Best Shot Timer App 2026: 13 Apps Tested (iPhone, Android, Airsoft)

Last year, a friend showed up to our weekly airsoft session with a $130 CED 7000 shot timer strapped to his belt. He timed his draw a few times, then spent the rest of the afternoon fighting wind-noise false triggers because the thing was designed for live-fire ranges, not GBB pistols popping at half the decibel level. Meanwhile, I pulled out my phone, opened AirsoftShotTimer, and ran twenty clean strings without a single misfire. That $130 timer went back in its box by the end of the day.

The truth is, most competitive shooters and airsoft players don’t need expensive hardware to train with data. A well-designed shot timer app on your phone can time draws, splits, and reloads to the hundredth of a second — and the best ones are built from the ground up to handle the quieter, sharper sounds of airsoft guns. If you’ve ever finished a training session thinking “I feel faster” but have zero numbers to back it up, a shot timer app is the single cheapest upgrade that will actually change how you practice.

Picking the right one is where people lose an afternoon. Below you’ll find all 13 shot timer apps worth knowing in 2026 compared side by side — free and paid, iPhone and Android — followed by a full setup and drill walkthrough for the one built for airsoft.

Download AirsoftShotTimer free on iOS or Google Play — set your sensitivity, pick a drill, and you’re timing shots in under 30 seconds.

Quick answer — will a shot timer work with airsoft? Most hardware timers (CED7000, Competition Electronics Pocket Pro, Shooters Global SG Timer) are tuned for the 140–170 dB crack of live fire and routinely miss the quieter pop of a GBB pistol or the gear whine of an AEG. A phone app calibrated for airsoft acoustics fixes that. AirsoftShotTimer is the free airsoft shot timer built for exactly this — FFT detection across the 275–458 Hz airsoft range, three-layer wind filtering for outdoor games, and ready-made IPSC/IDPA drill presets, with zero hardware to buy. If you’re shopping hardware too, see our Best Shot Timer Buyer’s Guide 2026 for the SG Timer 2, PACT Club Timer III and CED7000 compared.

AirsoftShotTimer app in action

The Best Shot Timer App in 2026: All 13 Compared

With dozens of shot timer and shooting timer apps on the App Store and Google Play, it’s easy to download the wrong one and waste an afternoon fighting missed detections. I’ve tested the most popular options side by side so you don’t have to. Here’s how they stack up for airsoft and competition training in 2026 — and whether any of them can replace a dedicated timer.

If you just want the answer before the detail, here’s where each app wins:

  • Best for airsoft, Action Air and quiet guns: AirsoftShotTimer — free, and the only app with detection tuned to the airsoft frequency range rather than live-fire volume.
  • Best free app for live-fire USPSA/IPSC on Android: IPSC Shot Timer — Comstock, Virginia and par scoring, still the r/CompetitionShooting default after a decade.
  • Best all-round competition app: Splits — clean interface, reliable live-fire splits, companion dry-fire app.
  • Best pure par timer (no detection needed): ShootOnTime on iPhone, Dry Fire Par Timer on Android — both free, both just beep on schedule.
  • Best if you want laser dry fire bundled in: PlinkPal — shot timer, laser training and a dry-fire coach in one free Android app.

The rest of this section explains the trade-offs behind those picks, because “best” changes completely depending on whether you shoot live fire, airsoft, or dry fire in a quiet room.

ShootOnTime is the simplest option — it’s a pure par timer that counts down and beeps when time runs out. It does that job well, and it’s completely free. But here’s the catch: it doesn’t actually listen for your shots. There’s no microphone detection at all, so you won’t get split times, draw times, or any shot data. For structured drills like Bill Drill or El Presidente where split analysis matters, ShootOnTime simply can’t help.

IPSC Shot Timer on Android is a solid free option that does detect shots through your phone’s mic. It supports Comstock, Virginia, and Par Time scoring — great for USPSA and IPSC shooters. However, it wasn’t designed with airsoft in mind. The detection algorithms are tuned for louder live-fire reports, and many airsoft players report missed shots with GBB and especially AEG guns at default settings. There’s no wind-noise filtering either, which makes outdoor airsoft sessions frustrating.

Recoil Shot Timer takes a completely different approach — it runs on your Apple Watch and detects shots through wrist recoil rather than sound. This is brilliant for live-fire shooters because it works even with suppressed firearms or next to other shooters on a busy firing line. The AI model was trained with over 20,000 shots in partnership with the U.S. Navy. The downside? It requires an Apple Watch ($2.99/month or $39.99 lifetime after the free tier), and it physically cannot detect airsoft shots since there’s almost no wrist recoil from a GBB pistol.

Shotbud is another Apple Watch option that combines audio and accelerometer data. It includes airsoft and dry-fire presets, which is nice, but the Watch microphone is much less sensitive than a phone mic sitting next to your gun. In my testing, detection reliability dropped significantly compared to phone-based apps.

