# 18Birdies vs Access by Troon

The clearest difference is rating: 18Birdies at 4.9 against Access by Troon's 3.5. 18Birdies also leads on review sentiment (74% vs 42%) and ratings volume (307K vs 34). Access by Troon's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 18Birdies sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Access by Troon asks for nothing beyond the download.

18Birdies holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 18Birdies has 307K ratings behind it against 34, 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 42% of Access by Troon's.

18Birdies ships an update weekly, Access by Troon fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 18Birdies | Access by Troon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (307K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/18birdies-golf-gps-tracker/id892700751/reviews)** | [3.5 (34 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/access-by-troon/id6478172356/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **307K** | 34 |
| Positive reviews | **73.7% of reviews** | 41.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 297 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, Apple Watch** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [18Birdies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/955324369) | [Troon Golf, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1461098495) |

## What reviewers say

### 18Birdies

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/18birdies-golf-gps-tracker/id892700751)

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Sports, #47 Top Free · Sports (US App Store)

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.

**Highlights:** GPS Rangefinder, Digital Scorecard, Handicap Tracking, AI Swing Analyzer, Golf Community, Shot Tracking, 3D Green Maps

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 18Birdies Premium | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Subscription | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Weekly Premium Subscription WB | $7.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| 18Birdies Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Monthly Premium Subscription | $19.99 | per month |
| Yearly Premium Subscription WB | $69.99 | per year |
| Yearly Premium Subscription | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Accurate GPS
- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Helpful features
- 👍 Great app
- 👍 Useful for improving game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription
- 🐛 Yardages inaccurate on Apple Watch
- 🐛 Buggy after updates
- 🐛 Difficult to use
- 🐛 Annoying referral prompts

**Reported bugs**

- 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**

- Automatic handicap calculation
- Customizable home course stats
- Dark mode option
- Ability to record scores for non-app users
- Layup yardages and hazard distances


### Access by Troon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/access-by-troon/id6478172356)

Book tee times at Troon-managed golf courses and earn rewards. Features include mobile check-in, secure payments, and group invitations. An optional premium subscription offers exclusive rates and benefits.

**Highlights:** Book tee times across Troon's golf network, Mobile check-in, Secure payment processing, Invite friends to your group, Earn rewards points for bookings, Access Premium subscription for exclusive benefits

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 18Birdies free?

18Birdies is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Access by Troon free?

Access by Troon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 18Birdies or Access by Troon?

18Birdies is rated higher. 18Birdies averages 4.9 out of 5 from 307K ratings, while Access by Troon averages 3.5 from 34 ratings.

### Do 18Birdies or Access by Troon have ads?

Neither 18Birdies nor Access by Troon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 18Birdies or Access by Troon?

18Birdies ships an update weekly, and Access by Troon fortnightly. Most recently, 18Birdies was updated on November 11, 2026 and Access by Troon on November 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*