# Paddle Paddle vs ZEN Kayak

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Paddle Paddle at 67% against ZEN Kayak's 0%. Paddle Paddle also leads on ratings volume (386 vs 1). ZEN Kayak's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.7). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paddle Paddle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and ZEN Kayak sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ZEN Kayak holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Paddle Paddle has 386 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 67% of Paddle Paddle's written reviews are positive against 0% of ZEN Kayak's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Paddle Paddle ships an update every 3 weeks, ZEN Kayak every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paddle Paddle | ZEN Kayak |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (386 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paddle-paddle/id1468919313/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-kayak/id1496639813/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **386** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **66.7% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 19 MB | 49 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OXiGENATOR LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/963371435) | [ZEN Trails LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1496639812) |

## What reviewers say

### Paddle Paddle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paddle-paddle/id1468919313)

Track your kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, or rowing sessions with detailed metrics and a full-screen map. Enjoy high-visibility mode for bright days and set targets for your routes. Syncs with Apple Health and offers export options.

**Highlights:** Full-screen route mapping, Real-time speed, distance, and stroke rate tracking, High-visibility mode for sunny conditions, Target setting for routes, Stroke rate measurement via motion sensors, Apple Watch integration, GPX/TCX export and Strava sync

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.99 | per month |
| Annual Subscription | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Love this app
- 👍 Keeps good track of time and distance
- 👍 Records routes
- 👍 Easy to keep track of miles
- 👍 Helpful for paddleboarding

**What reviewers complain about**

- 😞 Requires subscription for basic functions
- 😞 Paid version full of ads
- 😞 Heart rate not comparable
- 😞 Difficult to see small print in sun
- 😞 Apple Watch interface uses a lot of battery

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 App freezes when viewing history
- 🐛 History not showing without upgrade
- 🐛 Apple Watch shows speed in km/hr despite miles setting
- 🐛 No data collected in Apple Watch stats
- 🐛 Cannot view history due to unavailable ads/subscription

**Requested features**

- 💡 Add watch version
- 💡 Grab heart rate data from Apple Watch
- 💡 Make app fully functional without subscription
- 💡 Improve Apple Watch integration
- 💡 Allow starting/pausing/stopping recording on Apple Watch


### ZEN Kayak

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/zen-kayak/id1496639813)

Discover and map kayaking spots, share your paddling journeys, and find new trails. Record your routes with GPS and read or leave reviews for other users. Premium features include offline maps and dark mode.

**Highlights:** Map kayaking launch and takeout spots, Share GPS recordings of journeys, Leave ratings and reviews, Find kayak launches near you, Discover new trails, Record and track kayak trails, Offline maps (Premium)

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| Premium | $29.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paddle Paddle free?

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

### Is ZEN Kayak free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paddle Paddle or ZEN Kayak?

ZEN Kayak is rated higher. Paddle Paddle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 386 ratings, while ZEN Kayak averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Paddle Paddle or ZEN Kayak have ads?

Both Paddle Paddle and ZEN Kayak show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Paddle Paddle or ZEN Kayak?

Paddle Paddle ships an update every 3 weeks, and ZEN Kayak every 2 weeks. Most recently, Paddle Paddle was updated on October 29, 2026 and ZEN Kayak on September 24, 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.*