DrillBase vs Upper Hand
Upper Hand is sports scheduling and registration software. DrillBase is coaching management for racket sport coaches and academies. That difference decides which one fits you.
Upper Hand pricing and features on this page were checked on from their own pricing page. Prices move, so check theirs before you decide.
DrillBase
58
per month for up to 50 active users, or 48 a month billed annually
Upper Hand
79
per month paid annually, on the Start plan for independent coaches
What Upper Hand actually is
Upper Hand is sports business software covering scheduling and registration, payments, a mobile app, and, on higher plans, facility and resource management, retail and staff payroll. It spans many sports rather than specialising in one family, and its entry plan is aimed squarely at independent coaches and trainers.
Side by side
Focus
DrillBase
Six racket sports only: padel, pickleball, tennis, table tennis, badminton and squash.
Upper Hand
Many sports, from a facility and registration starting point.
Entry price
DrillBase
58 a month, or 48 a month billed annually.
Upper Hand
79 a month paid annually on the Start plan.
Your own website
DrillBase
Website builder included, with a subdomain and custom domain support.
Upper Hand
WebKit, their website builder, is a 50 a month enhancement.
Analytics
DrillBase
Coach analytics included, covering retention, revenue, conversion and risk.
Upper Hand
Basic reporting on Start. Advanced Insights is a 50 a month enhancement.
Training content
DrillBase
Programs are structured curriculum: cycles, drill sessions and drills, each with video.
Upper Hand
Programs are scheduled and registered for.
Player ratings
DrillBase
Rating movement is tracked against drill cycles, so you can show a player the before and after.
Upper Hand
Not a stated feature of the plans on their pricing page.
Which one is actually for you
These products are not really competing for the same job. Here is the straight version.
Pick Upper Hand if
- You coach a sport outside the racket family, or several unrelated sports
- You need staff payroll or retail and inventory in the same system
- You are running a facility and want scheduling and resource management together
Pick DrillBase if
- You coach a racket sport and want software that knows what a drill cycle is
- You want a website and analytics included rather than priced as add-ons
- You want player ratings and progress treated as first-class, not as generic reporting
Common questions
- Upper Hand covers more sports. Is that not better?
- It is better if you coach more than racket sports. Breadth costs depth: software that has to fit basketball, baseball and swimming cannot assume a drill cycle, a paddle rating or a doubles pairing. DrillBase can, because it only ever has to fit six sports that work the same way.
- How do the prices actually compare?
- Upper Hand's Start plan is 79 a month paid annually. DrillBase Solo starts at 58 a month, or 48 paid annually, and includes the website builder and analytics that Upper Hand prices as 50 a month enhancements each. Compare the total of what you would actually turn on rather than the headline.
- Can I move my data across?
- There is no automated import today. For a typical solo coach the move is a spreadsheet of students and packages, which we will help you load. Ask us before you commit if you are carrying years of history.
Still deciding? Try the coaching side.
DrillBase is free to try, and you can build a full program before you pay anything.
Great coaches deserve more.
Turn your sessions into a system your players climb.