SG Timer (Shooters Global) is actually a hardware timer ($150+) with a companion Drills app. The app itself offers impressive features — 3D stage planning, video analysis, global leaderboards — but all of that requires the physical timer connected via Bluetooth. Without the hardware, the app is essentially a drill library.

AMG Lab Commander is the timer you’ll see hyped nonstop in USPSA and IPSC circles — a compact $189–224 hardware unit with adjustable sensitivity that reliably picks up everything down to a .22LR on a live-fire range, and it runs par times cleanly. Its companion “AMG shot timer app” side of things is really just phone pairing — there is no standalone AMG app that turns your phone into a timer, which surprises a lot of people searching for one; the detection lives in the hardware, and we cover exactly what the app does and doesn’t do in our AMG shot timer review. And that hardware is the catch: AMG is famously close to a one-person operation, so reported lead times run anywhere from 3 to 12 weeks, the plastic housing feels toy-like to some owners, and like every live-fire timer it has zero tuning for the quieter mid-frequency pop of airsoft. For a live-fire competitor chasing an official-scoring timer it’s a fine tool; for airsoft or budget-minded dry-fire training it’s roughly $200 that a free phone app already covers.

Splits is the app you’ll see recommended most often in r/CompetitionShooting threads, and for good reason — it’s a clean, competition-focused timer that detects live-fire shots through the mic, tracks splits and draw times reliably, and pairs with a companion dry-fire app for at-home reps with par times and drill routines. If you shoot mostly live fire, it’s a great pick. The catch for our crowd is the familiar one: its detection is calibrated for the loud report of real ammunition, so GBB and AEG guns regularly slip past it at normal sensitivity, and there’s no airsoft-specific tuning or wind filtering to fall back on.

PlinkPal takes the all-in-one route, bundling a shot timer, a laser-training system, and a dry-fire coach into a single free Android app. For live-fire and laser-cartridge dry fire it’s genuinely useful, and the built-in dry-fire coaching is a nice touch for home practice. But like the rest, it was designed around live-fire and laser workflows rather than the mid-frequency pop of airsoft guns — so if your training is mostly GBB or AEG on the field, you’ll fight the detection more than you’d like. (The other free name you’ll bump into, PS Timer Lite, is a barebones detector that works but offers little beyond a basic beep-and-listen loop.)

For airsoft players and anyone who wants actual shot detection from a phone without extra hardware, AirsoftShotTimer is purpose-built for exactly this use case. It’s the only app with FFT frequency-domain analysis specifically tuned for the 275-458 Hz range of airsoft guns, plus three-layer wind noise filtering for outdoor sessions. And unlike hardware-dependent options, it’s completely free to download and use.

Shot timer app comparison

Best Shot Timer App for iPhone vs Android

Half the frustration in this category comes from advice that doesn’t say which platform it applies to. The most-cited review of free shot timer apps only covers the Google Play store, so iPhone shooters keep finding recommendations they can’t install — and then land in a forum thread from 2013. Here’s the honest split as of 2026.

On iPhone, the free options lean heavily toward par timers rather than shot detection. ShootOnTime is the cleanest of them: a pure countdown-and-beep par timer that does its one job well and asks nothing of your microphone. Shot Timer – Range Trainer goes further and actually listens, with adjustable start delay, mic sensitivity, par goals and a shot count — it’s one of the few iOS apps whose own users mention using it for airsoft, though you’ll be hand-tuning sensitivity to get there. Surefire Shot Timer is the veteran of the platform and still turns up in search results; its standout feature was emailing your string results to yourself, which was genuinely novel a decade ago and feels thin next to modern apps. If you own an Apple Watch, Recoil and Shotbud open up wrist-based detection, but both are live-fire tools by design — there simply isn’t enough recoil impulse in a GBB pistol for the accelerometer to see it.

On Android, you get more real shot detection for free. IPSC Shot Timer is the long-standing default and the one most Reddit threads land on, with Comstock, Virginia and par-time scoring built in. Splits is the more polished competition option and pairs with a companion dry-fire app. PS Timer Lite is a barebones beep-and-listen detector — it works, but there’s little reason to choose it over the other two. PlinkPal is the interesting outlier, bundling a timer, laser training and dry-fire coaching into one free package. Dry Fire Par Timer deserves a mention too: it’s the app Reddit keeps recommending to people who only want a par beep for at-home practice, and its one real gap is that it has no random start delay, which matters more than it sounds — a fixed delay lets you anticipate the beep and quietly flatters your reaction time.

The pattern across both platforms is the same: every one of these was built around the loud report of live ammunition. That’s fine if you shoot live fire. If your training is airsoft, Action Air, or dry fire with a GBB pistol, you’ll spend your first session fighting missed shots — which is exactly the problem AirsoftShotTimer was written to solve, and it runs identically on iOS and Android with no platform-locked features.

