# 18Birdies vs GolfXplore

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: GolfXplore at none against 18Birdies's 14. GolfXplore also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 74%) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 16.0). 18Birdies's advantage is ratings volume (306K vs 4) and update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. 18Birdies sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. GolfXplore asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for 18Birdies against 5.0 for GolfXplore. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: 18Birdies has 306K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 74% of 18Birdies's written reviews are positive against 100% of GolfXplore's.

18Birdies ships an update weekly, GolfXplore monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 18Birdies | GolfXplore |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (306K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/18birdies-golf-gps-tracker/id892700751/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golfxplore/id6499445855/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **306K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 73.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#5** | — |
| Size | 297 MB | 6 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **14.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [18Birdies LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/955324369) | [GolfXplore (Pty) Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1743464314) |

## What reviewers say

### 18Birdies

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

**Currently charting:** #5 Top Grossing · Sports, #41 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 (9)**

| 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 W | $19.99 | 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


### GolfXplore

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/golfxplore/id6499445855)

Discover and explore golf courses across South Africa with detailed information, special offers, and upcoming events. Track your golfing achievements and connect with other players. This app simplifies planning your next golf tour.

**Highlights:** Comprehensive golf course directory, Detailed course information, Green fee insights, Membership options, Special offers and events, User reviews and ratings, Golfing conquest tracking

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 18Birdies free?

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

### Is GolfXplore free?

GolfXplore is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, 18Birdies or GolfXplore?

GolfXplore is rated higher. 18Birdies averages 4.9 out of 5 from 306K ratings, while GolfXplore averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do 18Birdies or GolfXplore have ads?

Neither 18Birdies nor GolfXplore shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 18Birdies or GolfXplore?

18Birdies ships an update weekly, and GolfXplore monthly. Most recently, 18Birdies was updated on November 1, 2026 and GolfXplore on October 16, 2026.

---

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