18Birdies vs Roundabout
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
18Birdies
This app provides advanced GPS technology and game improvement tools for golfers. It offers personalized training, AI swing analysis, and a community to connect with friends and compete. Improve your game with detailed stats and course insights.
- GPS Rangefinder
- Digital Scorecard
- Handicap Tracking
- AI Swing Analyzer
- Golf Community
- Shot Tracking
- 3D Green Maps
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Play better golf from the first tee to the final putt. Featured by Apple as “The Best App for Golfers” and trusted by more than 10 million golfers, 18Birdies gives every player a smarter way to play, practice, compete, and improve. 18Birdies helps you know the distance, choose smarter shots, track every round, and understand where your game can improve. Get free GPS yardages on 45,000+ courses, keep score, follow your handicap, review your stats, and use Apple Watch tools to stay focused. Improve your swing with AI feedback, Instant Swing Playback, Golf School training, and expert coach reviews. FREE GOLF GPS, SCORECARD & STATS Know the distance before every shot. Get yardages to greens, hazards, layups, and carries on 45,000+ courses worldwide. Keep score, save round history, monitor your handicap, and use shot tracking and stats to improve your game. APPLE WATCH GOLF TOOLS Keep your phone in your bag. Use 18Birdies on Apple Watch for distances, scoring, shot tracking, and automatic swing detection. IMPROVE FASTER Improve your game faster with advanced swing tools built for real results. Upload swing videos to the AI Swing Analyzer for personalized feedback, fault detection, and drills to help you improve. Use Instant Swing Playback to review swings and understand what changed from swing to swing. Build better habits with Golf School drills and lessons designed to help you practice with purpose. For expert feedback, submit your swing to Pro Swing Analysis for a personalized review from a certified golf coach. PLAY WITH FRIENDS Golf is better with friends. Connect, share rounds, compare progress, and create competition with side games, team formats, leagues, tournaments, and live leaderboards. FREE FEATURES - GOLF GPS RANGEFINDER: Distances to greens, hazards, layups, carries, and more - DIGITAL SCORECARD: Track scores for every round - HANDICAP TRACKER: Follow your handicap trend - STATS & ROUND HISTORY: Track performance over time - SHOT TRACKING: Capture shots and learn more about your game - APPLE WATCH: Distances, scoring, and shot tracking - INSTANT SWING PLAYBACK: Review your swing during practice - GOLF COMMUNITY: Connect with friends, share rounds, and celebrate your best golf moments - TEAM MODE & SIDE GAMES: Play Scramble, Best Ball, Skins, Wolf, and more - TOURNAMENTS & LEAGUES: Create live leaderboards for group competition - COACH CONNECT: Share your game with your coach for feedback PREMIUM TOOLS Upgrade to 18Birdies Premium for advanced tools and deeper insights. Free trial available for eligible users after download. - PLAYS-LIKE DISTANCES: Account for conditions that affect true yardage - CLUB RECOMMENDATIONS: Get personalized club guidance - ADVANCED GPS TOOLS: Plan shots with more confidence - 3D GREEN & HEATMAPS: Read slopes, breaks, and green contours - ADVANCED STATS: Analyze your game with charts, filters, and comparisons - STROKES GAINED: See where you gain or lose strokes - SMART TRACKING & AUTO SWING DETECTION: Capture your round automatically with less manual input, with or without Apple Watch - AI SWING ANALYZER: Get personalized swing feedback from video - HD INSTANT SWING PLAYBACK: Review your swing with annotations and deeper analysis - GOLF SCHOOL: Unlimited training, drills, and lessons - SHOT TRACKING INSIGHTS: Understand distance, shape, and performance - PRO SWING ANALYSIS DISCOUNT: 25% off personalized swing reviews from certified coaches LEGAL 18Birdies Premium is an optional auto-renewable subscription. Payment is charged to your Apple ID. Subscription renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Manage or cancel in App Store account settings. By using 18Birdies, you agree to Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ and our Terms of Service https://18birdies.com/legal/terms/ and Privacy Policy https://18birdies.com/legal/privacy-policy/.
Roundabout
Improve your golf game with precise GPS data for thousands of courses, automatic shot tracking, and AI-powered club recommendations. Analyze your performance with detailed statistics and Strokes Gained analytics to lower your handicap.
