ArenaGear University · Buyer's Guide

Timing Gates Compared (2026): ArenaGear vs Brower, Freelap, Dashr, VALD SmartSpeed, Zybek, OVR and Microgate

A plain-language, side-by-side guide to how the major sports timing systems detect athletes, what they cost to own, and which programs each one fits best.

Last updated: October 12, 2026. Prices are list prices published by the manufacturer or an authorized U.S. retailer at the time of writing and can change. Verify before you buy. Sources are listed at the end.

How timing gates detect an athlete

Every system on this list answers the same question, "when did the athlete cross the line?", but they do it in different ways. The method decides how forgiving the system is in the field.

• Emitter and receiver beam (ArenaGear, Brower, OVR Sprint): one unit sends a beam across the lane and a second unit on the other side detects it. The athlete breaks the beam. Because the athlete never has to reflect anything back, lane width is forgiving.
• Beam and reflector (Zybek, Microgate Witty, many lab photocells): the sensor and a reflector face each other; the beam bounces back to the sensor unless the athlete blocks it. Accurate, but the reflector must stay aligned.
• Reflectorless laser (Dashr): the unit reads light bouncing off the athlete's body. No second unit is needed, but the athlete must pass close to the sensor (Dashr's guidance is 2.5–5 ft), and the trigger point depends on which body part passes first.
• Magnetic field plus wearable chip (Freelap): cones create a magnetic field and a chip clipped at the athlete's waist records the crossing. No line of sight is needed, which suits curves and relays, but every athlete needs a chip.

Eye safety matters when athletes run straight at a sensor, for example in a 5-10-5 shuttle. ArenaGear uses an eye-safe infrared beam. If a system uses a laser, check its laser class before buying for youth programs.

Side-by-side comparison

What it costs to own for five years

Sticker price is only the start. Two things drive long-term cost: per-athlete or subscription fees, and add-ons such as vertical jump testing.

• ArenaGear: $798 for two gates plus vertical jump, then $0. Rosters, cloud storage, live leaderboards and exports are included for unlimited athletes.
• Dashr Silver: $940 for two gates, plus vertical jump and roster spots if you track more than 10 athletes in the app. Our Dashr cost breakdown estimates about $1,940 over five years for a typical school.
• VALD SmartSpeed Plus: roughly $6,600–$10,500 over a required 3-year term, and the hardware is not owned.
• Brower, Zybek, OVR, Freelap, Microgate: mostly one-time hardware purchases. Freelap costs scale with the number of athlete chips; OVR's vertical jump is a separate $299 device.

Where each system fits best

No single system is right for everyone. A fair guide says where competitors are strong.

ArenaGear RM-510

Best for schools, teams, combines and facilities that test many athletes and want the data organized automatically. Strengths: the lowest-priced system here that pairs a 3-year warranty with no recurring fees, free TEAMS cloud with unlimited athletes, multi-coach control from several phones, NFC wristbands for automatic athlete ID at events, live parent leaderboards, Apple Watch support, an open API, hands-free run videos, and a $99 vertical jump add-on. Times sprints and drills up to 600 meters. Reactive LED agility gates are coming soon.

Brower TCi

A long-established U.S. brand. Strong on battery life (220 hours on the photogates) and wireless range (750 ft), and it runs from a handheld console without a phone. Priced about twice ArenaGear's two-gate system, with a shorter warranty.

Freelap

Best when there is no straight lane: curves, relays, cycling or skating, and many athletes running at once, because there is no beam to block. Every athlete needs a chip, and the chip must be worn correctly at the waist for consistent results.

Dashr

Quick single-unit setup with no reflector, and it currently offers reactive LED agility lights. The trade-offs are the 2.5–5 ft distance limit, ground-level triggering, a 1-year warranty and roster fees for larger programs.

VALD SmartSpeed

Fits organizations already using VALD force plates and software who want everything in one platform and prefer an operating budget to a capital purchase. It is the most expensive option over time and is subscription-only.

Zybek

Combine-style testing with a dedicated ground-start sensor for three-point stances, plus Zybek's history at the NFL Combine. Results show on a handheld display; there is no app or cloud listed.

OVR Performance

The lowest entry price per gate. Good for an individual athlete training alone. It does not support a roster or a different athlete name per rep, and its data export is a list of times, so it is not a fit for teams or classes where many athletes rotate through the same gates.

Microgate Witty

Widely used in sport-science and university testing labs, with PC software for data management. Better suited to testing labs than to fast, high-volume field sessions.

Frequently asked questions

Which timing gate system is the most affordable professional option?

The ArenaGear RM-510 ($699 for two gates) is the lowest-priced system in this comparison that combines 0.001 s accuracy, a 3-year warranty, free cloud data for unlimited athletes and no recurring fees. OVR Sprint costs less upfront ($529 for two gates), but it has no roster or per-rep athlete names, so it suits individual athletes rather than teams.

Which timing gates have no subscription?

ArenaGear, Brower, Zybek, OVR, Freelap and Microgate are one-time purchases. Dashr's hardware is a one-time purchase but offers an optional in-app subscription and sells roster spots beyond 10 athletes. VALD SmartSpeed Plus requires a 3-year subscription.

Are laser timing gates safe for athletes' eyes?

It depends on the laser class. "Laser gates" is also used loosely for any timing gate. ArenaGear uses an eye-safe infrared beam, which matters in drills like the 5-10-5 where an athlete faces the sensor. For any laser-based system, ask the manufacturer for the laser class.

What is the most accurate timing gate?

ArenaGear, Brower, Zybek and OVR publish 0.001 s figures, and Microgate states better than 0.001 s. Most accuracy claims are manufacturer specifications rather than independent head-to-head tests. In practice, consistent trigger height and gate placement matter as much as the electronics; waist-height beams trigger closer to the athlete's center of mass than ground-level sensors.

Which system is best for schools and large combines?

Look for unlimited athletes at no extra cost, named rosters, automatic athlete identification and easy exports. ArenaGear includes all of these free through TEAMS, along with NFC wristbands and live leaderboards for parents.

Can I test vertical jump with my timing gates?

ArenaGear adds vertical jump for $99 one-time using the same gate. Dashr sells vertical jump as an add-on, and OVR Jump is a separate $299 device.

Sources

• ArenaGear RM-510 specifications and pricing: arenagear.net
• Brower TCi: SimpliFaster product page
• Dashr Silver 2-Gate: SimpliFaster product page
• VALD SmartSpeed Plus: SimpliFaster product page
• Freelap Pro Coach BLE: Freelap USA
• Zybek PowerDash 3X: Zybek Sports
• OVR Jump and OVR Sprint: OVR Performance
• Microgate Witty: BFS product page
• Industry price summary: "Timing gates in 2026: where the real differences are"

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