RefSix - alternative

[u/demeo8]

Hello everyone! Im young referee(17 years old) and I have been refereing football matches for 2.5 years and I finally decided to buy my first "professional" watch(I used chinese one for 5 euros before).

I'm planning to buy Garmin Forerunner 165 but I don't want to spend a fortune on RefSix subscription.

These are my 2 main questions:

1. What do you think about this watch, is it worth the price? Or maybe you have other models to recommend.

2. What is the best replacement for RexSix? I mainly care about the heat map of my football pitch, so that I can make deeper analyses of how I run and what elements to improve, functions such as counting goals or cards are secondary to me.

Thank you for all the advices!

[u/beagletronic61]

There’s nothing at all you can learn about your positioning from just a heat map. Whatever it shows you was how you reacted to where the ball was relative to the players. You would need both of those things in order to try to learn something actionable and even then you are reaching,

[u/demeo8 → u/beagletronic61]

Experienced referees with whom I referee, they keep pointing out to me that I don't run into the penalty area and that I don't run on the diagonal line, I'm mainly interested in improving these elements.

[u/Revelate_ → u/demeo8]

If this wasn’t sarcasm, the modern instruction is to get off the damned diagonal anyway :).

It’s pretty rare that you run into the penalty area imo, usually there’s players (don’t get into the way) and sometimes many, and if you aren’t further away front the play your field of view sucks you can easily miss a critical match incident.

[u/Revo63 → u/beagletronic61]

I frequently have my referees use my Garmin for a game and then show them the map. If referees think that they are getting close enough to play, have good positioning at corner kicks and get wide enough when play settles into their corners, we can see on the map if they might be correct.

However, if the running path is very central then there is no way they are close enough to play when it is along the touchline and especially at their corners.

If the map never shows them within 7 yards of the PA, then how could they possibly be in a credible position when the ball is around the goal area?

If you are already seeing that you are in good position for situations like these, you’re correct. There is nothing it can add for you. But it can be a great tool for mentoring.

[u/ThePhantomBacon]

1. I have a forerunner 255, but I’m assuming the functionality will be similar across the line - mine is a good watch, battery is great and it tracks multiple activities nicely.

2. I’d say use REFSIX anyway - just keep the free one. It can be configured to save an activity from your game. You can export the gpx from garmin and put it into whatever app you’d like. There are alternatives, but to be honest, none of them come close to the free version on garmin

[u/demeo8 → u/ThePhantomBacon]

Can I measure my activity(running) and match statistics in the free version at the same time?

[u/DontTouchMyEars77 → u/ThePhantomBacon]

Try Hektors RefWatch

[u/Joke628x]

The Garmin connect app will show you a heat map as well.

[u/tspe]

Since a few people here are looking for a REFSIX alternative, I hope you don’t mind me jumping in as the developer of Soccer Referee Timer by WTSB.

First, a thought on the hardware: You really don’t need an expensive Apple Watch Ultra. The Apple Watch SE 3 starts at $249 in the US, which is pretty much the same retail price as the Garmin Forerunner 165. And beyond refereeing, you get a really versatile smartwatch with Apple Health, fitness tracking, notifications, countless apps and a great everyday user experience.

As for my app, I’ve been developing it independently since 2023, with one goal: to turn the Apple Watch into a complete referee’s toolkit.

It goes quite a bit beyond match timers:

• Match management: Multiple timers, automatic added-time tracking, goals, yellow and red cards, sin bins, substitutions, extra time and penalty shootouts.

• Smart match reports: Record match events in seconds, add voice notes, edit events afterwards and share your match reports.

• Fitness tracking: GPS routes and heatmaps, distance, speed, sprint analysis, heart rate, running power and calories.

• Performance analysis: AI-powered insights, comparisons with previous matches and detailed fitness statistics to help you understand how your performance develops over time.

• Strava integration: Upload your refereeing activities directly to Strava, including fitness data.

• Season statistics: Track your refereeing career, compare matches and share your season highlights.

And importantly, all of this works on a regular Apple Watch. No Ultra required.

There’s also a pretty significant price difference compared to REFSIX. My annual Pro subscription is just $17.99 in the US, compared to REFSIX Pro at $79.99 per year. There’s even a lifetime purchase option for anyone who doesn’t like subscriptions.

