocross courses. Not for road or street use. POWER & TORQUE — REAL-WORLD DYNO • Measure horsepower and torque from a single clean GPS pull • Smart Garage AI fills drivetrain, weight, gear ratios and frontal area • Compare power gains across mods, tunes and fuel • No chassis dyno needed LAP TIMER & TRACK DAY COMPANION • Professional GPS lap timing with sector splits • Automatic circuit detection at 1,000+ tracks worldwide • Live delta timing — real-time lap improvements • Ideal lap calculation from your best sectors • Track maps with racing line analysis • Compare laps against your best or any public Leaderboard lap DRAG STRIP & ACCELERATION • 0-60 mph, 0-100 km/h, 1/8 mile, 1/4 mile, 1/2 mile times • Predicted 1/4 mile ET — projected time live, mid-run • 60-foot rollout, slope correction, density altitude compensation • DIFF time vs your selected reference run • Compare runs side-by-side • Rolling acceleration from any speed • Braking performance measurement • Real-time speed display up to 25 Hz GPS accuracy • G-force meter for launch and braking analysis VIDEO & DATA OVERLAY • HD recording with synchronized telemetry • Green screen export for post-production • Overlay onto your existing video — Drag & Laptimer • Custom overlay layouts (PRO) • Up to 4K resolution and portrait orientation (PRO) • Picture-in-picture track map • Speed, G-forces, lap times, temperatures, RPM-derived data • Story and Post cards for Instagram and TikTok ADVANCED TELEMETRY & ANALYSIS • Density altitude for accurate tuning • Weather and temperature tracking • Detailed session history and statistics • VBO and CSV export • Telemetry import from other devices VEHICLE MANAGEMENT • Rich car profiles with variant data • AI fills unknown specs (gears, weights, drivetrain, more) • DCT, CVT, manual and automatic transmissions supported • Track multiple vehicles with per-car performance history • Power-to-weight calculations SUPPORTED GPS DEVICES (Bluetooth pairing required) • RaceBuddy ONE — connect and use for free • Dragy, Dragy Pro • RaceBox Mini, Mini S, Micro • RaceBox.cc • RaceHF External GPS device required. The phone's GPS is not supported — accurate timing needs a high-frequency, low-latency receiver. WHAT'S FREE vs PRO Free: connect RaceBuddy ONE, full lap timing, full drag timing (0-100, 1/4 mile, 60-foot, etc.), session history, VBO export, 1080p landscape video overlay export. PRO unlocks: connect any third-party GPS device, Power & Torque measurement, DIFF time, Compare Runs, Compare Laps, custom branding, custom overlay layouts, 2K and 4K export, portrait orientation, Picture-in-Picture, front-camera dual recording, custom track creation, premium support. PRO is available Monthly, Yearly (with 7-day free trial), or as a one-time Lifetime purchase. PERFECT FOR • Track day enthusiasts • Autocross and time attack drivers • Drag strip racers • Performance tuners and dyno operators • Driving instructors and students • Motorcycle riders Disclaimer: For closed-course and track use only. Always prioritize safety. Not intended for street racing or high-risk driving. Drive responsibly and obey all traffic laws. RaceBuddy uses Apple's standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

DOWNLINK

Features
Read full description

DOWNLINK is a sports telemetry camera. It records your ride and draws your speed, lean angle, G-force, altitude and route onto the video — saved into the file. INSTRUMENTS FOR EVERY ACTIVITY • Motorcycle: lean angle arc, deepest lean each side, G-force • Car / Track: route panel, cornering G, 0–100 and 0–60 timer • Bicycle: grade, elevation strip, climb and descent • Ski / Snowboard: slope, vertical drop, run count LIVE MAP The minimap turns with your heading, zooms out as you speed up and draws the road you have ridden over Apple Maps. Switch it off in Settings when a start or finish should stay private. ONE-TAP REEL When you stop, DOWNLINK finds the best moments in the telemetry — top speed, deepest lean, tightest hairpin — and cuts a 15-second vertical video: the route draws itself on the map, then each moment slows into its peak. Ready for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. RIDE SUMMARY AND SHARE IMAGE Top and average speed, distance, climb, route and place name on one page. Make an image of the ride with the route on the map, with the start and finish hidden if you like. HONEST NUMBERS Every value comes from this phone's own GPS, barometer and motion sensors. When a sensor has no reading, the display says SIM instead of guessing. Lean and G assume the phone is mounted upright; phone GPS updates about once a second — a good record of the ride, not timing equipment. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account, no ads, no tracking. Your videos and rides stay on your phone. Free: record with one activity and the Drive instruments. DOWNLINK PRO unlocks every activity, the ride summary, the share image and reels without the watermark with a single purchase. Screenshot and preview footage: A. Thiessen, roadstertouren, J. Holleboom, Viennaaa — CC BY 3.0.

Screenshots

Race Buddy4 screens
DOWNLINK4 screens

Verdict

The call

Race Buddy and DOWNLINK are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Race Buddy sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and DOWNLINK sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Race Buddy ships an update every 3 weeks, DOWNLINK every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
Race Buddy versus DOWNLINK: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRace BuddyDOWNLINK
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (12 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews42.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings12 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size127 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImperioEmre ALICI

In-app purchases

10 purchases

Race Buddy

Subscriptions6
  • RaceBuddy Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • RaceBuddy Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Drag & Laptimer PRO Monthly$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • RaceBuddy Pro Annually$8.991 Year
  • RaceBuddy Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
  • Drag & Laptimer PRO Yearly7 Days trial$49.991 Year
One-time4
  • Custom branding$2.99
  • External GPS$9.99
  • RaceBuddy Lifetime PRO$29.99
Show 1 more
  • Lifetime PRO$89.99
1 purchases

DOWNLINK

One-time1
  • DOWNLINK PRO$1.99

Questions

Is Race Buddy free?
Race Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is DOWNLINK free?
DOWNLINK is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Race Buddy or DOWNLINK have ads?
Neither Race Buddy nor DOWNLINK shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Race Buddy or DOWNLINK?
Race Buddy ships an update every 3 weeks, and DOWNLINK every 2 weeks. Most recently, Race Buddy was updated on October 13, 2026 and DOWNLINK on October 21, 2026.

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