AirsoftShotTimer App Complete Feature Guide

AirsoftShotTimer is a professional Shot Timer App designed specifically for airsoft and shooting training, providing complete timing and recording functionality.

Core Features

1. Smart Gunshot Detection System

AirsoftShotTimer uses advanced FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) frequency domain analysis technology for precise gunshot recognition:

  • Mid-frequency identification: Optimized for 275-458 Hz gunshot characteristics
  • Adjustable sensitivity: 0-40 range, adapts to different guns and environments
  • Multi-power support: Accurately detects gas blowback, AEG, and CO2 guns

2. Three-Layer Wind Noise Filtering Technology

The biggest challenge in outdoor training is environmental noise. AirsoftShotTimer features an exclusive three-layer wind noise filtering engine:

Layer 1: Environmental Baseline Check

  • Automatically learns background noise level
  • Only records sounds significantly above background

Layer 2: Spectrum Pattern Analysis

  • Wind noise characteristics: Low frequency dominant (>70%)
  • Gunshot characteristics: Significant mid-high frequency energy
  • Automatically distinguishes between the two, filtering wind noise

Layer 3: Impulse Characteristic Verification

  • Wind noise: Continuous fluctuation
  • Gunshots: Instant burst (energy change rate 1.3-1.8x)
  • Further confirms actual gunshots

Adjustable filter strength: 0%-100%, set freely based on environment.

3. Precise Timing System

  • Millisecond precision: Accurate to 0.01 seconds
  • 60 FPS update rate: Real-time timing display
  • Split time calculation: Automatically calculates time between each shot

4. PAR Time Mode

PAR (Par Time) is a core training feature:

  • Set target time: 0-10 second range
  • Single beep: Alert when PAR time is reached
  • Repeat beep: Continuous alerts at PAR time intervals
  • Build rhythm: Makes training more structured

5. Delay Start Settings

  • Fixed delay: 0-10 seconds fixed delay
  • Random delay: 1-8 seconds random delay
  • Train real reactions: Simulates unpredictability of competition

6. Complete Recording System

  • Auto-recording: Time and volume of each shot
  • Split times: Time difference from previous shot
  • Round management: Records grouped by training rounds
  • History lookup: View all past training records

Video Recording with Timer Overlay

One feature that sets AirsoftShotTimer apart from every other app on the market is built-in video recording with a real-time timer overlay. While you’re running a drill, the app records your camera feed and burns the live timer directly onto the video. When you review the footage later, you can see exactly what your hands were doing at 1.23 seconds into your draw, or pinpoint the moment you fumbled a reload at the 3.8-second mark.

This is something that even $150+ hardware timers struggle with — Shooters Global’s SG Timer 2 offers video through its companion app, but it requires the separate hardware timer connected via Bluetooth. With AirsoftShotTimer, the camera and timer run simultaneously on your phone with zero extra gear.

For coaches and training partners, video review paired with split-time data is incredibly powerful. Instead of guessing why your El Presidente time plateaued at 16 seconds, you can watch the footage frame by frame and see that your magazine insertion is costing you an extra half-second because you’re looking down at the magwell.

Why Choose AirsoftShotTimer Over Other Apps?

If you train with airsoft guns — GBB pistols, AEGs, or CO2 replicas — most shot timer apps were simply not built for you. They were designed to pick up the 160+ dB crack of a 9mm, not the 90 dB pop of a gas blowback valve. AirsoftShotTimer was engineered from day one around the acoustic signature of airsoft guns, and that fundamental difference shows up in every training session.

The FFT-based detection doesn’t just listen for “loud noises.” It analyzes the frequency spectrum of each sound event and looks for the specific mid-frequency energy pattern (275-458 Hz) that characterizes airsoft shots. This means it can tell the difference between a GBB slide cycling and someone dropping a magazine on a table, or between an AEG burst and wind hitting the microphone.

The three-layer wind noise filtering makes outdoor training actually viable. Most apps either miss shots outdoors or false-trigger constantly — you end up spending more time resetting the timer than actually training. AirsoftShotTimer’s environmental baseline learning, spectrum pattern analysis, and impulse verification work together so you can run drills at the field without babysitting the sensitivity slider.

And it comes with built-in drill presets for Bill Drill, El Presidente, Draw Practice, and Reload Drill, plus the ability to create your own custom drills. Your training records are organized by drill type, making it easy to track progress in specific skills over weeks and months.

