Comparison

FAT Timer vs Runsmith Split Timer

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

Head to head
About

FAT Timer

Transform your iPad into a professional race timing system. Record races in high-speed slow-motion, precisely mark athlete finish times frame-by-frame, and seamlessly export results to your RaceApp.net meets. Ideal for track and field, cross country, and swimming.

Highlights
  • High-speed slow-motion recording (up to 240fps)
  • Frame-by-frame video scrubbing for precise timing
  • Sound-activated start detection
  • Remote control via browser or Bluetooth keyboard
  • Multi-person workflow for collaborative timing
  • Seamless export to RaceApp.net
Features
Read full description

The official companion app for RaceApp.net - transform your iPad into a Fully Automatic Timing (FAT) system. Record the finish line in 240fps slow-motion, mark athlete times frame-by-frame, and export results directly to your RaceApp.net meets. PERFECT FOR • Track & field meets • Cross country races • Swimming competitions • Any timed sporting event HOW IT WORKS 1. Mount your iPad with a clear view of the finish line 2. Start recording when the race begins (manual, sound-activated, wireless mic, or network remote control) 3. Review the video and mark each athlete's finish time — on the iPad or from any browser on the local network 4. Export times to your RaceApp.net meet with one tap KEY FEATURES • Record at up to 240fps for ~4ms timing precision • Sound-activated start detects the starter's gun • Frame-by-frame video scrubbing for precise marking • Pause and resume recording for longer races • Local video storage - your recordings stay on your device • Seamless export to RaceApp.net race management MULTI-PERSON WORKFLOW Split the work at a busy meet. One person operates the camera while others review video and mark finish times from any laptop, tablet, or phone on the same network. The built-in review server streams race video, syncs marks in real-time across all devices, and supports multiple simultaneous reviewers. Optional password protection for shared networks. REMOTE CONTROL Control the timer from a phone or second device using the browser-based remote at /remote. Start, stop, pause, select races, and create new heats — all without touching the iPad. Bluetooth keyboard support lets you operate the timer completely hands-free. FREE TO USE Recording, marking finish times, and exporting up to 3 results per race is completely free. Export unlimited results with a FAT Export subscription ($99/season), available for individuals or teams. REQUIREMENTS • iPad or iPhone with iOS 18 or later (iPad recommended for larger display) • RaceApp.net account for exporting results • Tripod recommended for best results • Bluetooth keyboard optional for hands-free operation Questions? Visit raceapp.net/fat-timer/support

About

Runsmith Split Timer

This app provides precision timing for track and field events, catering to coaches, parents, and fans. It offers two modes: Fan Mode for simple athlete tracking and Coach Mode for comprehensive team and meet management, including relay building and advanced analytics.

Highlights
  • Two modes: Fan and Coach
  • Live split timing with tap-to-mark
  • Support for individual and relay events
  • Relay team builder
  • Pre-race and post-race analytics
  • Results sharing via image or CSV
  • Multi-coach timing support
Features
Read full description

Runsmith Split Timer is the precision timing tool built for track & field coaches, parents, and fans. Whether you're coaching a full roster or cheering on your kid at their first 800m, Runsmith has you covered. TWO MODES, ONE APP Fan Mode — Made for parents and fans. Add your athlete, pick an event, and start timing in seconds. See their PR history, performance trends, and post-race insights without any coaching setup. Coach Mode — Full team management. Build rosters, organize meets, coordinate multi-coach timing, run relay races, and analyze your entire season from a single dashboard. LIVE SPLIT TIMING Tap-to-mark splits with a real-time elapsed clock Assign marks to athletes on the fly or tap athlete cards directly Per-lap timer resets on every split so you can see current pace live Adaptive layout: full cards for small groups, compact grid for large fields Undo any split or mark — nothing is permanent until the race is over Crash recovery saves mid-race state continuously EVERY EVENT Individual events from 100m to 10,000m 110m Hurdles and 300m Hurdles 4x100m, 4x200m, 4x400m, and 4x800m relays with leg breakdowns Custom distance events and unlimited splits mode Adjustable splits per lap (1–4) for detailed intermediate tracking Fractional lap display for sub-track distances (100m = 1/4 Lap, etc.) RELAY BUILDER Build relay teams ranked by PR or season average Save teams, reorder legs, and record optional intermediate splits Gender-filtered team suggestions from your roster PRE-RACE ANALYTICS Personal best, race count, last result, best lap, and trend for the event Performance trend analysis across the last 5 races PR differential showing how close the last race was Multi-athlete view with inline stats for every runner Relay team history with best time and race count POST-RACE INSIGHTS Instant PR detection after every finish Personal best comparisons and best lap analysis Relay team records and fastest leg highlights "First race!" celebrations for new events RESULTS & SHARING Cumulative and lap time views with split breakdowns Share results as image cards or export to CSV Add official times with proportional split adjustment Meet name, heat, and placement metadata on every race MULTI-COACH TIMING Share race configs via QR code or .runsmith file Assistant coaches time independently on their own devices Merge splits back with automatic race verification Bulk merge all races in a meet at once MEETS & ORGANIZATION Group races by meet with date and location Drag-to-reorder races within meets Import races between meets Full archive system with restore and permanent delete WA Official badge for sanctioned meets ANALYTICS DASHBOARD Season overview with race counts and PR trends Personal records board across all events Event leaderboards with athlete deduplication Split-level PRs from intermediate timing data Athlete insights with consistency analysis ATHLETE PROFILES Per-athlete race history with meet context Personal bests by event with split PRs Gold, silver, bronze place indicators Relay team context and leg history 100% offline. No account required. No ads. No subscriptions. Part of the Runsmith platform — the all-in-one coaching suite for track & field. Visit runsmith.com to learn more.

Screenshots

FAT Timer3 screens
Runsmith Split Timer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Runsmith Split Timer at every 3 days against FAT Timer's every 2 months. Runsmith Split Timer also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for FAT Timer against 5.0 for Runsmith Split Timer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FAT Timer ships an update every 2 months, Runsmith Split Timer every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
FAT Timer versus Runsmith Split Timer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFAT TimerRunsmith Split Timer
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNathan CrosnoLand Run Brands, LLC

Customer experience

FAT Timer

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Runsmith Split Timer

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

FAT Timer

No in-app purchases

None

Runsmith Split Timer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FAT Timer free?
FAT Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Runsmith Split Timer free?
Runsmith Split Timer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FAT Timer or Runsmith Split Timer?
FAT Timer and Runsmith Split Timer are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do FAT Timer or Runsmith Split Timer have ads?
Neither FAT Timer nor Runsmith Split Timer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FAT Timer or Runsmith Split Timer?
FAT Timer ships an update every 2 months, and Runsmith Split Timer every 3 days. Most recently, FAT Timer was updated on October 1, 2026 and Runsmith Split Timer on September 17, 2026.

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