Comparison

Side Out vs PickleBear

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

Head to head
About

Side Out

Effortlessly track pickleball scores directly from your Apple Watch with intuitive swipe gestures. This app manages serving order, player positions, and game statistics, allowing you to focus on playing. An optional companion scoreboard can be used on your iPhone or iPad for spectators.

Highlights
  • Hands-free Apple Watch scoring
  • Automatic serving order tracking
  • Companion iPhone/iPad scoreboard
  • Multiple game and scoring formats
  • Player profiles and performance tracking
  • Match history and stats
  • HealthKit integration
Features
Read full description

Track Pickleball scores hands-free on your Apple Watch. Simple swipes keep score while you play—no phone fumbling. See scores, serving order, and player positions at a glance. PERFECT FOR APPLE WATCH • Swipe up/down to score points—keep your phone in your bag • Automatic serving order tracking (no mental math!) • Green indicator shows current server and service box (1 or 2) • Undo/redo with simple swipes—fix mistakes instantly • Works independently on Watch—no iPhone needed during play SMART SCORING FEATURES • Doubles & Singles support • Multiple games per match tracking • Customizable winning score (with win-by-2 rule) • Auto-save & crash recovery—never lose your game • Player profiles to track performance over time • Side-out, Rally, and Simple scoring formats COMPANION SCOREBOARD • Use your iPhone/iPad as a live scoreboard for spectators • Voice announcements in proper Pickleball format (4-2-1) • Perfect for tournaments and casual play • Share scores with nearby players via Bluetooth MATCH HISTORY & STATS • Review past games and performance • Track wins/losses against opponents • iCloud sync across all your devices • HealthKit integration logs workouts automatically Whether you're playing casual rec games or competitive tournaments, Side Out makes scorekeeping effortless so you can focus on your game.

About

PickleBear

Features
Read full description

Did your pace hold up? Stop guessing. See what changed. Wear your Apple Watch on your paddle wrist and play. Come back to a report showing your swings, your late-game pace, and your soft backhands. After another outing, see what changed since last time. No filming or point-by-point scoring. Take a look first. Open an example report before signing in to see how the app works. Made-up numbers, clearly labeled. Your own report comes from your recordings. COME BACK TO YOUR PLAY Read your session by the numbers. After another outing, see what changed since last time and the badges you earned. Share your report. ONE OUTING, ONE SESSION Your recordings stay together in one session, even when you pause between games. Separate outings can appear on the same day. Check your session history, lifetime totals, paddle, and Watch sync from the app. READY FOR THE COURT A short guide covers which wrist to use, how to start, and how to finish your outing so the recordings can sync and become a report when there is enough play to analyze. iPhone and Apple Watch required. HealthKit access supports heart rate and workouts. Motion data is used to record swings and prepare session reports. Privacy controls, support, and account deletion are available in the app.

Screenshots

Side Out4 screens
PickleBear4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: PickleBear at weekly against Side Out's fortnightly. PickleBear also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Side Out ships an update fortnightly, PickleBear weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Side Out versus PickleBear: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSide OutPickleBear
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (88 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings88 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB47 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer205L StudioPepStar LLC

Bugs and requests

Side Out

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • App on watch randomly closes and deletes match
  • Server switching courts not working
  • Undo is sometimes buggy
  • Display hangs occasionally
  • Not properly syncing app data from iPhone to watch
Show 8 more
  • Unable to begin a game on iPhone app
  • Unable to edit player data on iPhone app
  • Paid app froze and won't reinstall
  • Purchased app not on phone
  • App freezes during use
  • Accidentally awarding final point goes to 'Finish' screen
  • SE watch doesn't wake right away
  • Creating multiple Apple workouts when changing teams

Requested features

38 requests
  • Tennis app or section
  • Set up on phone, control on watch
  • In-game timer
  • Disable Watch crown rotation
  • Microphone control for player names
Show 33 more
  • Long press to replace names
  • Default setup option
  • Win/loss summary for all players
  • Change background color (black/white)
  • Use app with workout app for display priority
  • Save matches by sessions
  • Flip player view
  • Rally score option with 2 services
  • Archive feature
  • Stats against added players
  • Landscape mode for players
  • Add 'Myself' to either team
  • Exit and save option
  • Share scoreboard to another iPad
  • Games won under each player
  • Heart rate on Apple Watch version
  • Donation option
  • Play again with same team members
  • Disable crown for scoring
  • Error override feature
  • Delete players
  • Sync code for other players' watches
  • Quick start with option to add myself
  • Add players after QuickStart
  • Coin toss option
  • Time out option with timer
  • Save data to cloud and export
  • Track player errors
  • Track skinny/regular singles games
  • Program team side switching frequency
  • Summarize games played or export data
  • Confirmation or undo at end of game
  • Consolidate multiple Apple workouts

PickleBear

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Side Out

No in-app purchases

None

PickleBear

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Side Out free?
Side Out is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PickleBear free?
PickleBear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Side Out or PickleBear have ads?
Neither Side Out nor PickleBear shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Side Out or PickleBear?
Side Out ships an update fortnightly, and PickleBear weekly. Most recently, Side Out was updated on October 24, 2026 and PickleBear on October 23, 2026.

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