DribbleUp vs HomeCourt: Basketball Training
Pick DribbleUp if your child wants guided, coach-led dribbling classes and you’re fine paying for the smart ball and a membership. Pick HomeCourt only if you’re on iPhone or iPad and want free, game-like drills with any ball. It still works for many users but hasn’t been updated since January 2022.
We haven’t hands-on tested either app. Facts come from the App Store, DribbleUp’s and HomeCourt’s own sites, and real posts from people who used them (linked below). Prices checked October 17, 2026.
Data checked
| DribbleUp | HomeCourt: Basketball Training | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | smart gear | shot tracking |
| Platforms | iOS, Android | iOS |
| Price as shown | Free download; in-app: DribbleUp Membership $16.99 or $19.99, Annual $119.00 (App Store); needs DribbleUp smart equipment (Smart Basketball $29.99 on sale, list $59.99, at dribbleup.com) | Free download; in-app: HomeCourt Monthly $7.99, HomeCourt Yearly $69.99 (App Store) |
| Last App Store update | Fresh | Stale |
| Version | — | — |
| What it does | Live and on-demand workouts that track DribbleUp smart balls (basketball included) through the phone camera. | Pioneering phone-based shot tracker; no App Store update since Jan 2022. |
| Data checked | ||
| Sources |
Choose DribbleUp if…
- You're on Android
- You want the app with the more recent recorded update (DribbleUp: October 14, 2026; HomeCourt: Basketball Training: January 20, 2022)
- You want smart gear (HomeCourt: Basketball Training is listed under shot tracking)
- Your child will do short guided sessions most days; one parent says 5 to 10 minutes a day taught a 5-year-old to dribble (player story)
- You want a routine a kid can stick with for years; one family has used it from 3rd to 5th grade (player story)
Choose HomeCourt: Basketball Training if…
- You want shot tracking (DribbleUp is listed under smart gear)
- You have no hoop or no budget for a smart ball; HomeCourt has camera-tracked drills with or without a hoop (player story)
- You want a quick dribble warm-up before games with any ball (player story)
Choices above come from the facts in our directory and, where marked, from real player stories. We haven't hands-on tested these apps.
What each one needs
DribbleUp needs one of its smart balls. On October 17, 2026, the Smart Basketball was $29.99 on sale (listed previous price $59.99). The full class library needs the All-Access Membership: $19.99 a month plus tax after a 10-day free period on DribbleUp’s site, and $16.99 or $19.99 a month or $119.00 a year as App Store in-app purchases. Without it, DribbleUp’s help center says you get limited content, such as short drills. It runs on iOS 14+, Android 12+ and Fire OS 8+, per its supported devices page.
HomeCourt needs any basketball and an iPhone or iPad. Its site says it’s free for anyone and needs no sensors or smart balls, with an optional HomeCourt+ membership; the App Store lists that at $7.99 a month or $69.99 a year. There’s no Android version, and its last App Store update was January 20, 2022.
For a full breakdown of DribbleUp’s costs, see Is DribbleUp worth it?.
What families report
DribbleUp
- Short daily sessions taught a 5-year-old to dribble from scratch.
- One son has used it from 3rd grade into 5th.
- In another house it sat unused while a silent ball got used all day.
- A son found it hard to follow on a small tablet.
HomeCourt
- A pickup player uses its “pound the rock” dribble drill as a warm-up.
- During COVID, a player found drills you can do with or without a hoop.
- One player thinks the free version covers most shot tracking.
- A daily user since COVID still loves it but sees signs it gets less attention.
A third option: Ball AI
Ball AI tracks dribbling and shooting with your phone’s camera and any ball, on iPhone and Android, and it’s still being updated. On October 17, 2026, its site listed Ball AI Pro at $9.99 a month or $57.99 a year. See also HomeCourt alternatives.
FAQ
Is DribbleUp better than HomeCourt? It depends on what you want. DribbleUp gives coach-led classes with a smart ball and a paid membership, and it’s still updated. HomeCourt works with any ball on iPhone or iPad and is free to start, but it hasn’t been updated since January 2022. We haven’t tested them side by side.
Do you need a special ball for HomeCourt? No. HomeCourt’s site says all you need is a basketball and an iPhone or iPad, with no sensors or smart balls.
Does DribbleUp work on Android? Yes. DribbleUp’s help center lists Android 12 or later, as well as iOS 14 or later and Fire OS 8 or later. HomeCourt is iPhone and iPad only.
Which is better for a 6 to 10 year old? Both are rated 4+ on the App Store. DribbleUp has the most kid reports in our stories, including a 5-year-old who learned to dribble and a 9-year-old whose handle improved, but some kids lost interest. If you’re on iPhone and want to try something free first, HomeCourt costs nothing to start.
Is HomeCourt still updated? No. Its last App Store update was January 20, 2022, as of October 17, 2026. It may still work, but see HomeCourt alternatives for apps that are still being updated.