Comparison

Puck Buddy vs RinkPad

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

Head to head
About

Puck Buddy

Enhance your hockey skills with AI-powered video analysis. Review shooting, skating, and goalie drills, track your progress with detailed metrics, and receive personalized coaching feedback to build consistent training habits.

Highlights
  • AI-assisted video analysis
  • Drill-specific metrics
  • Personalized coaching feedback
  • Progress tracking and journal
  • Shooting, skating, and goalie drills
  • Training consistency tools
Features
Read full description

Build better hockey habits with video feedback you can put into practice. Puck Buddy helps you review shooting, skating, and goalie drills, track your results, and keep a record of your training. Puck Buddy is designed for hockey players, parents and coaches, including youth players ages 6 and older. Players under 13 require parent approval to access the app. RECORD. REVIEW. PRACTICE. 1. Choose a supported drill and record your technique. 2. Upload your video for AI-assisted analysis. 3. Review drill-specific metrics and coaching feedback. 4. Pick a focus for your next session and follow your progress. SHOOTING, SKATING, AND GOALIE WORK Explore drills for snapshots, wrist shots, backhands, slapshot form, skating stride, and goalie movement. Available metrics depend on the drill and the video you upload. SEE YOUR PROGRESS Revisit saved scorecards and coaching feedback and track training metrics over time. Video playback is available for your current result; Past Results does not keep old playable videos. Use your practice journal to record what you worked on and what to try next. BUILD CONSISTENCY Keep practice engaging with challenges, badges, and personal streaks. Use follow-up coaching chat to explore your feedback and plan your next practice. Monthly leaderboards are optional. Game speed estimates depend on your filming setup. Puck Buddy supports your training between sessions with your coach. Analysis requires an internet connection; processing time and results vary with video quality and drill selection. AI feedback can be imperfect and does not replace a qualified coach. SUBSCRIPTIONS Puck Buddy offers auto-renewable subscriptions for premium features. See the in-app purchase screen for current prices and available plans. Manage or cancel your subscription in your Apple account settings. Questions or feedback? Contact jake@buddyllc.app. Support: https://buddyllc.app/support Terms of Use: https://buddyllc.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://buddyllc.app/privacy

About

RinkPad

Features
Read full description

A saved hockey rink you can paint. Open RinkPad and the ice is already there. Drop players, paint skate and pass paths, keep the drill on the device, and send a picture. No account. The rink is not behind a membership. PLACE • A full rink is on screen when the app opens • Forwards, defense, goalies, cones, nets, and the puck • Full ice and half ice • Sheet sizes for NHL, IIHF, ball hockey, and recreational 3-on-3 PAINT • Skate, pass, shot, and carry are separate path styles • Lines are editable curves, so you can fix a route without redrawing it • Pinch to zoom a corner; undo a miss-tap; clear the ice when you want a fresh sheet • Apple Pencil on iPad KEEP AND SEND • On-device library: save, duplicate, tag, and search drills • Closing the app does not wipe the board • Share a PNG through the iOS share sheet • Diagrams stay on the device. There is no upload and no sign-in. FREE ICE • Drawing, layouts, the library, and PNG share are free • The free app may show an ad on a cold start, and a banner in the tool palette • Ads are not drawn on the ice • Remove Ads is a one-time purchase. There is no subscription. RinkPad is a diagram pad for coaches. It is not a practice planner, a roster, or a 3D tool. It is not affiliated with any league or federation. Sheet names describe ice proportions only. iPhone and iPad. Requires iOS 17 or later. Support: info@chwistek.net Privacy: https://www.chwistek.net/apps/rink-pad/privacy/

Screenshots

Puck Buddy4 screens
RinkPad4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: RinkPad at every 3 days against Puck Buddy's every 10 days. Puck Buddy's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). 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. Puck Buddy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month and RinkPad sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Puck Buddy ships an update every 10 days, RinkPad every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Puck Buddy versus RinkPad: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPuck BuddyRinkPad
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (13 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews90.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings13 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size99 MB12 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperBuddy Tech LLC (U.S.)Karel Chwistek

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Puck Buddy

Subscriptions3
  • Monthly Plan$8.991 Month
  • Puck Buddy Annual$69.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan$79.991 Year
1 purchases

RinkPad

One-time1
  • Remove advertisments$1.99

Questions

Is Puck Buddy free?
Puck Buddy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is RinkPad free?
RinkPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Puck Buddy or RinkPad have ads?
Neither Puck Buddy nor RinkPad shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Puck Buddy or RinkPad?
Puck Buddy ships an update every 10 days, and RinkPad every 3 days. Most recently, Puck Buddy was updated on November 8, 2026 and RinkPad on November 6, 2026.

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