Free RaceChrono Alternative — FastTrack vs RaceChrono Comparison
Last reviewed: · FastTrack Engineering
Bottom line. RaceChrono Pro ($19.99, 4.7/5 from 174 ratings) is one of the best track-day lap timers you can buy — but it has no built-in 0-60 or quarter-mile mode, and its own support docs say phone GPS (~1 Hz) usually isn't accurate enough, recommending a 25 Hz external receiver like the $199 RaceBox Mini. FastTrack is free, drag-focused, and needs no hardware: it fuses GPS Doppler with the iPhone's 100Hz accelerometer for ±0.02s 0-60 timing, plus leaderboards, a garage, groups, and a parts marketplace.
RaceChrono Pro is a superb $19.99 one-time-purchase lap timer for iOS 15.6+ (free version is Android-only; licenses are not transferable between platforms; no subscription; actively maintained through 2026). FastTrack is a free iPhone app built for the drag metrics RaceChrono doesn't attempt — 0-60, quarter-mile, and rolling starts — plus mod tracking, leaderboards, and a parts marketplace.
Where the numbers come from
- Drag timing
- FastTrack has dedicated 0-60, quarter-mile, and rolling-start modes. RaceChrono has none — the developer has said on the official forum that the old Symbian-era performance-timing feature was never reimplemented.
- GPS
- FastTrack fuses GPS Doppler with the iPhone's 100Hz accelerometer. RaceChrono on phone GPS runs at ~1 Hz — its own support docs call that usually not accurate enough and recommend a 25 Hz external receiver.
- Price
- FastTrack $0 · RaceChrono Pro $19.99 on iOS · the full setup RaceChrono recommends — Pro plus a 25 Hz receiver — runs about $219.
- Beyond timing
- FastTrack adds a social feed, leaderboards, groups, a vehicle garage, and a parts marketplace. RaceChrono goes deep on telemetry instead — video overlay, OBD-II, and CAN-Bus channels.
Full accuracy methodology: /accuracy
Feature Comparison: FastTrack vs RaceChrono Pro
| Feature | FastTrack | RaceChrono Pro |
|---|---|---|
| 0-60 Timing | Yes | No |
| Quarter-Mile Timing | Yes | No |
| Rolling-Start Ranges | Yes | No |
| Lap Timing with Sectors | No | Yes |
| Predictive Lap Timing | No | Yes |
| Video Overlay + Data Export | No | Yes |
| OBD-II & CAN-Bus Channels | No | Yes |
| Price | Free | $19.99 iOS / $18.99 Android |
| Accurate with Phone Alone | Yes — sensor fusion | Limited — 1 Hz internal; external GPS recommended by RaceChrono itself |
| Hardware Needed for Full Accuracy | No | Yes — ~$199 receiver |
| Vehicle Garage & Mod Tracking | Yes | No |
| Leaderboards & Social | Yes | No |
| iOS App | Yes | Yes |
| Android App | No | Yes |
What RaceChrono genuinely does better
Lap timing and sector analysis. RaceChrono is built for track days: sector splits, predictive lap timing, and a library of 2,600+ tracks. FastTrack has no lap timing mode at all.
Video overlay and data export. RaceChrono overlays speed, lap delta, and telemetry onto video — with GoPro control built in — and exports session data for analysis.
OBD-II and CAN-Bus depth. RaceChrono logs engine channels from Bluetooth and Wi-Fi OBD-II readers, plus a DIY BLE device API for CAN-Bus data.
Android support. RaceChrono runs on Android (with a free version) as well as iOS. FastTrack is iPhone-only.
Where FastTrack pulls ahead
Free forever. All timing modes, leaderboards, and community features at no cost. RaceChrono Pro is $19.99 on iOS before you add the hardware it recommends.
Dedicated drag modes. 0-60, quarter-mile, and rolling-start timing built in. RaceChrono has no performance-timing mode.
No hardware needed. FastTrack fuses GPS Doppler with the iPhone's 100Hz accelerometer (±0.02s 0-60, ~30ms launch detection). RaceChrono's own docs steer you to a 25 Hz external receiver.
Full car platform. Mod-aware leaderboards, a vehicle garage, social feed, groups, messaging, and a parts marketplace.
What you'll actually spend
FastTrack — $0. All drag timing modes included, no subscription, no hardware costs.
RaceChrono Pro alone — $19.99. One-time purchase on iOS, running on the phone's 1 Hz internal GPS — which RaceChrono itself calls usually not accurate enough. And still no 0-60 or quarter-mile mode.
RaceChrono Pro + RaceBox Mini — about $219. The setup RaceChrono itself recommends: $19.99 for the app plus roughly $199 for a 25 Hz receiver, and another device to charge and pair.
Also compare: FastTrack vs Dragy | FastTrack vs RaceBox | Track Day Timer Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
Is RaceChrono free?
On Android there is a free version with paid Pro upgrades; on iPhone only RaceChrono Pro exists, a $19.99 one-time purchase, and Android and iOS licenses are not transferable between platforms.
Does RaceChrono do 0-60 or quarter-mile timing?
No. The current app has no built-in performance-timing mode — its developer has said the old Symbian-era feature was never reimplemented. RaceChrono is a lap timer; drag metrics like 0-60, quarter-mile, and rolling starts are what FastTrack is built for.
Does RaceChrono work without an external GPS?
Yes, it runs on your phone's internal GPS at roughly 1 Hz, but RaceChrono's own support docs say internal GPS is usually not accurate enough and recommend a 25 Hz receiver like the RaceBox Mini or Dragy Pro.
What hardware does RaceChrono pair with?
10–25 Hz GPS receivers (RaceBox Mini and Micro, Dragy Pro and DRG70, VBOX Sport, Garmin GLO, Dual XGPS), Bluetooth and Wi-Fi OBD-II readers, and DIY BLE CAN-Bus devices. Classic Bluetooth Qstarz receivers do not work on iOS.
Is RaceChrono better than FastTrack?
For circuit lap timing, sector analysis, and video-overlay telemetry, yes. For free GPS-verified 0-60 and quarter-mile timing with leaderboards, a garage, and a community, FastTrack does what RaceChrono doesn't attempt.
How much does a full RaceChrono setup cost?
About $219 or more: $19.99 for RaceChrono Pro plus the roughly $199 RaceBox Mini it recommends for accurate data — versus $0 for FastTrack.