ChainRanger vs Flightpath Disc Golf
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
ChainRanger
This app uses your phone's camera to instantly measure the distance to a disc golf basket, indicating whether it's uphill or downhill. It helps players understand putting rules and strategize throws based on elevation and distance.
- Real-time camera-based rangefinder
- Measures distance in meters or feet
- Detects uphill/downhill angles
- Calculates plays-like distance with elevation
- LiDAR assist for iPhone Pro models
- Basket presets and custom dimensions
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ChainRanger turns your phone into a disc golf rangefinder. Point your camera at the basket and the on-device AI finds the chains and shows the distance instantly — in meters or feet, plus whether the basket sits uphill or downhill. No laser, no GPS waiting, no pacing it off. HOW IT WORKS • Aim your camera at the disc golf basket. • ChainRanger detects the basket in real time and calculates the distance. • A stabilized reading shows on screen. All image processing happens 100% on your phone. Camera frames are never uploaded anywhere. KNOW YOUR CIRCLES Distance to the basket is not just a number — it decides which rules and stats apply: • Circle 1 (C1) is everything within 10 meters (33 ft) of the basket. Inside Circle 1 the putting stance rule applies: after releasing the putt you may not step past your marker, you must show full balance behind it. ChainRanger tells you instantly whether you are inside the 10 m circle, so a borderline lie never catches you out. • Circle 2 (C2) reaches from 10 to 20 meters (33–66 ft). Putts made from here separate good rounds from great ones. • Parked, C1X and C2 are the stat categories that actually measure putting: Parked is inside 3.3 m (11 ft), C1X counts Circle 1 putts excluding parked tap-ins, and C2 covers the long range. When you know the exact distance, every putt goes into the right category. READ THE ELEVATION — AND WHAT IT PLAYS LIKE Distance alone doesn't tell the whole story: an uphill basket plays longer, a downhill one shorter — and because a disc glides, every meter of height changes the throw far more than in ball golf. ChainRanger reads your phone's tilt to show the up/downhill angle and the height difference, and Full Range adds the plays-like distance from a disc-flight model, so you can pick your disc and power with confidence. LIDAR ASSIST ON IPHONE PRO On LiDAR-equipped iPhones, ChainRanger fuses the scanner with the camera measurement for sharper readings at close range. LiDAR also unlocks tape-free calibration — dial in your camera and basket dimensions without a measuring tape. On other iPhones the app measures with the camera only. PERFECT FOR PUTTING PRACTICE Set up at exact distances for structured putting routines. Train at 5, 7 and 10 meters instead of guessing — and watch your C1X percentage climb. FREE AND FULL RANGE • Free: exact distance everywhere inside Circle 1 (10 m) — a complete putting trainer. Try Full Range with 10 free full-range readings. • Full Range (one-time purchase, no subscription): exact distance at all ranges, including Circle 2 and beyond, plus the plays-like distance on sloped holes. FEATURES • Real-time disc golf rangefinder using your camera • Distance to the basket in meters or feet • LiDAR assist on iPhone Pro models for close-range precision • Uphill/downhill angle and height difference to the basket • Plays-like distance on elevation, from a disc-flight model (Full Range) • Basket presets for PDGA-verified target models, or dial in custom dimensions • Calibrate at any known distance — the hole length from the tee sign will do • Three detection modes: Simple is the lightest, Pro sees the farthest, Balanced fits most iPhones best • Stabilized reading with a soft haptic tick when it settles • Hold button to freeze the reading • Magnifier zoom to reach far-away baskets • Supports multiple rear camera lenses with per-lens calibration • Smart exposure that locks onto the detected basket, tap to adjust • Power-saving mode and automatic heat protection for long sessions • Built-in guide with tips for getting the best readings • 100% on-device AI — works without a network connection GOOD TO KNOW • ChainRanger measures the distance from you to the basket. To measure the length of your throws, use a GPS measuring app or a laser rangefinder. • ChainRanger is a measuring aid for practice, casual rounds and competition. Grow your range. Find the chains. ChainRanger.
Flightpath Disc Golf
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Lifetime stats. Free. Forever. Flightpath is the disc golf scorecard that never asks you to pay for your own history. Every round you log and every stat it builds — birdie rate, scoring breakdowns, round history — stays free, forever, and lives right on your phone. FREE, FOREVER • Fast, clean scorecards • Lifetime stats: birdie rate, scoring breakdowns, round history • Your bag: every disc with its rated flight numbers • Course directory with satellite hole maps • GPS distance to the basket as you play YOUR DISCS, MEASURED (PREMIUM) The flight numbers on a disc tell you what it does for a pro. Flightpath Premium tells you what it does for you: • Auto GPS throw logging — real distances captured as you play • Measured flight per disc — your numbers vs. the rated chart • Average distance by disc, ranked • Flight-path tracing for every throw • The Caddie: per-hole disc reads built from your own measured throws • Eagle & ace rate tracking (birdie rate stays free) MAP A COURSE, EARN PREMIUM No hole map for your local course? Walk it once with Flightpath's guided mapper and satellite view. Be the first to map a course and Premium is free for a month — map 12 courses and earn a full bonus year. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account. No sign-up. No ads. Your scorecards, throws, and courses never leave your phone. PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION Premium is an auto-renewing subscription (annual or monthly) with pricing shown in the app before purchase. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://rossc25.github.io/legal/flightpath/terms.html Privacy Policy: https://rossc25.github.io/legal/flightpath/privacy.html Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Satellite imagery © Mapbox.
Screenshots
Verdict
ChainRanger and Flightpath Disc Golf are too close to call on the numbers: across 5 compared parameters — price, ads, in-app purchases and device support among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
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. ChainRanger sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Flightpath Disc Golf sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.49 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
| Parameter | ChainRanger | Flightpath Disc Golf |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 66 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | RIKU-MATTI HEIKKI INNILA | Christopher Ross |
In-app purchases
ChainRanger
- Full Range$12.99
Flightpath Disc Golf
- Flightpath Premium14 Days trial$3.491 Month
- Flightpath Premium14 Days trial$27.991 Year
Questions
Is ChainRanger free?
Is Flightpath Disc Golf free?
Do ChainRanger or Flightpath Disc Golf have ads?
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