Head-to-head

CaddieIQ vs Arccos: do you really need £150 of sensors?

Updated 2 July 2026 · Prices and features verified from public listings — see the full 9-app comparison for sources.

Arccos Caddie is the gold standard of automatic shot tracking: screw a sensor into every grip and every shot logs itself, feeding one of the largest shot databases in golf. The trade-off is cost — sensors up front, then a subscription that now renews at $199.99/yr — and the commitment of hardware on every club. CaddieIQ takes the opposite approach: no hardware, one-tap shot logging, and the budget goes into AI coaching instead.

Quick verdict: Arccos is the pick if fully hands-off shot capture is non-negotiable and the ongoing cost doesn't bother you. For everyone else, CaddieIQ gets you strokes gained, dispersion maps, club gapping and a conversational AI caddie for £71.99/yr with nothing to buy, charge or screw into your grips — less than half Arccos' renewal price.

Feature-by-feature

FeatureCaddieIQArccos
Hardware requiredNone — phone onlySensors on every club (~$179.99)
Shot captureOne-tap logging + auto hole-out detection✓ Fully automatic (best in class)
Strokes Gained✓ Plus tier
Shot dispersion + club distances
Club recommendations✓ from your bag, gaps & misses✓ Caddie Advice
Two-way conversational AI caddie✓ Ask CaddieIQ
AI swing analysis (camera + pose detection)✓ 33-point
AI practice plans
Tree-height / obstacle tool
Watch support✓ Wear OS, standalone✓ Apple Watch (sensor-free mode)
Up-front cost£0~$179.99 sensors
Ongoing cost£71.99/yr (Plus) · £7.99/moFirst year included, renews ~$199.99/yr
PlatformsAndroid (iOS coming soon)iOS + Android

Arccos pricing verified July 2026 from arccosgolf.com (Smart Sensors ~$179.99; Game Tracking subscription renews at $199.99/yr). CaddieIQ pricing is UK Google Play.

Which should you choose?

Pick CaddieIQ if…

  • You do not want to buy, charge or maintain hardware
  • You want AI coaching — swing analysis, practice plans, a caddie you can talk to — not just tracking
  • £71.99/yr fits your budget better than ~$199.99/yr + sensors
  • You are happy to tap once per shot (with auto hole-out detection)

Pick Arccos if…

  • Fully automatic, zero-effort shot capture is your top priority
  • You want the huge Arccos shot database behind your caddie advice
  • You are on iPhone and want a proven ecosystem with rangefinder integration

Common questions

How much does Arccos cost compared to CaddieIQ?

Arccos Smart Sensors cost around $179.99 up front with the first year of Game Tracking included; the subscription then renews at $199.99/yr. CaddieIQ has no hardware cost and its Plus tier is £71.99/yr — roughly a third of Arccos' ongoing price.

Does CaddieIQ track shots automatically like Arccos?

Not fully automatically — Arccos' grip sensors are the best-in-class for hands-off capture. CaddieIQ uses one-tap logging with smart defaults: it auto-suggests the club, infers the lie, measures carry from GPS and auto-detects hole-outs. Most golfers log a shot in about a second.

Does Arccos analyse your swing?

No. Arccos tracks where shots go, not how you swing. CaddieIQ includes camera-based swing analysis with 33-point AI pose detection, tempo tools and side-by-side pro comparison.

Can I switch from Arccos to CaddieIQ?

Yes — you can start CaddieIQ's 7-day free trial with every feature unlocked and run it alongside Arccos for a round or two. Your club distances rebuild quickly from a range gapping session plus your first tracked rounds.

Try CaddieIQ free for 7 days

Every feature unlocked. No card required.

Arccos is a trademark of its respective owner. It is referenced here for nominative comparison purposes only; no endorsement is implied. Competitor pricing and features change — verify current details on the competitor's own site. CaddieIQ pricing shown is UK Google Play pricing.