FTA Buddy vs Phoenix Tuner X
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FTA Buddy
This utility app assists volunteers in specific roles at FIRST Robotics Competition events. It provides quick access to a field monitor, technical flashcards, and a reference guide for helpful information.
- Embedded field monitor browser
- Technical flashcards
- Quick reference guide
- Assists FTA/FTAA roles
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This app is for volunteers at FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) events in the FTA (FIRST Technical Adviser) or FTAA (FIRST Technical Adviser Assistant) roles. It's a small app that serves three main purposes: display the field monitor in an embedded browser, show flashcards (like the FTA Notepad app), and show a quick reference page with some helpful technical tidbits.
Phoenix Tuner X
Configure and manage CTR Electronics devices remotely. Adjust device names, IDs, and firmware. Plot and control devices, and activate advanced features.
- Manage device name, IDs, firmware
- Configure device settings
- Plot and control devices
- Activate PRO features
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Welcome to Phoenix Tuner X! Tuner offers the capability to configure and manage your CTR Electronics devices from the comfort of your phone. This includes the ability to: - Manage device name, IDs, firmware version - Configure eligible device configs - Plot and control eligible devices - Activate PRO features on eligible devices
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FTA Buddy at Free against Phoenix Tuner X's $3.99. FTA Buddy also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (100% vs 67%). Phoenix Tuner X's advantage is update cadence (every 11 days vs every 8 months) and device support (4 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases 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
FTA Buddy is free to download; Phoenix Tuner X costs $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
FTA Buddy holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of FTA Buddy's written reviews are positive against 67% of Phoenix Tuner X's.
FTA Buddy ships an update every 8 months, Phoenix Tuner X every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FTA Buddy | Phoenix Tuner X |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $3.99 |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | 4.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 11 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 10 MB | 229 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Ken Schenke | Cross The Road Electronics |
Customer experience
FTA Buddy
Phoenix Tuner X
In-app purchases
FTA Buddy
No in-app purchases
Phoenix Tuner X
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FTA Buddy free?
Is Phoenix Tuner X free?
Which has better reviews, FTA Buddy or Phoenix Tuner X?
Do FTA Buddy or Phoenix Tuner X have ads?
Which is updated more often, FTA Buddy or Phoenix Tuner X?
Other comparisons
