Comparison

Golf Genius vs 18Birdies

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

Head to head
About

Golf Genius

This app enhances the golf experience by allowing live score entry, access to member portals with stats, and easy photo uploads for events. It also provides mobile access for club pros and league managers to event details and offers sponsorship branding opportunities.

Highlights
  • Live score entry
  • Real-time leaderboards
  • Member portal access
  • Photo gallery uploads
  • Event management for pros
  • Sponsorship branding
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Registered Golf Genius players will find the free Golf Genius mobile app an exciting and useful addition to their golf experience. The app is also designed to reduce effort and save valuable time for the pro shop staff and league managers. Here are a few of the most important app functions: (1) Live score entry out on the course (scores can be entered by players or pro staff) that immediately updates full field leaderboards on large TV displays in the clubhouse and on the app itself; (2) access to the custom member portal where players can view tee sheets, results, statistics, etc.; (3) an easy and fast way to upload photos, creating photo galleries that add to the fun for any event; (4) mobile access for club pros and league managers to all events on the golf calendar, with dates, registrants, tee sheets, hole-by-hole scorecards, final results, etc.; (5) mobile, contextual branding exposure and messaging customized for corporate and charity outings sponsors, which translates into an attractive and differentiated “outings offer” and the opportunity for clubs hosting outings to maximize revenue. The Golf Genius mobile app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.

About

18Birdies

This app provides advanced GPS technology and game improvement tools for golfers. It offers personalized training, AI swing analysis, and a community to connect with friends and compete. Improve your game with detailed stats and course insights.

Highlights
  • GPS Rangefinder
  • Digital Scorecard
  • Handicap Tracking
  • AI Swing Analyzer
  • Golf Community
  • Shot Tracking
  • 3D Green Maps
Features
Read full description

Play better golf from the first tee to the final putt. Featured by Apple as “The Best App for Golfers” and trusted by more than 10 million golfers, 18Birdies gives every player a smarter way to play, practice, compete, and improve. 18Birdies helps you know the distance, choose smarter shots, track every round, and understand where your game can improve. Get free GPS yardages on 45,000+ courses, keep score, follow your handicap, review your stats, and use Apple Watch tools to stay focused. Improve your swing with AI feedback, Instant Swing Playback, Golf School training, and expert coach reviews. FREE GOLF GPS, SCORECARD & STATS Know the distance before every shot. Get yardages to greens, hazards, layups, and carries on 45,000+ courses worldwide. Keep score, save round history, monitor your handicap, and use shot tracking and stats to improve your game. APPLE WATCH GOLF TOOLS Keep your phone in your bag. Use 18Birdies on Apple Watch for distances, scoring, shot tracking, and automatic swing detection. IMPROVE FASTER Improve your game faster with advanced swing tools built for real results. Upload swing videos to the AI Swing Analyzer for personalized feedback, fault detection, and drills to help you improve. Use Instant Swing Playback to review swings and understand what changed from swing to swing. Build better habits with Golf School drills and lessons designed to help you practice with purpose. For expert feedback, submit your swing to Pro Swing Analysis for a personalized review from a certified golf coach. PLAY WITH FRIENDS Golf is better with friends. Connect, share rounds, compare progress, and create competition with side games, team formats, leagues, tournaments, and live leaderboards. FREE FEATURES - GOLF GPS RANGEFINDER: Distances to greens, hazards, layups, carries, and more - DIGITAL SCORECARD: Track scores for every round - HANDICAP TRACKER: Follow your handicap trend - STATS & ROUND HISTORY: Track performance over time - SHOT TRACKING: Capture shots and learn more about your game - APPLE WATCH: Distances, scoring, and shot tracking - INSTANT SWING PLAYBACK: Review your swing during practice - GOLF COMMUNITY: Connect with friends, share rounds, and celebrate your best golf moments - TEAM MODE & SIDE GAMES: Play Scramble, Best Ball, Skins, Wolf, and more - TOURNAMENTS & LEAGUES: Create live leaderboards for group competition - COACH CONNECT: Share your game with your coach for feedback PREMIUM TOOLS Upgrade to 18Birdies Premium for advanced tools and deeper insights. Free trial available for eligible users after download. - PLAYS-LIKE DISTANCES: Account for conditions that affect true yardage - CLUB RECOMMENDATIONS: Get personalized club guidance - ADVANCED GPS TOOLS: Plan shots with more confidence - 3D GREEN & HEATMAPS: Read slopes, breaks, and green contours - ADVANCED STATS: Analyze your game with charts, filters, and comparisons - STROKES GAINED: See where you gain or lose strokes - SMART TRACKING & AUTO SWING DETECTION: Capture your round automatically with less manual input, with or without Apple Watch - AI SWING ANALYZER: Get personalized swing feedback from video - HD INSTANT SWING PLAYBACK: Review your swing with annotations and deeper analysis - GOLF SCHOOL: Unlimited training, drills, and lessons - SHOT TRACKING INSIGHTS: Understand distance, shape, and performance - PRO SWING ANALYSIS DISCOUNT: 25% off personalized swing reviews from certified coaches LEGAL 18Birdies Premium is an optional auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscription renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel in App Store account settings. By using 18Birdies, you agree to Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ and our Terms of Service https://18birdies.com/legal/terms/ and Privacy Policy https://18birdies.com/legal/privacy-policy/.