AirsoftShotTimer Settings Tutorial

Basic Settings

Open the AirsoftShotTimer App, go to “Settings” page, and you’ll see these options:

1. Sensitivity

Range: 0-40 | Default: 10

Sensitivity controls how sensitive the gunshot detection is:

  • Lower values: More sensitive, but may false trigger (detect environmental noise)
  • Higher values: Less sensitive, may miss detections (quieter guns)

Recommended settings:

Gun Type Recommended Sensitivity
Gas blowback pistol (GBB) 8-12
AEG rifle 10-15
CO2 pistol 6-10
Dry fire (trigger click) 3-6

Adjustment tip: Start with default, test a few shots. Lower the value if missing detections, raise it if false triggering.

2. PAR (Par Time)

Range: 0-10 seconds | Default: 1.0 second

PAR time is your target completion time.

How to use:

  1. Set how many seconds you want to complete the action in
  2. After timing starts, an alert sounds when PAR time is reached
  3. Completing before the alert means you met the goal; after means you need improvement

Recommended settings:

Training Drill Recommended PAR
Draw and fire (beginner) 2.5-3.0 sec
Draw and fire (advanced) 1.5-2.0 sec
Bill Drill (6 shots) 3.5-4.5 sec
Magazine reload 2.0-3.0 sec

3. PAR Repeat

Options: On / Off | Default: Off

  • Off: Only one alert when PAR time is reached
  • On: Continuous alerts at PAR time intervals

When to use:

  • Turn on when practicing rhythmic shooting
  • Turn off for general training

4. Delay

Range: 0-10 seconds | Default: 1.0 second

The delay between pressing start and actual timing beginning.

5. Delay Random

Options: On / Off | Default: Off

  • Off: Uses fixed delay time
  • On: Random 1-8 second delay

Strongly recommended to enable: Random delay trains “real reactions” rather than “prediction.” In IPSC/IDPA competitions, you can’t predict when the signal will sound.

6. Beep Volume

Range: 0%-100% | Default: 100%

Controls the volume of start signal and PAR alerts.

Tip: Lower the volume in quiet environments to avoid disturbing others.

7. Wind Filter

Options: On / Off | Default: On

Recommended to enable for outdoor training to reduce wind noise false triggers.

8. Wind Filter Strength

Range: 0%-100% | Default: 50%

  • 0%: Filter completely off
  • 50%: Medium filtering (suitable for general outdoor)
  • 100%: Maximum filtering (suitable for windy conditions)

Note: Higher filter strength may miss quieter gunshots.

Indoor Dry Fire Training

Sensitivity: 5
PAR: Set according to drill
Delay: Random
Wind Filter: Off

Outdoor Gas Gun Training

Sensitivity: 10
PAR: Set according to drill
Delay: Random
Wind Filter: On
Filter Strength: 50%

Indoor AEG Training

Sensitivity: 12
PAR: Set according to drill
Delay: Random
Wind Filter: Off

Training Drills with Shot Timer App

Drill 1: Draw to First Shot

The most fundamental and important training drill, measuring time from ready position to first shot.

Recommended settings:

  • Delay: Random (1-8 seconds)
  • PAR: Based on current ability (see table below)

Training procedure:

  1. Holster pistol, adopt ready position
  2. Press start, wait for random delay
  3. Draw after hearing the “beep”
  4. Aim and fire first shot
  5. Check recorded time

Target time reference:

Level Target Time Suggested PAR
Beginner 2.5-3.0 sec 3.0 sec
Intermediate 1.5-2.0 sec 2.0 sec
Advanced 1.0-1.5 sec 1.5 sec
Competition < 1.0 sec 1.0 sec

Training focus:

  • Smooth movements, don’t rush
  • Ensure first shot hits target
  • Use the App to track each improvement

💡 Further reading: Complete Guide to Pistol Draw Techniques

Drill 2: Bill Drill (6 Consecutive Shots)

Tests rapid fire ability, recoil control, and trigger control.

Recommended settings:

  • Delay: Random
  • PAR: Based on current ability

Training procedure:

  1. Distance to target: 7 yards (about 6.4 meters)
  2. Draw from holster, fire 6 consecutive shots
  3. All must hit A-zone

Key data interpretation:

  • Total time: From signal to 6th shot
  • Split time: Interval between each shot

Target times:

Level Total Time Split Time
Beginner 5.0-5.5 sec 0.40+ sec
Intermediate 4.0-5.0 sec 0.30-0.40 sec
Advanced 3.0-4.0 sec 0.20-0.30 sec
Competition < 3.0 sec < 0.20 sec

Drill 3: Reload Training

Measures complete magazine change time.

Emergency Reload procedure:

  1. Fire until magazine empty (slide locks back)
  2. Press magazine release
  3. Insert new magazine
  4. Release slide
  5. Fire next shot

Using Shot Timer App to record:

  • Record time difference between last shot and first shot after reload
  • This difference is your reload time

Target times:

Level Emergency Reload Tactical Reload
Beginner 3.5-4.0 sec 4.0-4.5 sec
Intermediate 2.5-3.0 sec 3.0-3.5 sec
Advanced 2.0-2.5 sec 2.5-3.0 sec
Competition 1.5-2.0 sec 2.0-2.5 sec

💡 Further reading: Complete Guide to Fast Magazine Reload Techniques

Drill 4: Target Transitions

Tests ability to quickly move between multiple targets.