- Golf GPS for 40,000+ courses
- Automatic shot tracking with Apple Watch
- AI-powered virtual caddie
- Strokes Gained analytics
- Intelligent scorecard
- Performance statistics
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Improve your golf handicap with Roundabout—your Apple Watch-integrated golf companion featuring precise Golf GPS data for over 40,000 courses, automatic shot tracking, tailored club recommendations from a virtual caddie, and actionable statistical analysis to enhance your performance on the green. ▶ GOLF GPS & GOLF SHOT TRACKING ◀ [GOLF GPS COVERAGE] • Navigate the fairways with Golf GPS data for over 40,000 courses globally, providing accurate distances to greens, hazards, tees, and landing zones on both your phone and Apple Watch. [ GOLF SWING SHOT DETECTION WITH APPLE WATCH] • Capture every golf swing automatically with your Apple Watch, meticulously recording details on strokes, putts, and penalties for live tracking or detailed post-round analysis. [WIND SPEED & DIRECTION INSIGHTS] • Access wind speed and direction data on the map to enhance your strategic decisions on the golf course. ▶ VIRTUAL GOLF COACH & CADDIE ◀ [PERSONALIZED GOLF COACHING] • Gain an edge with Strokes Gained analytics and AI, receiving tailored advice and strategic coaching to enhance your playing style and shot selection. [SMART GOLF CLUB RECOMMENDATIONS] • Benefit from the precision of AI-enhanced Virtual Caddie, providing club choices customized for every shot by considering lie, distance, elevation, and weather, and refined by your unique playing data. [INTELLIGENT SCORECARD] • Easily record and analyze your golf scores with an intelligent scorecard feature that provides a detailed breakdown of your play, helping you understand your game better. ▶ GOLF PERFORMANCE ANALYTICS ◀ [COMPREHENSIVE GOLF STATISTICS] • Analyze actionable post-round data revealing your golf strengths, areas for improvement, and consistent tendencies, complete with key metrics such as Greens in Regulation (GIR), Fairways in Regulation (FIR), and scrambling success rates. [VISUALIZED PERFORMANCE METRICS] • Engage with visually rich statistics, including strokes gained across various play aspects, enabling a deeper understanding of your game progression. ▶ SEAMLESS APPLE WATCH INTEGRATION ◀ [SYNCED GOLF ACTIVITY] • Track golf rounds effortlessly from your Apple Watch, syncing with the Health app for a holistic view of your golf fitness metrics. [ENHANCED WATCH FEATURES] • Access advanced features such as swing detection, convenient score entry, and a range of on-wrist utilities that keep the focus on your game, not the gadget. ▶ GOLF COMMUNITY ◀ [FOR PLAYERS] • Join the Roundabout community to share your golf data with instructors, receive coaching, or simply enjoy the camaraderie with friends and fellow enthusiasts. [FOR INSTRUCTORS] • Collaborate with students within the app, harnessing powerful insights to guide their training, offer targeted lessons, and witness measurable improvement. [EXPLORE GOLF COURSES] • Use satellite imagery to discover new courses, challenge yourself against the community, and celebrate personal victories. [SUBSCRIPTION OPTIONS] • Opt for monthly or annual subscriptions to unlock premium features like Virtual Golf Coach and Caddie, automatic golf shot tracking, golf scorecard functionality, and in-depth golf statistics for comprehensive gameplay analysis. Roundabout is more than just a golf app—it’s an extensive toolkit that revolutionizes how you play and improve in the sport of golf. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, Roundabout provides the insights and tools necessary for top-tier golf performance. Terms of Use are available at: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ratings volume: 18Birdies at 306K against Roundabout's 5.1K. 18Birdies also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (74% vs 57%). Roundabout's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. 18Birdies sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Roundabout sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
18Birdies holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 18Birdies has 306K ratings behind it against 5.1K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of 18Birdies's written reviews are positive against 57% of Roundabout's.
18Birdies ships an update weekly, Roundabout every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 18Birdies | Roundabout |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (306K ratings) — better | 4.6 (5.1K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews — better | 56.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 306K — better | 5.1K |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #5 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 13.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 297 MB | 105 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 18Birdies LLC | Ponti Capital, LLC |
Customer experience
18Birdies
Roundabout
User reviews
18Birdies
From 306K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate GPS
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful features
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Useful for improving game
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Yardages inaccurate on Apple Watch
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 🐛 Annoying referral prompts
Roundabout
From 5.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Accurate GPS and course management
- 📊 Excellent stats and analytics
- 🔍 Detailed shot tracking
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🤖 Useful Apple Watch integration
Room to improve
- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔋 Drains Apple Watch battery
- 💻 Confusing and outdated UI
- 🤯 Tedious shot editing process
- 🤔 Inaccurate shot detection
Bugs and requests
18Birdies
Reported bugs
4 issues- Yardages not syncing correctly between watch and phone
- Inability to save rounds or enter scores
- Incorrect course information and tee box layouts
- Frequent crashes and performance issues
Requested features
7 requests- Automatic handicap calculation
- Customizable home course stats
- Dark mode option
- Ability to record scores for non-app users
- Layup yardages and hazard distances
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- Improved Apple Watch integration
- Better social features and leaderboards
Roundabout
Reported bugs
4 issues- Incorrect stroke count
- Inability to delete test rounds
- App locking up and requiring reinstall
- Sync issues between phone and watch
Requested features
5 requests- Add shot button for missed shots
- Customizable club selection
- Improved syncing between phone and watch
- Ability to share round data
- Localized versions (e.g. French)
In-app purchases
18Birdies
- 18Birdies Premium7 Days trial$2.997 Days
- Weekly Premium Subscription$7.997 Days
- Weekly Premium Subscription WB$7.997 Days
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- Monthly Premium Subscription7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- 18Birdies Premium7 Days trial$9.991 Month
- Monthly Premium Subscription W7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- Monthly Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$19.991 Month
- Yearly Premium Subscription WB7 Days trial$69.991 Year
- Yearly Premium Subscription7 Days trial2 variants$99.991 Year
Roundabout
- Par Monthly$1.991 Month
- Birdie Monthly$5.991 Month
- Statistics Monthly$6.991 Month
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- Eagle Monthly$11.991 Month
- Par Annual$19.991 Year
- Statistics Annual$59.991 Year
- Birdie Annual$59.991 Year
- Eagle Annual$119.991 Year
- Statistics Week$9.99
- Auto Shot Detection$9.99
Questions
Is 18Birdies free?
Is Roundabout free?
Which has better reviews, 18Birdies or Roundabout?
Do 18Birdies or Roundabout have ads?
Which is updated more often, 18Birdies or Roundabout?
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