Comparison

GHIN vs Handicap Tracker

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

Head to head
About

GHIN

Track your golf scores, analyze your game statistics, and utilize GPS course maps with advanced features. This official app helps golfers manage their handicaps and compete with friends.

Highlights
  • Score Posting
  • Stat Tracking
  • Course Maps & GPS
  • Handicap Calculator
  • Group Score Keeping
  • Apple Watch Integration
Features
Read full description

This is the official mobile app of the Golf Handicap Information Network (GHIN), a service offered by the USGA to golf associations worldwide. Key features include: • Score Posting (Total Score, Hole-by-Hole Score and Hole-by-Hole Score with Stats) • Stat Tracking (Number of Putts, Approach Shot Accuracy and Driving Accuracy) • Course Maps & GPS • Enhanced GPS Features (Putt Break Map, Approach Shot Heat Map, Shot Tracking) • Games & Group Score Keeping • Apple Watch integration • Golfer Lookup • Handicap Calculator Terms of Service - https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy - https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/Handicap-ghin/ghin-privacy-policy.html

About

Handicap Tracker

This app helps golfers calculate and monitor their handicap using the USGA WHS formula. Track your progress over time and view individual round differentials. It's designed for personal use and is not affiliated with the USGA.

Highlights
  • Calculate golf handicap (USGA WHS)
  • Support for any golf course
  • Track progress over time
  • View individual round differential
  • Simple and easy to use
Features
Read full description

Handicap Tracker is the simple way to calculate and track your golf handicap with the World Handicap System (WHS). Add the courses you play, post your scores, and watch your Handicap Index update. No membership, no account, no sign-up. CALCULATE YOUR HANDICAP INDEX Post a round and Handicap Tracker computes your Handicap Index using the World Handicap System (WHS) 2024 method, the framework used by golf's governing bodies. Your index updates automatically every time you add a round. A COURSE HANDICAP FOR ANY COURSE Add any course you play with its course rating, slope rating, and par. Handicap Tracker gives you a Course Handicap for each one, shown as a whole number, so you know your strokes before you tee off. SEE EVERY ROUND'S SCORE DIFFERENTIAL Each round shows its own Score Differential, so you can see exactly how every round factors into your index. 18- AND 9-HOLE ROUNDS Post full 18-hole rounds or 9-hole rounds. Nine-hole rounds are combined into 18-hole equivalents using the official expected-score method, so they count the right way toward your index. Your first index establishes after 54 holes, in any mix of 9s and 18s. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Watch your Handicap Index trend over time with charts and stats, see which rounds are counting toward your index right now, and spot whether your game is heading in the right direction. SYNCS ACROSS YOUR DEVICES Your courses and rounds sync automatically over iCloud, so your full history is on every device you sign in to. DESIGNED FOR iPHONE AND iPAD A clean, fast, native design with full Dark Mode. Export your full round history to CSV whenever you want it. HANDICAP TRACKER PRO (OPTIONAL) Handicap Tracker is free and supported by ads. Pro is an optional upgrade for golfers who want more: - Handicap Card: share or print a clean card of your index as a PDF or image - No ads - What Counts Next: see the score you need at your home course to lower your index - Deeper stats: more ways to look at your index over time Everything free stays free. Your Handicap Index, Course Handicap, round history, stats, and CSV export are not moving behind the paywall. Pro Annual: an auto-renewing subscription at $19.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. Pro Lifetime: a one-time purchase of $59.99. It is not a subscription and there is nothing to renew. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged for the renewal within 24 hours before the period ends. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple Account settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial is forfeited when you purchase a subscription. Terms of Use: https://handicaptracker.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://handicaptracker.app/privacy Disclaimer: Handicap Tracker is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the USGA, The R&A, or the World Handicap System. "World Handicap System" and "WHS" are used only to describe the calculation method. The Handicap Index and Course Handicap shown are unofficial, for personal tracking only, and are no substitute for an official Handicap Index issued by the USGA, The R&A, or an authorized golf association. The app does not post scores to GHIN or any official handicapping service.

Screenshots

GHIN4 screens
Handicap Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Handicap Tracker at 73% against GHIN's 26%. Handicap Tracker also leads on monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). GHIN's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (21K vs 209). On price, update cadence and in-app purchases 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. GHIN sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $49.99 per year and Handicap Tracker sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

GHIN holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: GHIN has 21K ratings behind it against 209, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 26% of GHIN's written reviews are positive against 73% of Handicap Tracker's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
GHIN versus Handicap Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGHINHandicap Tracker
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (21K ratings) — better4.6 (209 ratings)
Positive reviews26.1% of reviews72.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings21K — better209
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#30 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size359 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUnited States Golf Associationcorey smith

Customer experience

GHIN

All ratings20,611 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.7%
Negative2.6%
Written reviews230 reviews
Positive26.1%
Neutral18.3%
Negative55.7%

Handicap Tracker

All ratings209 ratings
Positive88.5%
Neutral4.8%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive72.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative24.2%

User reviews

GHIN

From 21K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Reliable GPS and course data
  • 👍 Handicap tracking and management
  • 💡 Green contour and heat maps
  • 🚀 Efficient score entry and posting

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and disconnections
  • 🔌 Poor Apple Watch integration and performance
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find desired features
  • 🔋 High battery drain when using GPS

Handicap Tracker

From 209 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Free and accurate handicap
  • 👍 Easy to use interface
  • 👍 9-hole rounds count
  • 👍 Saves all scores and courses
  • 👍 No subscription required

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Data loss issues
  • 🐛 Inaccurate calculations reported
  • 🐛 App stopped working
  • 🐛 Requires manual course entry
  • 🐛 Ads present

Bugs and requests

GHIN

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Scorecard data not syncing properly between devices
  • Inability to end rounds early and post partial scores
  • GPS distances not updating correctly on Apple Watch
  • Course data not loading consistently

Requested features

4 requests
  • Allow customization of tracked stats
  • Implement landscape mode support
  • Integrate with Apple Health/Activity
  • Improve handicap calculation accuracy

Handicap Tracker

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • All data deleted
  • Scores and courses disappeared
  • Handicap stayed the same
  • Unable to send email to support
  • All data gone after season
Show 4 more
  • Scores disappeared after six weeks
  • All rounds disappeared after a year
  • Lost all data after a year
  • Cannot get last games into app after phone upgrade

Requested features

5 requests
  • Option to select app icon
  • Show round differentials on rounds list
  • Link to course database for easier entry
  • Allow entry of gross and adjusted gross scores
  • Option to input adjusted gross score

In-app purchases

1 purchases

GHIN

Subscriptions1
  • Upgrade to GHIN Enhanced GPS$49.991 Year
2 purchases

Handicap Tracker

Subscriptions1
  • Handicap Tracker Pro Yearly7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time1
  • Handicap Tracker Pro - Lifetime$59.99

Questions

Is GHIN free?
GHIN is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Handicap Tracker free?
Handicap Tracker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, GHIN or Handicap Tracker?
GHIN is rated higher. GHIN averages 4.8 out of 5 from 21K ratings, while Handicap Tracker averages 4.6 from 209 ratings.
Do GHIN or Handicap Tracker have ads?
Handicap Tracker shows ads; GHIN does not.
Which is updated more often, GHIN or Handicap Tracker?
GHIN ships an update every 3 weeks, and Handicap Tracker every 3 weeks. Most recently, GHIN was updated on September 24, 2026 and Handicap Tracker on September 22, 2026.

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