Recommended setup:

  • Prepare 2-3 targets, spaced 1-2 meters apart
  • Fire 2 shots at each target

Data analysis:

  • Shooting splits: Interval between two shots on same target (should be short)
  • Transition splits: Interval between different targets (this is the training focus)

Key techniques:

  • Eyes look at next target first
  • Gun follows line of sight
  • Fire on arrival, don’t over-aim

Drill 5: El Presidente (Classic Comprehensive Test)

This is the most classic IPSC/IDPA training drill, testing all skills.

Setup:

  • Distance: 10 yards (about 9 meters)
  • 3 targets, 1 meter apart
  • Start facing away from targets

Procedure:

  1. At signal, turn around
  2. Draw
  3. Fire 2 shots at each target (6 total)
  4. Reload
  5. Fire 2 more shots at each target (12 total)

Target times:

Level Target Time
Beginner 18-22 sec
Intermediate 14-18 sec
Advanced 11-14 sec
Competition < 10 sec

How to Interpret Shot Timer App Data

Key Metrics Explained

1. First Shot Time (Draw Time)

Time from signal to first shot, reflects your reaction speed and draw efficiency.

Analysis points:

  • If this time is too long, focus on draw practice
  • Should be consistent within a range; too much variation means unstable technique

2. Split Time

Interval between each shot, reflects your shooting rhythm and recoil control.

Analysis points:

  • Split times should be consistent (±0.05 sec variation)
  • If certain splits are notably longer, you may be re-aiming

3. Transition Time

Time to move from one target to another.

How to calculate: In multi-target training, observe sudden increases in split time.

Example:

Shot 1: 1.25s (Split: 1.25s) ← Draw
Shot 2: 1.47s (Split: 0.22s) ← Same target rapid
Shot 3: 1.70s (Split: 0.23s) ← Same target rapid
Shot 4: 2.42s (Split: 0.72s) ← Target transition
Shot 5: 2.65s (Split: 0.23s) ← Same target rapid
Shot 6: 2.88s (Split: 0.23s) ← Same target rapid

This data shows:

  • Draw time: 1.25 seconds
  • Rapid fire splits: ~0.22-0.23 sec (very consistent)
  • Transition time: 0.72 sec (notably longer, area for improvement)

Identifying Training Bottlenecks

Problem 1: Draw time too long

  • Symptom: First shot time notably slower than target
  • Solution: Focused practice on draw motion, smoothness from holster to presentation

Problem 2: Inconsistent split times

  • Symptom: Split times vary widely
  • Solution: Practice stable grip and trigger control

Problem 3: Transition time too long

  • Symptom: Target transition time is too large a proportion of total time
  • Solution: Practice “eyes first” technique, faster visual acquisition

Problem 4: Reload time too long

  • Symptom: Magazine change notably slows overall time
  • Solution: Dedicated reload practice, build muscle memory

Building a Progress Tracking System

Weekly records:

  • Best times for each drill
  • Average times
  • Hit rate

Monthly evaluation:

  • Compare start and end of month data
  • Identify most and least improved drills
  • Adjust next month’s training focus

Progress expectations:

  • Early stage (1-3 months): Visible weekly improvement
  • Mid stage (3-12 months): Measurable monthly improvement
  • Later stage (1+ years): Progress slows, requires more refined training

PAR Time Training Method

PAR (Par Time) is one of the most powerful Shot Timer features, allowing you to set target times and train under pressure.

What PAR Time Does

  1. Creates pressure: Must complete within time, simulates competition mindset
  2. Builds rhythm: Fixed time frame helps establish shooting rhythm
  3. Breaks plateaus: Forces you to speed up

How to Set PAR Time

Step 1: Measure current ability

  • Conduct 5-10 training runs, record average time

Step 2: Set challenging target

  • PAR = Average time - 10%
  • Example: Average 2.0 sec → PAR set to 1.8 sec

Step 3: Train until consistent

  • Can consistently complete within PAR time (8/10 successes)

Step 4: Reduce again

  • Reduce by another 5-10%
  • Repeat the process

PAR Time Example Settings

Draw Training Plan

Week Current Ability PAR Setting Goal
1-2 2.5 sec 2.3 sec Adapt to PAR pressure
3-4 2.3 sec 2.0 sec Stable 80% achievement
5-6 2.0 sec 1.8 sec Stable 80% achievement
7-8 1.8 sec 1.6 sec Stable 80% achievement

PAR Repeat Mode Applications

With PAR Repeat enabled, an alert sounds at each PAR time interval.

