# The Open vs SmoothSwing

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Open at none against SmoothSwing's 1. The Open also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs monthly). SmoothSwing's advantage is review sentiment (49% vs 28%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. SmoothSwing sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Open asks for nothing beyond the download.

SmoothSwing holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4.9K and 11K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 28% of The Open's written reviews are positive against 49% of SmoothSwing's.

The Open ships an update every 4 days, SmoothSwing monthly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Open | SmoothSwing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (4.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-open/id658257516/reviews) | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smoothswing/id1514586439/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4.9K | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | **49.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#171** |
| Size | 79 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The R&A](https://appshunter.io/developer/378489775) | [Thomas Turnbull](https://appshunter.io/developer/1514586438) |

## What reviewers say

### The Open

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-open/id658257516)

Experience live coverage of golf's original Championship, including feature groups, range sessions, and unique par-3 channel footage. Stay updated with real-time scores, tee times, news, and highlights. Access year-round content like films, documentaries, coaching videos, and podcasts.

**Highlights:** Live championship coverage, Feature group coverage, Live at the Range, Up-to-date scoring and tee times, Live blog, News, video highlights, and features, Films, documentaries, and podcasts

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Excellent coverage and commentary
- 🚀 Fantastic app for following the Open
- 💡 Great radio coverage
- 👍 Brilliant app with lots of great features

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes frequently
- 🐛 Connection issues and video not working
- 🐛 Difficult to navigate and poor layout
- 🐛 Requires sign-up/login to access features
- 🐛 Missing key features like shot tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Leaderboard scores not updating properly
- Favorites list keeps getting reset
- Login/sign-up process not working
- App crashing on launch or during use

**Requested features**

- Player bios and stats
- Ability to sort leaderboard
- Live shot tracking
- Improved video streaming quality
- Easier navigation and UI


### SmoothSwing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smoothswing/id1514586439)

**Currently charting:** #171 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

This app offers a real-time golf shot tracer that visually tracks your ball's flight path. It also provides advanced GPS features, including club distance assistance and slope-adjusted yardage, to help you play smarter on the course.

**Highlights:** Real-time shot tracer, 360 Golf GPS, Club Assistant, PLAYS LIKE Distance (Slope Adjusted Distance), Elevation Change measurement

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SmoothSwing Pro | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate shot tracer
- 👍 Easy to use
- 💡 One-time purchase for pro version
- 🚀 Impressive performance for a free app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Inconsistent ball tracking, especially for high-speed shots
- 🔋 Overheating issues in hot weather
- 🔒 Locked features behind paywall
- 🐛 Buggy and unreliable performance for some users

**Reported bugs**

- Shot tracer not working after purchasing pro version
- GPS and map features not functioning properly
- App crashing or freezing during use
- Inability to track certain ball colors

**Requested features**

- Ability to upload and trace pre-recorded videos
- Landscape mode support
- More customization options for the shot tracer
- Improved range finder with clearer visuals


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Open free?

The Open is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is SmoothSwing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Open or SmoothSwing?

SmoothSwing is rated higher. The Open averages 4.6 out of 5 from 4.9K ratings, while SmoothSwing averages 4.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do The Open or SmoothSwing have ads?

Neither The Open nor SmoothSwing shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Open or SmoothSwing?

The Open ships an update every 4 days, and SmoothSwing monthly. Most recently, The Open was updated on September 28, 2026 and SmoothSwing on September 30, 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.*