Best kitesurf tracking apps (2026): compared
Waterspeed, Hoolan, Surfr, WOO, WindsportTracker and Watersports Tracker compared for kitesurfing: jumps, jibes, foiling time, speed, watches supported and price, as of October 2026.
If you want jump height and airtime, pick Hoolan (free, Apple Watch and Garmin), Surfr or WOO: they measure jumps and Waterspeed does not. If you care about speed, jibes, kitefoil time and progress over a season, Waterspeed and WindsportTracker go deeper, and both work with Garmin, Coros and Suunto watches (Waterspeed by sync, WindsportTracker by file import).
Compared as of October 2026, from each app’s US App Store description (read 22 October 2026), Surfr’s website thesurfr.app and, for Waterspeed, its help centre. “Not listed” means we did not find the feature in those sources; the app may still have it. We make Waterspeed; corrections are welcome at support@waterspeedapp.com.
Which kitesurf tracking apps are there?
| App | Jump height and airtime | Jibes | Kitefoil time | Speed | Watches | Price model | App Store rating (US) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterspeed | No | Yes, with entry and exit speed | Yes, minimum speed you set | Best speeds over set times and distances | Apple Watch, Garmin; Coros and Suunto sync | Free; Pro and Ultra | 4.6 (1,112) |
| Hoolan | Yes | Transitions: success rate, entry and exit speed | Not listed | Max speed, best 100 m and 500 m | Apple Watch, Garmin (2017+) | All features free | 4.9 (72) |
| Surfr | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Speed and distance | Apple Watch and Wear OS (Pro), Garmin (Plus) | Free; Plus and Pro | 4.8 (224) |
| WOO Sports | Yes (Apple Watch estimate, or WOO sensor) | Not listed | Not listed | GPS session (Freeride) | Apple Watch; WOO sensor | Freeride free; WOO PRO subscription | 4.7 (770) |
| WindsportTracker | Not listed | Tacks, jibes, power jibes, 360s | Yes, planing and flight time | 2 s, 5 s, 10 s, 500 m, 1 NM, alpha | Apple Watch; imports Garmin, Suunto, Polar, Coros files | 27-day free trial | 5.0 (2) |
| Watersports Tracker | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | Max and average speed | Not listed | Free; Pro subscription | 4.8 (1,381) |
What does each app do well?
Waterspeed
Waterspeed records kitesurf and kitefoil sessions on iPhone, Android or Apple Watch. On a Garmin, record with the Kiteboarding activity profile and the session syncs to Waterspeed automatically; Coros and Suunto sessions sync too. After a session you see the track on the map, best speeds over set times and distances, each jibe with entry and exit speed, and, on a foil, your foiling time with a minimum speed you choose. Live tracking shares your position with friends or family from the phone or the watch. Ultra adds VMG, upwind and downwind legs and a quality rating for each jibe.
The help centre lists kitesurfing and kitefoil among the supported sports, and the same app covers 30+ watersports.
Less suited if: you want jump height. Waterspeed does not measure jumps.
Hoolan
Hoolan is free and made for tracking on the watch: Apple Watch, and Garmin watches from 2017 on. Its kite list covers twintip, directional, kite foiling, buggying, landboarding and snowkiting. It measures jumps (height, airtime, distance, takeoff speed), runs (upwind and downwind gain, max speed over 100 m and 500 m) and transitions (success rate, entry and exit speed). It exports to Strava, Apple Health, GPX and FIT. The store page says: “All features are completely FREE.”
Less suited if: you also track sports outside wind sports, or use a Coros or Suunto watch.
Surfr
Surfr is a wind sports app for kitesurfers, wingfoilers and windsurfers on iPhone and Android. It records on Garmin with the Plus plan and on Apple Watch and Wear OS with the Pro plan. It detects jumps and shows height, airtime, speed and distance, with a session replay. There is also a spot map with live wind and webcams, wind forecasts and alerts, a safety beacon for your contacts, competitions and a kite bag with size recommendations. Plus and Pro add more features, including advanced analytics.
Less suited if: you want stats for each jibe or your kitefoil time (neither is listed), or record on a Coros or Suunto watch (not listed).
WOO Sports
WOO is a kite and wing community app built around games. Freeride GPS sessions from the phone or Apple Watch are free, and the Apple Watch app estimates jump height for free. Big Air and Freestyle need a WOO sensor recording during the session. WOO PRO, a monthly or annual subscription, adds analytics, live, safety and crew features.
Less suited if: you don’t jump, or don’t want to buy a sensor for the games.
WindsportTracker
WindsportTracker is a detailed GPS logbook with its own algorithms for kitesurfing and kitefoil. It detects tacks, jibes, power jibes and 360s with success rate by side, and shows best speeds including alpha, planing and flight time, wave rides and gear comparison. It records on iPhone and Apple Watch and imports GPX, FIT, TCX and SBP files from Garmin, Suunto, Polar and Coros. There is a 27-day free trial.
Less suited if: you want automatic sync from a watch brand rather than importing files.
Watersports Tracker
Watersports Tracker is a general logger that lists kitesurfing among its sports. It shows distance, duration, max and average speed, a session playback, notes and heart rate, and saves to Apple Health. Pro features come with a 3-, 6- or 12-month subscription.
Less suited if: you want kite-specific stats such as jumps, jibes or foiling time (none listed).
Which app should you pick?
Pick by what you ride with and what you want to measure:
- Jumps first: Hoolan (free), Surfr or WOO.
- Speed, jibes and kitefoil time over a season: Waterspeed or WindsportTracker.
- A Garmin watch: Waterspeed (automatic sync, Kiteboarding profile), Hoolan (records on the watch) or Surfr (records on Garmin with Plus). WindsportTracker imports Garmin files.
- A Coros or Suunto watch: Waterspeed syncs both automatically; WindsportTracker imports their files.
- More than one watersport: Waterspeed covers 30+ in one app.
Does Waterspeed measure kite jumps?
No. Waterspeed does not measure jump height or airtime. It measures speed, distance, best speeds, jibes and, on a foil, foiling time, so for big air use one of the jump apps above.
Can I track kitesurfing with a Garmin?
Yes. With Waterspeed, record on the Garmin with the Kiteboarding activity profile; once your Garmin account is connected, the session syncs to Waterspeed. Connecting Garmin is free. Hoolan also records directly on Garmin watches, and Surfr records on Garmin with its Plus plan. See Waterspeed for Garmin.