Application scenarios:

  • Rhythmic shooting practice: Set 0.3 sec PAR, fire one shot per beep
  • Reload rhythm: Set 2.5 sec PAR, complete reload between beeps

Dry Fire Training with Shot Timer App

Dry fire training is one of the most effective methods for improving shooting skills, and combining it with a Shot Timer App makes training even more effective.

App Settings for Dry Fire

Sensitivity settings:

  • Dry fire sounds are quieter, need lower sensitivity
  • Recommended setting: 3-6

Delay settings:

  • Use random delay to train real reactions
  • Recommended: Enable random delay

Wind filter:

  • Usually not needed for indoor dry fire
  • Recommended: Off

Dry Fire Training Drills

1. Draw Dry Fire

Procedure:

  1. Confirm gun is completely empty
  2. Holster gun, adopt ready position
  3. Start Shot Timer App
  4. At signal, draw, aim, pull trigger
  5. Record time

Goal: Train smoothness and speed of draw motion

2. Trigger Control Dry Fire

Procedure:

  1. Present gun aimed at target
  2. Start Shot Timer App
  3. At signal, slowly, steadily press trigger
  4. Observe if sights move

Goal: Train smooth trigger control with stable sights

3. Reload Dry Fire

Procedure:

  1. Prepare empty magazines
  2. Simulate firing until slide locks back
  3. Start Shot Timer App
  4. At signal, perform reload motion
  5. Press trigger to complete

Goal: Train fast, smooth magazine change motion

Dry Fire Safety Rules

Absolute compliance required:

  1. ✅ Confirm gun is completely empty before each training session
  2. ✅ Keep all ammunition far from training area
  3. ✅ Choose a safe training backstop
  4. ✅ Announce before and after training
  5. ❌ Never train when tired or distracted

💡 Further reading: Complete Guide to Dry Fire Training

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use your phone as a shot timer?

Yes, and for a large share of shooters it’s the only timer they’ll ever need. Your phone already has everything the job requires: a speaker for the start beep, a clock accurate to the millisecond, and a microphone to hear the shot. What separates a good app from a bad one is the detection logic sitting between the mic and the clock. Apps that simply watch for a volume spike work on a live-fire range and fall apart everywhere quieter. Apps that analyse the frequency signature of a shot keep working on airsoft guns and in dry fire. The limits are real but narrow: a phone can’t out-shout electronic ear-pro on a busy range, and it can’t tell your shot from the shooter’s next to you. Outside those two situations, a phone runs the same drills a $130 timer does.

What shot timer app do competition shooters actually recommend?

Search r/CompetitionShooting and the same names keep surfacing: IPSC Shot Timer for free Android detection, Splits for a more polished competition experience, and Dry Fire Par Timer for people who only want a beep at home. Those recommendations are sound — with one caveat that almost never gets stated in the threads, because almost everyone answering shoots live fire. Every app on that list detects by the loud report of real ammunition. Bring any of them to an airsoft field or a dry-fire session with a gas pistol and you’ll be chasing missed shots and dropped strings. That’s the specific gap AirsoftShotTimer fills, and it’s why “which app is best” genuinely has two different answers depending on what comes out of your muzzle.

Will a shot timer work with airsoft?

Yes, but the type matters. Most hardware shot timers are built for live fire, and as airsoft players on r/airsoft and Quora repeatedly point out, they struggle with the low decibel level of GBB and AEG guns — you often have to hold the timer almost touching the muzzle to get a reading. The reliable path is a phone app with detection tuned for airsoft frequencies. AirsoftShotTimer was designed for exactly this: position your phone within a meter or so of the gun, dial in the sensitivity with a few test shots, and it picks up GBB, AEG and CO2 discharges cleanly — indoors or outdoors with the wind filter on.

What’s the best free shot timer app for airsoft in 2026?

For airsoft specifically, AirsoftShotTimer is the only free app with FFT frequency-domain detection tuned to the 275–458 Hz airsoft range, plus wind filtering and drill presets, all without a subscription. Generic free options like IPSC Shot Timer (Android) do detect shots but are calibrated for live-fire reports and miss quieter airsoft guns at default settings, while par-only apps like ShootOnTime don’t listen for shots at all. If you want actual split and draw data from your phone, an airsoft-tuned app is the difference between useful numbers and a frustrating afternoon of missed detections.

What’s the best free shot timer app for Android or iPhone?

Both platforms have solid free options, and the right one depends on what you shoot. On Android, IPSC Shot Timer is the classic free pick for live fire and PlinkPal adds laser dry-fire training, while ShootOnTime covers iPhone users who only need a par timer. The recurring catch is that almost all of them are tuned for live ammunition. AirsoftShotTimer runs on both iOS and Android, so whether you carry an iPhone or an Android phone you get the same airsoft-tuned FFT detection, three-layer wind filtering, and IPSC/IDPA drill presets — no platform compromise, and nothing essential locked behind a subscription.

