Comparison

zRef vs Rule

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

Head to head
About

zRef

This app helps referees manage sports matches by tracking time, logging goals, cautions, and ejections. It provides a timer and stopwatch for game management and generates end-of-game reports with scores and event details.

Highlights
  • Match time tracking
  • Goal logging
  • Caution and ejection tracking
  • Timer and stopwatch
  • End-of-game reports
  • Simple match creation
Read full description

zRef is a refereeing app to help you keep track of your matches. The app can keep track of time, log goals, cautions, ejections, and more. The app is simple to use. Simply create a new match, and supply the time per half. Click the start button to start the timer and press it to stop. There is a timer and stopwatch, so you can know he time remaining and the elapsed time for filling out game cards. You can also click and hold start/stop the button to log things such as goals, cautions, and ejections. When the game is over, you will be given an end of game report. This will contain the final score and each event that occurred (including time).

About

Rule

Features
Read full description

【Rule-Bace: AI Rule Assistant for Referees】 "Was that the right call according to the rules?" "It's my first time refereeing... I'm worried if I fully understand the rules." "Reading through long, complex competition guidelines and local rules is exhausting..." Whether it's a doubt during a match, a desire to sharpen your refereeing skills, or the need to check local tournament rules—Rule-Bace is the ultimate partner to resolve referee anxieties and help you step onto the field or court with confidence. ■ Key Features No More Reading Required! Direct Upload of Competition Guidelines (Images & PDFs) Simply take a photo or upload a PDF of competition guidelines or local rule documents. Beyond game regulations like water break rules, you can easily check facility and operational rules like "Where is the parking lot?", "What time do gates open?", or "Are cameras/prohibited items allowed?". Just ask the AI what you need to know, and it will instantly extract and answer without you having to read through dense documents. High-Speed AI Rule Search Ask in plain language like "Is this scenario a foul?" or "How do we restart play in this situation?", and the AI instantly provides answers from vast rule datasets, explained in a beginner-friendly way. Supports International Rule Standards Based on official international rules for Soccer, Baseball, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball, Futsal, and more. Always provides accurate support based on the latest regulations. Cross-Sport Support Great for referees managing multiple sports. Easily switch between sports to immediately reference rules specific to each game. Perfect for Pre- and Post-Match Study Ideal for clearing up doubts during matches, reviewing rules before a game, or studying material from training seminars. Even inexperienced referees can build knowledge and steadily improve their skills. ■ Recommended For ・Referees tired of reading thick rulebooks and detailed tournament guidelines every time. ・Anyone who spends too much time searching for specific info like "parking" or "prohibited items" in event documents. ・Beginners who want to learn rules from the basics. ・Those who want a quick and accurate way to check official rules. ・Coaches and referees who want to make pre-game rule reviews a habit to boost confidence on the field. ・Multi-sport referees who need to keep rules organized for different sports. 【Disclaimer】 This app is a third-party tool developed by referencing the official international rules of each sport. It has no direct relationship with any sports governing bodies and is not an official application. While AI responses aim to support you based on official rulebooks, the final decisions during actual matches rest with the referees. For the latest rule changes and operational policies, please also refer to the official websites of the respective sports organizations. ■ Terms of Service https://tan-principle-379.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-3723b0dd7e4580e7af79d99b53de06a3?source=copy_link

Screenshots

Rule4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: zRef at none against Rule's 1. zRef also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0.0). Rule's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On price and device support 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. Rule sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. zRef asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

zRef ships an update every 2 months, Rule every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
zRef versus Rule: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterzRefRule
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (7 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings7 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.0.0
Further details — not scored
Size1 MB45 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRami SinnoSEIICHI MIYAKO

In-app purchases

None

zRef

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Rule

Subscriptions1
  • Rule-Base Pro$2.991 Month

Questions

Is zRef free?
zRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Rule free?
Rule is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do zRef or Rule have ads?
Rule shows ads; zRef does not.
Which is updated more often, zRef or Rule?
zRef ships an update every 2 months, and Rule every 3 weeks. Most recently, zRef was updated on November 3, 2026 and Rule on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons