Sophie Meering takes us through some of the many current archery scoring apps on the market
There are dozens of apps for your smartphone available to help your archery. Here, we’re going to focus on the ones primarily used for scoring.
Most feature either buttons or a target face to tap for inputting scores. Button interfaces are simpler to use, but a target face allows you to plot where your arrows are landing for later analysis. Some archers, especially those with larger fingers, may find using a target face input tricky.
Apps are an investment in time as well as money; a lot of the value comes from being able to look back through previous scores, so choosing one and sticking to it is important.
A problem which affects all phone software purchases is that operating systems get updated all the time and not everything will continue to work with out maintenance – several well-known archery apps have stopped working with the latest updates to iOS, for example. So it’s worth going with active manufacturers who have a long-term commitment to support the product.
We’ve focussed on seven of the current apps available and being updated today.
What do the pros use?
Sjef van den Berg – Artemis. “Having the option to track pretty much anything is very appealing to any archer, grass roots or elite level. I personally really like that my coach will be able to track my progress from afar, as I can’t always get to train with my coach, so think this is a great idea that your coach can access your training. “
Mackenzie Brown – Used to use ArcherZUpshot but looking to try Artemis.
Gabriela Bayardo – Artemis.
Lucy Mason – Doesn’t use an app, but picks a specific international, such as the Berlin World Cup, go down to 20th seed in the matches and compete against those scores until she wins.
Cost: £9.99 Version: 1.7
For: iPhone
Overall score:
Pros
+ Has many different federations and rounds to choose from
+ Multiple people can score on the same app at the same time
Cons
– Very expensive
– Too many screens before being able to start scoring
– Not enough functions for the price
For £9.99, first impressions were not good. The interface looks very much like Apple iOS: the same designs, the same font, sliding buttons. The app isn’t all that easy to use either, you have to navigate yourself through choosing a federation (FITA (not World Archery, apparently!), Archery Australia, NFAA, NASP, 3D, etc), then to the round you want to shoot. Then before you can start, you have to add an archer. Before I can even start shooting, I’ve gone through 11 screens, which seems excessive.
For the price, I was expecting more features. You can have multiple people using a scorecard at the same time, which would be useful if you’re training with someone and want to make it competitive or within an actual competition setting and don’t try and submit your score just using this app! I’m only giving this app a 3 because of the high initial cost to purchase it and the lack of functionality. It would be useful if you just want to score and keep track, however, it should be priced much lower.
Cost: £0.99 Version: 1.0.9
For: iPhone
Overall score: 2.5/5
Pros
+ Useful statistics
+ Shot clock
+ Arrow counter
Cons
– Aim tracker
– Menu is a bit fussy
I find ArchersDiary very useful, it has a lot of functions that suit the sport perfectly. It includes: a shot clock for those who want to shoot tournament timings, scoring for training or competition, statistics to see progression, arrow counter to know how many arrows you’ve shot. The app has been designed by an archer, for archers. Having a shot clock built in helps with the pressured side of training to get used to competition timing.
However, the aim tracker, in my opinion, is pretty redundant. The idea behind it is great and could be very useful, however, you cannot save the tracker to review at a later date, it just replays there and then. I would like to be able to save, add more arrows, etc. The menu is a tad fussy for my liking, and the backing picture needs to be faded out a little more so it’s easier to read.
I spoke to the developer, and he pointed out that he wants to add features that allow the user to search for scorecards. Further down the line he wants to integrate the app with the Apple Watch to at least be able to keep up to date with how many arrows you have shot and your score.
Cost: Free (paid upgrades) Version: 3.27.1
For: Android
Overall score: 4.5/5
Pros
+ Many powerful features
+ Great on-boarding
+ Can upgrade for ‘professional archer & coach’
Cons
– Not available on iPhone
ArtemisLite is a very useful app, with indoor world champion Sjef van den Berg happily backing it. Although it is only available on Android at the moment, I recommend the investment. There are so many different parts to it that you will likely never need to use another app again for archery. You and your coach are able to use it together to analyse your shot with the ‘Instantaneous Self Assessment’ setting – although this is an added cost, it is definitely worth it for the serious archer.
Different parts of the app include being able to keep track of form-changes, bow set ups, matches, and a time. The app lets you choose target faces, along with which set up you’re using. Plotting the arrows in the app prompts you to put in the arrow identification (i.e. the number on the arrow). It includes many ‘deep magic’ features simply not available elsewhere, such as group analysis and aiming optimisation.