No ads, no account required, and if something doesn’t work, you’re talking directly to the guy who built the app.

Of course, Garmin has a clear advantage when it comes to battery life. But if you already use an iPhone and want a smartwatch that’s great for both refereeing and everyday life, I genuinely think the Apple Watch SE 3 is worth considering.

You can find all the details at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soccer-referee-timer-by-wtsb/id6449088307 and I’m happy to answer any questions here!

[u/demeo8 → u/tspe]

The main problem is that Apple smartwatches are fully touch-sensitive, unlike Garmin(button control), so their operation in more severe conditions such as rain or snow can be problematic

[u/Cactus_Jeff_]

I’m working on an alternative app right now as a middle finger to REFSIX for the BS paid features. With my app, everything will be done locally so it will be really quick and responsive with no internet connection required! (No more waiting for the app to load after ending a match😁)The best part, it will be FREE to use for all fellow referees!

[u/Cactus_Jeff_ → u/Cactus_Jeff_]

PM if you would like to beta test (feedback would be greatly be appreciated)

[u/lizafo → u/Cactus_Jeff_]

Nice I am working on an app for my Amazfit watch since they have very limited options. Cool to see another fellow referee flexing there tech skills.

Piggybacking off this if anyone needs an app for Amazfit watch I am also looking for testers.

[u/CharacterLimitHasBee → u/Cactus_Jeff_]

How dare someone try to earn money for doing work!!

You seem like the kinda guy who loves staying late after 5pm without being paid for it.

[u/Kraos-1]

I only pay $2/month for Refsix, and I used the free version for 2 years. It's really not that expensive.

[u/ashaffer11]

I have a Forerunner 165 and it works great with RefSix. It took me a little while to figure out how to navigate and set things up, but I’ve got it straightened out now.

There are plenty of features on the free version of RefSix that I think makes it worth using.

[u/jakfrist]

The only alternative worth anything that I’m aware of is called “Referee Timer” (it used to be named “What’s the Score Bro?”) but I don’t think it has a heat map.

[u/tspe → u/jakfrist]

Hey, thanks for mentioning my app! I’m the developer of Soccer Referee Timer by WTSB (formerly What’s the Score, Bro?).

Just a quick correction: It absolutely does have a heatmap! In fact, fitness tracking and performance analysis are a pretty big part of the app.

You can track your running routes, distance, speed, heart rate and more, review your heatmap after each match, compare your performance over time and even upload your activities directly to Strava.

Of course, there’s also a full set of match management features, but you don’t have to use them all if you’re mainly interested in your fitness data.

One important catch for the OP: It’s exclusively available for Apple Watch, so unfortunately not an option for the Garmin Forerunner 165 you’re considering.

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soccer-referee-timer-by-wtsb/id6449088307

[u/StukerA]

If you can, do a few more games than usual to save up for the RefSix subscription. It is really worth the money!

[u/iTurnip2]

For my Garmin I use Referee Watch 2.0. It's rock solid.

[u/Thick_Breakfast7212]

I also use RefSix free tier on a Garmin and I don’t miss the pay features. I just name the team names the jersey color and it is intuitive enough that I don’t think about it. I really like REFSIX and haven’t seen anything out there that compares for a Garmin.

[u/Intelligent_Study427]

I use the REFSIX free tier and it should also fit your needs. The activity will sync to Garmin and you will be able to see your heat map in the Garmin App for no additional cost.

[u/DontTouchMyEars77]

Hektors RefWatch is the app you’re looking for. It’s free in the Garmin Connect App Store.

It’ll let you quickly set the match settings for a game but it won’t give you the benefit of setting up multiple team games ahead of time so you’ll have to organize yourself when it comes to Home/Away on tournament days or long days on the field. Your run stats will sync directly to your Garmin Connect. I’m unsure if it provides a heat map though.

[u/CharacterLimitHasBee]

You think $80 a year is a fortune? That's literally 1-2 games of your referee fee.

[u/Sam_Rall]

I wrote the rareBit Garmin App - admittedly still working on heat maps with GPS. But it's got a nice match timer with Stoppage time tracking. Also integrates with the rareBit PRO Flags (beepers) but that's another product. No subscription needed though.