Comparison

Whistle Time vs Referee Tools

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

Head to head
About

Whistle Time

This sports timing app helps referees manage matches with customizable timers, card tracking, and real-time data syncing. It also offers post-match analysis and a unique heatmap feature to track on-field movement.

Highlights
  • Customizable match periods and warnings
  • Yellow/red card and penalty tracking
  • Cross-device syncing (watch, phone, TV)
  • Live match data sharing
  • Post-match event overview
  • On-field movement heatmap analysis
Features
Read full description

Whistle is the match timer for referees, coaches and teams. Run the clock, keep the score and track cards on your phone or Apple Watch – and show the live match on any TV for players and spectators. Built for football, ready for hockey, basketball, handball, rugby, korfball and more. ALL-NEW DESIGN Whistle has been completely redesigned. Big, clear numbers, a calm dark interface and everything you need within one tap – easy to read on the pitch, even at a glance. PRECISE MATCH TIMING • Set periods, breaks and warning times for every period • Count down or up, with alerts before and at the end of each period • Track pause time and injury time separately • Alerts by vibration, plus a whistle sound on devices with a speaker • Save your settings as templates: 2 x 45 for seniors, 4 x 15 for youth – switch in one tap • Ready-made templates for popular sports, right out of the box CARDS AND PENALTIES • Log cards with configurable time penalties • Get an alert the moment a player's penalty is over • Keep a clear record of every card in the match SCORING YOUR WAY • Add score types for your sport, like +1, +2 and +3 in basketball • Add team names and logos for a real scoreboard feel LIVE ON EVERY SCREEN • Show your match on a TV or big screen: scan its QR code and you're linked • Share a link or QR code so assistant referees, coaches, parents and fans can follow the match live online • Run the match from your Apple Watch and keep your eyes on the game • Everyone sees time, score and cards update in real time REVIEW YOUR MATCH • A full overview after the final whistle: duration, goals, cards and breaks • A GPS heatmap of your movement on the field to review your positioning and coverage • Your match history, available when you're signed in FAST IN-GAME CONTROL • Double-tap the time, score or icon for instant actions • Long-press pause to stop the clock immediately Questions or ideas? Leave a review or contact us through our website – we read every message.

About

Referee Tools

This app provides essential tools for referees, including a timer, whistle sounds, and penalty card displays. It supports various sports like soccer and rugby, with customizable options for countdowns, count-ups, and card colors.

Highlights
  • Adjustable timer (countdown/count up)
  • Multiple whistle sounds
  • Full-screen penalty card display
  • Customizable card colors
  • Sound alerts for countdown timer
Features
Read full description

Simple and easy-to-use referee tool app. It can be used when refereeing soccer, rugby, handball, etc. ● Basic functions 1. Timer function Tap the time to start the timer. If you want to stop it, tap it again. The timer can be set to “countdown” or “count up”. When "countdown" is selected, a sound can be played when the timer reaches zero. 2. Whistle Press the "Short", "Long", or “Twice” button to sound the whistle. If the whistle icon is held down, the whistle sound will play the entire time (up to approximately 30 seconds). 3. Penalty cards Tap a card to display it in full screen. In the initial display, "yellow card" and "red card" are shown, but other color cards can be displayed in the settings.

Screenshots

Whistle Time4 screens
Referee Tools4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Whistle Time at 100% against Referee Tools's 70%. Whistle Time also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 6 months). Referee Tools's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Whistle Time sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Referee Tools sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Whistle Time ships an update every 9 days, Referee Tools every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Whistle Time versus Referee Tools: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWhistle TimeReferee Tools
PriceFreeFree
Rating—3.8 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better70.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 6 months
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRobbert BrackelNAOYA ONO

Customer experience

Whistle Time

Written reviews7 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Referee Tools

All ratings4 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral20.0%
Negative10.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Whistle Time

Subscriptions2
  • Without adds$1.991 Month
  • Without adds$17.991 Year
2 purchases

Referee Tools

One-time2
  • Support Developer$0.99
  • Remove ads$2.99

Questions

Is Whistle Time free?
Whistle Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Referee Tools free?
Referee Tools is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Whistle Time or Referee Tools have ads?
Both Whistle Time and Referee Tools show ads.
Which is updated more often, Whistle Time or Referee Tools?
Whistle Time ships an update every 9 days, and Referee Tools every 6 months. Most recently, Whistle Time was updated on November 14, 2026 and Referee Tools on November 12, 2026.

Other comparisons