A great deal of effort and ideas have been put into creating this app and progressing it, and it remains the leading smartphone tool for serious archers.
Bullseye Scoring
Cost: £0.99 Version: 2.0
For: iPhone
Overall score: 1/5
Pros
+ Does the job
+ Uses buttons for input (which some archers prefer)
+ Clear output
Cons
– No other features
– Can’t save scores
– Can’t choose the round you are shooting
I was not overly impressed with this paid app, after spending £0.99 I was expecting just a bit more. Considering ArchersDiary was the same price and had many features, I am disappointed in the lack of functions. All that this app allows is to input scores. You can’t save them, change the distance or round, just straight up put score after score. The ends are done in ends of 3, so instead of being able to concentrate on practice and score when you get to the target, you have to keep track of how many ends, then take a screenshot of the score if you want to keep it.
The app literally ‘does what it says on the tin’. I wouldn’t really recommend this to someone as I personally prefer to keep a record of my scores to look back at a later date, like most archers. This app doesn’t have a home screen, nothing. Just the scoring. However, the app information does say that saving your score is a feature that is coming soon, amongst others.
Search for ‘Bullseye Scoring’ on the app store.
World Archery head2head
Cost: Free Version: 1.4.1
For: iPhone & Android
Overall score: 4/5
Pros
+ Straightforward to use
+ Allows you to compare scores and shoot against top archers in the world
+ Can shoot against friends as well
Cons
– Cannot plot arrows
Overall, I think the World Archery H2H app is great. Using the WA database of match results, it gives archers the chance to ‘shoot’ against elite level opponents, their friends or someone random around the world. The interface is clean, simple and very easy to use. I would recommend to any level of archer as they can shoot against literally anyone else in the world who uses it [if you know them] or any international matches dating back to 2014.
I would, however, like to see a plotting function in order to see where my arrows went at a later date, like with many other apps. Just inputting scores is good, up to a point. I’d like to be able to look back and see where my arrows went while putting myself in a ‘match situation’ compared to just straight practice. However, there is a function where you can take a photograph of the end and attach it to that specific match.
It works like a ‘real’ match and doesn’t reveal the opponents score until you’ve finished scoring. I would say this is one of my favourite archery apps, purely because it has so much data in it and you can pick any international match without having to look it up on a website or such.
Cost: Free / £4.99 Version: 5.3
For: iPhone & Android
Overall score: 3.5/5
Pros
+ Plotting arrows
+ Upload your own targets
+ Useful stat analysis
Cons
– Some features require an upgrade to the premium version
– You may need nimble fingers to plot some target faces accurately
This app, which takes its name from the “last wild Indian” archer in the early 20th century, features a huge variety of target faces including multiple 3D options. You can upload photos of your own custom targets as well, allowing you to add all kinds of backyard customisation. It features full target face plotting and extended analytics for historical study.
The premium version allows you to analyse previous rounds using various graphs to show how well you shoot over the length of a round. They seem to have made some user experience improvements recently, and the app works fast and well.
The main attraction is that it also now synchronises with a web app for further functionality, which is an advantage for serious analyis, and unlocks further features. As they put it: “This is an app designed to help you self-coach yourself into becoming a better archer.”
Archery Score Note
Cost: Free Version: 1.3
For: iPhone
Overall score: 2.5/5
Pros
+ Very easy to use
+ Can input scores easily
+ Allows you to backdate scores
Cons
– Cannot plot arrows
– Interface is perhaps too simple
I have been using this app for about a year now. Despite it’s simple interface, it is really easy to use and log your scores. After selecting what round you’re going to be doing, the date, place and any notes you want, save it to start. It has different sections for each distance of outdoor rounds, which I find useful to see how well I’ve done at each distance. Whilst shooting at practice, or in a competition, this interface is very neutral and doesn’t have any annoying backgrounds or pictures that could potentially put some people off, which is welcome.
This app could progress more if there was the option to plot arrows whilst also scoring. Many other archery scoring apps on the market now have this function, and to stay in the game, the developer really needs to add this function too. I will personally keep using this app as I like the ease of it, it doesn’t have any adverts (and it already has my previous scores on it!).
Search on the App Store for more info
This article originally appeared in the issue 124 of Bow International magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk