PB Buddy vs Trackside
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PB Buddy
This lap timer app is designed for HPDE and time trials, offering a simple interface for drivers of all levels. It provides instant feedback on lap and sector times, helping users improve their performance on the track. Users can also export their session data for further analysis.
- Easy setup and use
- Instant lap and sector feedback
- Big, bright visual elements
- Data export (CSV and developer-friendly)
- Supports US race tracks
- Works with built-in and external GPS
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PB Buddy is a lap timer app for HPDE and time trials. It offers an easy-to-use, minimalist interface that allows you to focus on what matters most. The user experience has been crafted to work well for drivers of all skill levels, from beginners to seasoned racers. The app has been tested at numerous Time Trials and helped set over a dozen class records across the US. Key features: 1. Easy to set up. The app walks you through the setup and explains how to use it. You don’t need to be an IT professional just to see your lap times. 2. Easy to use. Once the initial setup is complete, simply open the app, press the button to start recording, confirm the track, and you're ready to go! 3. Quickly get feedback on your current lap. Thanks to big, bright visual elements and fun, vibrant colors, you can easily see if you’re on a good lap or lost too much time to set a new personal best (PB). Forget counting the number of tiny LEDs! 4. Fast and targeted feedback. It’s too late to review data in the paddock if you only have one session in the morning when the conditions are best! With PB Buddy, you get instant feedback for each sector of the track (or even per corner!), so you can turn even a bad lap into an opportunity to try something new in that tricky corner you’re struggling with, and find another tenth of a second for your next hot lap. 5. YOU own your data. Export data for each session in CSV format compatible with many existing third-party apps, or export every byte recorded by the app in a developer-friendly format if you enjoy tinkering with data. 6. Supports most race tracks in the US, with more tracks and configurations coming soon. 7. Supports the built-in GPS receiver, but works best with third-party Bluetooth-enabled GPS devices.
Trackside
Record and analyze track driving sessions with automatic lap timing, turn-by-turn insights, and video comparison. Connect your iPhone or compatible GPS receiver to capture telemetry data and share performance videos. Explore demo mode to test features without a vehicle.
- Automatic lap timing
- Turn-by-turn telemetry analysis
- Reference video comparison
- Shareable telemetry videos
- Friends and leaderboards
- Import from VBOX, Garmin Catalyst
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Get more from every lap with free, unlimited recording and automatic lap timing, turn-by-turn analysis, reference-video comparison, and shareable telemetry videos. Record in any car using your iPhone or a supported external GPS receiver, including RaceBox Mini, Mini S, Micro, and Dragy Pro. Connect directly to a compatible Porsche for vehicle telemetry, or add supported OBD hardware for additional vehicle data. Import existing sessions from VBOX, Porsche Track Precision, Garmin Catalyst, and other supported apps. AUTOMATIC LAP TIMING • Record unlimited track sessions for free • Automatically detect supported tracks and begin recording • See live lap timing, predicted lap times, and your real-time delta to your best lap AUTOCROSS & CUSTOM COURSES • Create custom circuits and point-to-point courses from recorded GPS data • Set start and finish gates for autocross and other point-to-point runs • Save courses for future sessions or apply them to existing sessions ANALYSIS & AI INSIGHTS • Review lap times, sectors, inputs, and an optimal lap from your fastest segments • Compare every turn and get telemetry-backed insights on your biggest opportunities • Compare your lap against any reference video with synchronized playback and a live time delta FRIENDS & LEADERBOARDS • Add friends and compare stats from your track days • Compete on friends-only leaderboards at each track • Share full session telemetry with friends and compare laps CAMERAS & VIDEO • Record with your iPhone or supported GoPro, DJI, and Insta360 cameras • Add and sync onboard footage, then export shareable videos with telemetry overlays IMPORT, SYNC & EXPORT • Import sessions from VBOX, Porsche Track Precision, and other supported apps • Sync sessions across your devices with iCloud • Export sessions in a VBOX-compatible format for use with other analysis tools TRACKSIDE PRO Session recording is free and unlimited. Trackside Pro unlocks telemetry-backed AI insights, reference-video comparison, full lap data sharing with friends, and telemetry video export. PORSCHE DIRECT CONNECTION Trackside supports the same Porsche models as Track Precision. 911 • 991.1 GT3 and GT3 RS — model year 2015 or later • All 991.2 models — model year 2017 or later • All 992 models 718 CAYMAN & BOXSTER • 981 Cayman GT4 — model year 2015 or later • All 982 / 718 models — model year 2017 or later OTHER MODELS • Cayenne — model year 2022 or later • Panamera — model year 2022 or later • Taycan — model year 2022 or later Questions or feedback? Email trackside@californiamotorsports.co Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PB Buddy at none against Trackside's 2. PB Buddy also leads on ratings volume (10 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Trackside's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 3 weeks). 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
Both are free to download. Trackside sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. PB Buddy asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for PB Buddy against 5.0 for Trackside. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PB Buddy has 10 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
PB Buddy ships an update every 3 weeks, Trackside daily. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PB Buddy | Trackside |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (10 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Daily — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 38 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Timur Iskhodzhanov | Daniel Stratton |
Customer experience
PB Buddy
Trackside
In-app purchases
PB Buddy
No in-app purchases
Trackside
- Trackside Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
- Trackside Pro Annual$59.991 Year









