# The Open vs Timing mate

The clearest difference is price: The Open at Free against Timing mate's $2.99. The Open also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 7 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

The Open is free to download; Timing mate costs $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Open ships an update every 4 days, Timing mate every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Open | Timing mate |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $2.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (4.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-open/id658257516/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **4.9K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 79 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | **16.6** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [The R&A](https://appshunter.io/developer/378489775) | [Chris Wraith](https://appshunter.io/developer/1803061230) |

## 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


### Timing mate

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/timing-mate/id6743471041)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Open free?

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

### Is Timing mate free?

Timing mate costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Do The Open or Timing mate have ads?

Neither The Open nor Timing mate shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Open or Timing mate?

The Open ships an update every 4 days, and Timing mate every 7 months. Most recently, The Open was updated on October 22, 2026 and Timing mate on October 14, 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.*