# Paddle Paddle vs Oarsum

The clearest difference is ads: Oarsum at none against Paddle Paddle's shown. Oarsum also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 67%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.7). Paddle Paddle's advantage is ratings volume (386 vs 6) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Paddle Paddle sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Oarsum sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 3 months. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Oarsum 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 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Paddle Paddle's written reviews are positive against 100% of Oarsum's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Paddle Paddle | Oarsum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.7 (386 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paddle-paddle/id1468919313/reviews) | **[5.0 (6 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oarsum-paddle-tracker/id6761318846/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **386** | 6 |
| Positive reviews | 66.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 19 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [OXiGENATOR LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/963371435) | [Oddsplash LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886566598) |

## 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


### Oarsum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/oarsum-paddle-tracker/id6761318846)

This app helps kayakers, canoeists, and rowers track their time on the water. Record live sessions, view distance and pace on Apple Watch, and get detailed trip summaries. It offers on-device analytics, water body identification, and integrates with Apple Health.

**Highlights:** Live paddle session recording, Apple Watch companion display, Detailed trip summaries, HealthKit workout support, On-device analytics, Water body identification, Private route logging

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Seasonal Pass | $2.99 | per 3 months |
| Annual Pass | $9.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Paddle Paddle free?

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

### Is Oarsum free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Paddle Paddle or Oarsum?

Oarsum is rated higher. Paddle Paddle averages 4.7 out of 5 from 386 ratings, while Oarsum averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.

### Do Paddle Paddle or Oarsum have ads?

Paddle Paddle shows ads; Oarsum does not.

### Which is updated more often, Paddle Paddle or Oarsum?

Paddle Paddle ships an update every 3 weeks, and Oarsum every 3 weeks. Most recently, Paddle Paddle was updated on October 29, 2026 and Oarsum on October 28, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*