Comparison

Zef vs PaddleMate

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

Head to head
About

Zef

Track and organize your rides for various sports, including nautical activities. Features include race organization, jump height estimation, and social sharing of sessions and spots. Integrates with Health app for comprehensive data recording.

Highlights
  • Race organization and championship management
  • Jump height estimation using drone technology
  • Support for a wide range of sports
  • GPX file import from watches
  • Health app integration
  • Social feed for friends and spots
  • Live tracking and notifications
Features
Read full description

Zef — Ride. Track. Connect. Zef is a multi-sport tracking app built for riders, with a strong focus on nautical sports. Track your sessions, analyze your performance, discover spots, and see your friends live — all in one app. Key Features Track your rides Record your sessions with your iPhone or Apple Watch. Zef integrates with the Health app and supports GPX imports from most watches. Advanced performance analytics Get detailed session stats including speed, distance, duration, speed polar, and health data. Sessions can be replayed to analyze each maneuver. Jump analysis Measure jump height using only your iPhone or Apple Watch. Powered by algorithms inspired by drone technology. Races & challenges Create private or public races for training or competition. Visual guidance and wind angles are displayed directly on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Spots & live activity Discover spots around you and see when riders are active. Follow spots and get notified when sessions start. Friends & live tracking Follow riders by username and get notified when friends go live. Watch their sessions live on the map and stay connected. Supported Sports Sailing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, Wingfoil, Kitefoil, Windfoil, SUP Foil, Surfing, Wakeboard, Kayaking, Paddling, Snowkiting, Landkiting, Cross-country skiing, Skating, Bike, Electric Bike, Parawingfoil, and more with custom tags. Apple Ecosystem • iPhone & Apple Watch support • Health app integration • Optimized for the Apple ecosystem Important Sessions must be recorded from the ground to be validated. Legal Terms of Service https://zef.watch/terms-and-conditions.html Privacy Policy https://zef.watch/privacy-and-security-policy.html

About

PaddleMate

This performance measurement system uses hardware sensors and software to help kayak, canoe, SUP, dragon boat, and rowing athletes track and improve their sport performance. Coaches can monitor athlete development, view live data from the water, and provide real-time feedback.

Highlights
  • Force measurement sensor (POD)
  • GPS & data collecting unit (TRACKER)
  • Live data from the water
  • Training and race data analysis
  • Pulling force, symmetry, stroke rate tracking
  • Distance per stroke measurement
  • Heart rate monitor compatibility
Read full description

Performance measurement system specifically developed for kayak, canoe, SUP, dragon boat and rowing sports to objectively measure and improve the sport performance. The system consists hardware devices and software elements. Coaches can have access to their athlete's profile and see how they are developing week to week. Paddlemate can provide LIVE data from the water so coaches can see their athletes performance and give them real-time feedback. POD = Force measurement sensor TRACKER = GPS & data collecting unit Training and race data analysis and tracking: Pulling force Force curves Symmetry Stroke rate Distance per stroke measurement Speed Pace GPS-based distance tracking with all necessary data Compatibility with heart rate monitoring devices Pull and Ride!

Screenshots

Zef4 screens
PaddleMate4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PaddleMate at none against Zef's 3. PaddleMate also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). Zef's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (41 vs 1). On price, update cadence and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Zef sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. PaddleMate asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PaddleMate holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Zef has 41 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Zef's written reviews are positive against 100% of PaddleMate's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Zef ships an update fortnightly, PaddleMate monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Zef versus PaddleMate: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZefPaddleMate
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (41 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews90.7% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings41 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterMonthly
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemiumAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDavid KiefferPaddlemate Kft.

Customer experience

Zef

All ratings41 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative9.8%
Written reviews43 reviews
Positive90.7%
Neutral2.3%
Negative7.0%

PaddleMate

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Zef

Subscriptions3
  • Premium for one month7 Days trial$6.991 Month
  • Summit for one year$26.991 Year
  • Premium for one year$34.991 Year
None

PaddleMate

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Zef free?
Zef is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PaddleMate free?
PaddleMate is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Zef or PaddleMate?
PaddleMate is rated higher. Zef averages 4.6 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while PaddleMate averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Zef or PaddleMate have ads?
PaddleMate shows ads; Zef does not.
Which is updated more often, Zef or PaddleMate?
Zef ships an update fortnightly, and PaddleMate monthly. Most recently, Zef was updated on September 26, 2026 and PaddleMate on June 5, 2026.

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