Screenshots

Golf Genius4 screens
18Birdies4 screens

Verdict

The call

Golf Genius and 18Birdies both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 74% of 18Birdies's written reviews are positive against 26% of Golf Genius's. 18Birdies also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and chart position (#5 vs #97). Golf Genius's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, rating, ads 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. 18Birdies sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Golf Genius asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Golf Genius against 4.9 for 18Birdies. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 76K and 306K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 26% of Golf Genius's written reviews are positive against 74% of 18Birdies's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Golf Genius ships an update every 3 weeks, 18Birdies weekly. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Golf Genius versus 18Birdies: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGolf Genius18Birdies
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (76K ratings)4.9 (306K ratings) — better
Positive reviews26.3% of reviews73.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings76K306K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
Best chart rank#97#5 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size59 MB297 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGolf Genius Software, Inc.18Birdies LLC

Customer experience

Golf Genius

All ratings75,951 ratings
Positive96.8%
Neutral1.5%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews198 reviews
Positive26.3%
Neutral11.6%
Negative62.1%

18Birdies

All ratings306,033 ratings
Positive98.9%
Neutral0.5%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews1,352 reviews
Positive73.7%
Neutral8.6%
Negative17.7%

User reviews

Golf Genius

From 76K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Versatile and powerful
  • 💡 Useful for groups
  • 👍 Great app for tournaments

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Barely functional
  • 👎 Not easy to navigate
  • 🐛 Entries disappear
  • 🐛 App opens on wrong date
  • 👎 Difficult to use

18Birdies

From 306K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Accurate GPS
  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🚀 Helpful features
  • 👍 Great app
  • 👍 Useful for improving game

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription
  • 🐛 Yardages inaccurate on Apple Watch
  • 🐛 Buggy after updates
  • 🐛 Difficult to use
  • 🐛 Annoying referral prompts

Bugs and requests

Golf Genius

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Compatibility issues with newer devices
  • Syncing problems between app and website
  • Incorrect handicap calculations
  • Scores not saving properly

Requested features

5 requests
  • Allow reorganizing player names
  • Increase font size
  • Add Apple Watch functionality
  • Ability to cancel registrations
  • Putt tracking feature

18Birdies

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Yardages not syncing correctly between watch and phone
  • Inability to save rounds or enter scores
  • Incorrect course information and tee box layouts
  • Frequent crashes and performance issues

Requested features

7 requests
  • Automatic handicap calculation
  • Customizable home course stats
  • Dark mode option
  • Ability to record scores for non-app users
  • Layup yardages and hazard distances
Show 2 more
  • Improved Apple Watch integration
  • Better social features and leaderboards

In-app purchases

None

Golf Genius

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

18Birdies

Subscriptions8
  • 18Birdies Premium7 Days trial$2.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium Subscription$7.997 Days
  • Weekly Premium Subscription WB$7.997 Days
Show 5 more
  • Monthly Premium Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • 18Birdies Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Monthly Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium Subscription WB7 Days trial$69.991 Year
  • Yearly Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year

Questions

Is Golf Genius free?
Golf Genius is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is 18Birdies free?
18Birdies is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Golf Genius or 18Birdies?
18Birdies is rated higher. Golf Genius averages 4.8 out of 5 from 76K ratings, while 18Birdies averages 4.9 from 306K ratings.
Do Golf Genius or 18Birdies have ads?
Neither Golf Genius nor 18Birdies shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Golf Genius or 18Birdies?
Golf Genius ships an update every 3 weeks, and 18Birdies weekly. Most recently, Golf Genius was updated on November 6, 2026 and 18Birdies on November 6, 2026.
Which is more popular, Golf Genius or 18Birdies?
Golf Genius currently peaks at #97 in the App Store charts, and 18Birdies at #5. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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