Why this comparison matters
codeDependent's Pickleball Score Keeper is one of the earliest Apple Watch pickleball apps and still updated as recently as January 2025. Tally is newer, multi-sport, and adds an on-device AI recap. Both score from the wrist. The choice depends on what else you want around the scoring.
I am the founder of Tally, so this is not a neutral take. What I can promise: every claim below maps to a feature I have verified on the live App Store listing for both apps.
At a glance
- Pickleball Score Keeper (codeDependent): $5.99 one-time. Apple Watch first, swipe-to-score, spoken scores, HealthKit workout integration, pickleball-only. Last updated January 2025.
- Tally: $3.99 one-time for scoring. Apple Watch first, tap-to-score, sport-aware rules for five racquet sports, Live Activities, optional $3.99/mo Pro for the on-device Coach's Report.
Where Pickleball Score Keeper wins
Some real strengths of the codeDependent app:
- Long track record. It has been on the App Store for many years and is still maintained. There are no surprises in how it behaves.
- Spoken scores out of the box. Voice announcements are a first-class feature, useful when you do not want to look at the watch between every point.
- Pickleball-only focus. Like Side Out, the single-sport scope means every screen is tuned for pickleball.
Where Tally wins
Tally took a few different bets:
Five sports for one purchase
Pickleball, tennis, padel, badminton, and table tennis. If you play any racquet sport besides pickleball, codeDependent's app does not cover it. Tally does, with proper rules per sport.
One dollar cheaper up front
$3.99 vs $5.99 is small in absolute terms but matters when you are deciding whether to try an app. Tally is the cheapest entry point.
On-device AI Coach's Report (Pro tier)
Tally Pro adds a narrative recap after each match using Apple Foundation Models — entirely on your iPhone, nothing leaves the device. The recap reads back the rally that turned the game, the side you started losing your serve, and a single suggestion for next time. codeDependent's app is great at scorekeeping and history but does not generate this kind of narrative.
Live Activities and the Dynamic Island
Tally keeps a Live Activity running during the match so the score shows on the iPhone lock screen and Dynamic Island. Useful when a partner has the phone in their pocket and wants to glance.
Feature comparison
- Apple Watch scoring: both yes
- Swipe / tap to score: both yes (different gesture)
- Voice score announcements: both yes
- Sport-aware pickleball rules: both yes
- Other racquet sports: Tally 4 more, codeDependent no
- HealthKit Racquet Sports workout credit: both yes
- Live Activities scoreboard: Tally yes, codeDependent not surfaced
- On-device AI post-match recap: Tally Pro yes, codeDependent no
- Pricing: codeDependent $5.99 one-time; Tally $3.99 one-time + optional Pro
Pricing honesty
Both apps use one-time pricing for the scoring features — which is rarer than it should be in 2026. codeDependent at $5.99 is fair for a well-maintained single-purpose app. Tally at $3.99 is the same fair principle, two dollars cheaper, with an opt-in Pro tier for the AI extras.
There is no wrong choice on price here. Pick the one whose feature set matches how you play.
How to pick
- Pick Pickleball Score Keeper if you only play pickleball, you want a battle-tested app with no monthly options to even consider, and you are happy with $5.99 up front.
- Pick Tally if you play more than one racquet sport, you want the optional Coach's Report, and you prefer the cheaper one-time price for scoring with the AI features opt-in monthly.
Both apps respect the wrist-first principle. The choice is about scope and what you want after the match, not about whether to use a watch at all.