What’s the best shot timer app for dry fire practice?

For dry fire you want an app that can run a par timer and pick up the soft click of a trigger break or the snap of a laser cartridge. Splits and PlinkPal both ship dedicated dry-fire modes, and AirsoftShotTimer handles dry fire well too, though the honest way to use it is the PAR time rather than detection: set a par and train your draw against a deadline beep, because a bare trigger click on a real gun is quiet enough that no timer catches it reliably. (Sensitivity runs 0–40 with higher being more sensitive; pushing it to 30–40 to chase the click also means the refrigerator gets logged as a shot.) Either way you’re training to a number instead of a feeling — and if you dry fire with an airsoft pistol, the app reads those shots directly and gives you real splits. If you practice at home, pair the app with our Dry Fire Training Guide for a structured routine that turns five quiet minutes a day into measurable speed.

Do I need a hardware shot timer like the SG Timer or CED7000 for airsoft?

Not for personal airsoft or dry-fire training. Hardware timers like the Shooters Global SG Timer 2 ($299), PACT Club Timer III ($130) or CED7000 shine in loud, multi-shooter live-fire bays where a phone mic might pick up the shooter next to you — that’s genuinely where they earn their price. But for solo airsoft practice, an airsoft-tuned app gives you the same split, draw and PAR data plus extras hardware can’t match, like video recording with a timer overlay. Many shooters end up running the app for airsoft and dry fire at home and saving the hardware for crowded match days.

What’s the best budget shot timer in 2026?

The honest answer surprises people: the best budget shot timer isn’t a timer you buy at all. Even the cheapest respected hardware units — the SG Timer GO ($165) or a PACT Club Timer III ($130) — cost more than a phone you already own. A free, well-tuned app runs the same par times, split tracking and draw timing for $0, and for airsoft or dry fire it actually detects better because the algorithm is built for quieter guns. Spend the $130–165 on ammo, BBs, or a decent belt and holster instead, and let your phone be the timer. If you genuinely need dedicated hardware for loud live-fire match days, our Best Shot Timer Buyer’s Guide 2026 ranks the budget picks — but start free and only upgrade when you hit a wall the app can’t solve.

AMG Lab Commander vs a free shot timer app — which should I get?

The AMG Lab Commander ($189–224) is a capable live-fire timer with adjustable sensitivity that USPSA shooters swear by, but three things give people pause: the reported 3–12 week wait times, the toy-like plastic build some owners complain about, and — for our crowd — the fact that it has no tuning for airsoft’s quieter mid-frequency pop. If you shoot mostly live fire and want a pocket unit for official scoring, it’s a legitimate buy. If your training is airsoft, dry fire, or you simply don’t want to spend $200 and wait two months, an airsoft-tuned phone app gives you the same par and split data today, for free, with video review the Commander can’t do. Try the free app first; you can always add hardware later if you outgrow it.

Can a phone shot timer app really replace a dedicated timer?

You’ll hear “phone mics can’t reliably detect shots” repeated a lot — and it’s half true. A generic app running a live-fire detection algorithm does miss quieter guns. But that’s an algorithm problem, not a microphone problem: modern phone mics are plenty sensitive, and an app tuned for the right acoustic range picks up shots cleanly. For solo airsoft practice, dry fire, and quiet range sessions, an airsoft-calibrated app like AirsoftShotTimer replaces a dedicated timer completely — and adds video-with-timer-overlay that most hardware can’t match. Where dedicated timers still win is loud, crowded live-fire bays and any situation that requires official-scoring hardware. Match those two use cases to your reality and the answer picks itself.

Can AirsoftShotTimer actually detect airsoft gun sounds?

Yes — this is what the app was specifically designed for. AirsoftShotTimer uses FFT frequency-domain analysis tuned to the 275-458 Hz range characteristic of airsoft discharges. Gas blowback pistols produce a clear valve release sound that’s easy to detect. AEGs generate motor and gear noise that requires slightly lower sensitivity settings (10-15 range). CO2 guns are the loudest and easiest to pick up. When switching to a new gun, fire a few test shots and dial in the sensitivity — it usually takes less than a minute.

Does it work outdoors in windy conditions?

The three-layer wind noise filtering system handles most outdoor conditions well. Enable the wind filter, start with 50% strength, and increase to 70-80% if you’re getting false triggers. The system learns your environment’s baseline noise and uses spectrum analysis to distinguish between continuous wind fluctuations and the sharp impulse of a gunshot. In gusty conditions above 25 mph, you may need to shield the phone mic or increase filter strength, but for typical field days it works without fussing.

How should I set my PAR time?

