# 18Birdies vs Golf Journal

The clearest difference is ratings volume: 18Birdies at 306K against Golf Journal's 12. 18Birdies also leads on chart position (#5 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 18Birdies sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days and Golf Journal sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for 18Birdies against 4.8 for Golf Journal. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 18Birdies has 306K ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 18Birdies | Golf Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (306K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/18birdies-golf-gps-tracker/id892700751/reviews)** | [4.8 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-journal/id6495440264/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **306K** | 12 |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Weekly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 297 MB | 13 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [18Birdies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/955324369) | [Gruffydd Johnston](https://appshunter.io/developer/1651486785) |

## What reviewers say

### 18Birdies

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Sports, #59 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


### Golf Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golf-journal/id6495440264)

Track your golf performance with this app, logging rounds, practice sessions, scores, and media. Analyze your game with performance graphs and iCloud syncing. Ideal for golfers of all levels aiming to improve.

**Highlights:** Round diary and score tracking, Practice session documentation, Photo and video gallery, Performance graphs, iCloud syncing

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

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $2.99 | per month |
| Pro | $4.99 | per month |
| Pro | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro | $19.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 18Birdies free?

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

### Is Golf Journal free?

Golf Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, 18Birdies or Golf Journal?

18Birdies is rated higher. 18Birdies averages 4.9 out of 5 from 306K ratings, while Golf Journal averages 4.8 from 12 ratings.

### Do 18Birdies or Golf Journal have ads?

Neither 18Birdies nor Golf Journal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 18Birdies or Golf Journal?

18Birdies ships an update weekly, and Golf Journal weekly. Most recently, 18Birdies was updated on November 6, 2026 and Golf Journal on October 30, 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.*