Comparison

ICS Pro Coach vs Ref

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

Head to head
About

ICS Pro Coach

Features
Read full description

The Pro Coach App is only available to coaches working in the professional game. Elevate your game with the Pro Coach App: - Stay Informed: Get updates on coaching events. - Access Content: Stay up-to-date with coaching articles, videos, and podcasts. - Plan Your Career: Manage your development action plan and explore the role profiles, learning about the different career paths in coaching. - Explore Qualifications: Learn about coaching programmes and qualifications. Powered by the PCP Partners: The Premier League The FA EFL WSL PFA LMA LCA

About

Ref

Features
Read full description

Ref-Vision captures a referee’s match on Apple Watch and iPhone: GPS, heart rate, speed, distance, match clock, event taps, and sideline video, all heading to one game on your Ref-Vision account. Start the watch at kick-off. Put the iPhone on a tripod if you want film. The watch is built to be glanced at, not stared at. Large buttons, haptics, and an always-on clock. APPLE WATCH • Start at kick-off: one workout records GPS and heart rate for the whole appointment, including half-time • Match clock with half-time, second half, and full-time • Live heart rate, speed, distance, and GPS lock • Four large event buttons by default: Foul, Yellow, Red, Goal • Extra buttons (Advantage, Stoppage, Injury, Sub, Penalty, and more) from a second page if you enable them on iPhone • Undo the last event with a swipe • Sessions are saved on the watch first, then sent to iPhone automatically. No network required during the match IPHONE • Live glance of clock, heart rate, distance, and last event while the watch is recording • Finished sessions arrive from the watch automatically • Review distance, heart rate, and events after the match; edit or delete a mis-tap • Attach the session to a game, or create one, then upload to your Ref-Vision account • Sign in once with the same email code you use on ref.vision • Customise which event buttons appear on the watch and push the layout across RECORD • New Record tab for sideline match film from a tripod-mounted iPhone • Checks before you start: phone on its side (landscape), on the tripod, and on a power bank • Ultra-wide (0.5x) so the pitch fills the frame; 1080p by default, 4K if you want it • Built for a full match — keep the app open and don’t lock the phone • Recordings stay on this iPhone first, even with no signal • Attach or create a game, then upload. We’ll start processing the film onto that game soon • Watch capture and phone film can run together: movement and events on the watch, video on the phone AFTER UPLOAD Watch sessions land on your game with GPS, heart rate, and event tags. Phone film is uploaded from the app; after we process it, it appears on the same game at ref.vision. Attach footage and set one sync offset so movement, heart rate, and watch events line up with the film together. Capture works without an account. Upload to Ref-Vision requires sign-in. Ref-Vision records referee performance (location, heart rate, and optional sideline video). It is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice. Requires a compatible Apple Watch for GPS, heart rate, and event capture. Video recording uses iPhone. Designed for referees at every level.

Screenshots

ICS Pro Coach4 screens
Ref4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Ref at every 2 weeks against ICS Pro Coach's every 6 weeks. ICS Pro Coach's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.4). 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

ICS Pro Coach ships an update every 6 weeks, Ref every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
ICS Pro Coach versus Ref: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterICS Pro CoachRef
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS15.1 — better26.4
Further details — not scored
Size55 MB8 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperICS Football LTDSAMUEL LANE MADDOCK

In-app purchases

None

ICS Pro Coach

No in-app purchases

None

Ref

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ICS Pro Coach free?
ICS Pro Coach is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Ref free?
Ref is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do ICS Pro Coach or Ref have ads?
Neither ICS Pro Coach nor Ref shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ICS Pro Coach or Ref?
ICS Pro Coach ships an update every 6 weeks, and Ref every 2 weeks. Most recently, ICS Pro Coach was updated on September 30, 2026 and Ref on September 24, 2026.

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