Start by establishing your baseline: run 5-10 repetitions of a drill without PAR pressure and take the average time. Set your PAR to 10% below that average — if your draw averages 2.0 seconds, set PAR to 1.8 seconds. Train until you can beat the PAR 8 out of 10 times, then drop it another 5-10%. This progressive approach builds speed without sacrificing accuracy, which is the mistake most beginners make when they just set an aggressive PAR from the start.

Can I export my training data?

AirsoftShotTimer stores all training records locally on your device, organized by date, drill type, and training round. You can browse your complete history within the app and review split times, draw times, and trends over time. For detailed analysis in a spreadsheet, you can manually log key numbers after each session — many serious competitors keep a simple training journal alongside the app data to track notes about what they were working on.

Does AirsoftShotTimer support Apple Watch?

Currently, AirsoftShotTimer is designed as a phone-based app for iOS and Android. There’s no Apple Watch companion app at this time. For airsoft training, a phone-based approach actually works better than wrist-based detection because the phone microphone can be positioned close to the gun for optimal shot detection. Wrist-based timers like Recoil and Shotbud rely on physical recoil impulse, which is too weak in airsoft guns to trigger reliably.

Can the app detect airsoft shots specifically, or is it only for real firearms?

AirsoftShotTimer is the only shot timer app built specifically for airsoft from the ground up. While apps like IPSC Shot Timer and generic shot timers are tuned for the 140-170 dB reports of live ammunition, AirsoftShotTimer’s FFT engine targets the quieter, mid-frequency acoustic signature of airsoft guns. It works with GBB pistols, AEGs, CO2 guns, and even the subtle click of dry-fire trigger pulls when sensitivity is set to 3-6.

Is the app really free? What are the limitations?

AirsoftShotTimer is free to download and use with all core features — shot detection, PAR timing, random delay, wind filtering, drill presets, training records, and video recording with timer overlay. There’s no paywall gating essential training features behind a monthly subscription, unlike some competitors that charge $2.99/month or $39.99 lifetime for full functionality.

Can I use Bluetooth earphones to hear the start signal?

Yes, the start beep and PAR alerts will play through connected Bluetooth earphones. Keep in mind that the phone speaker won’t output sound simultaneously, and Bluetooth may introduce a slight audio delay (typically 50-150ms). For most training purposes this delay is negligible, but if you’re chasing competition-level reaction times, using the phone speaker directly gives the most accurate start signal.

Why is the app missing some of my shots?

The most common cause is sensitivity set too high (meaning less sensitive). Lower the sensitivity value to make detection more responsive — try dropping it by 2-3 points at a time. Also check that your phone’s microphone isn’t covered by a case or your hand. AEGs are naturally quieter than GBB or CO2 guns, so they need lower sensitivity values (10-15 range). If you’re training outdoors with wind filtering on high, try reducing the filter strength since aggressive filtering can occasionally suppress legitimate shots that have a softer acoustic profile.

How fast should my split times be?

For airsoft (where there’s minimal recoil compared to live fire), realistic split time targets are: beginners 0.35-0.50 seconds, intermediate 0.25-0.35 seconds, advanced 0.18-0.25 seconds, and expert-level under 0.18 seconds. But always consider splits alongside accuracy — a 0.20-second split means nothing if you’re missing the target. The app tracks both timing data and shot count, so use them together to find the speed where your accuracy starts falling apart, then train just below that threshold.

What makes AirsoftShotTimer different from a $130 hardware timer?

Hardware timers like the CED 7000 or Competition Electronics Pocket Pro excel in loud, multi-shooter live-fire environments where microphone sensitivity isn’t an issue. But they’re actually at a disadvantage with airsoft guns because their detection circuits are designed for much louder reports. AirsoftShotTimer’s software-based FFT analysis can be fine-tuned for the exact acoustic profile of your gun, and features like video recording with timer overlay, built-in drill presets, and organized training history are things most hardware timers simply don’t offer. For personal training with airsoft, dry fire, or quiet range sessions, the app delivers more useful data at zero cost.

Start Training Smarter Today

Every serious shooter eventually hits a wall where “I feel faster” stops being enough. A shot timer turns vague impressions into hard numbers, and those numbers tell you exactly where to focus your limited training time. Whether you’re prepping for your first IPSC match, trying to shave a half-second off your draw, or just want to track your airsoft skills over the season, the data makes the difference between productive practice and just burning through BBs.

Download AirsoftShotTimer for free on iOS or Google Play, fire a few test shots to dial in your sensitivity, and run your first timed drill. You’ll have your baseline in five minutes — and from there, every session builds on real data instead of guesswork.

Put a Shot Timer in Your Pocket

Airsoft Shot Timer is a free shot timer app tuned for airsoft and Action Air — it picks up BB gun shots, tracks your split times, and saves you the cost of a $150+ hardware timer for IPSC/IDPA practice.

Download on App Store Get it on Google Play