# Pickleball Referee App vs PaddleDNA

The clearest difference is rating: PaddleDNA at 5.0 against Pickleball Referee App's 3.9. Pickleball Referee App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. PaddleDNA sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Pickleball Referee App asks for nothing beyond the download.

PaddleDNA holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pickleball Referee App has 9 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Pickleball Referee App ships an update every 3 days, PaddleDNA every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Pickleball Referee App | PaddleDNA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickleball-referee-app/id1666312041/reviews) | **[5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paddledna/id6760906943/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **9** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 53 MB | 50 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | **15.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Pickleball TopCo LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649936841) | [Daniel Roberts](https://appshunter.io/developer/1807081091) |

## What reviewers say

### Pickleball Referee App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pickleball-referee-app/id1666312041)

This app streamlines pickleball tournament management for referees. It offers features like live scoring, customizable fields, and on-screen timers, eliminating the need for paper score sheets and external devices. It also integrates with popular tournament platforms.

**Highlights:** Tournament information management, Integration with tournament platforms, Streamlined match reporting, Live and training modes, Realistic screen layout, Customizable player names, On-screen timers, Video challenge feature

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### PaddleDNA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/paddledna/id6760906943)

Instantly verify pickleball paddle performance using NFC technology. Scan paddles to retrieve verified measurements and confirm they meet tournament standards. Track your equipment and check brand authorization for authorized play.

**Highlights:** Instant paddle verification via NFC, Retrieve verified test data, Check tournament compliance, Track saved paddles, Verify brand authorization, Designed for tournament use

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PaddleDNA Premium (Monthly) | $2.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Pickleball Referee App free?

Pickleball Referee App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is PaddleDNA free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Pickleball Referee App or PaddleDNA?

PaddleDNA is rated higher. Pickleball Referee App averages 3.9 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while PaddleDNA averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Pickleball Referee App or PaddleDNA have ads?

Neither Pickleball Referee App nor PaddleDNA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Pickleball Referee App or PaddleDNA?

Pickleball Referee App ships an update every 3 days, and PaddleDNA every 2 weeks. Most recently, Pickleball Referee App was updated on October 25, 2026 and PaddleDNA on October 13, 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.*