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What will it cost each year to keep my simulator running?
Tom Hayward, founder of OpenGolfer · Last reviewed · 5 min read
The short answer
From nothing to about $850 a year. Mevo Gen2, LaunchBox and Square Golf need no plan. The Garmin Approach® R50 plays 43,000 courses for £89.99 a year. Uneekor owners mostly pay Pro plus GSPro, $449. Foresight owners mostly pay Silver plus Course Pass, $494, or Gold plus GSPro, $849.
In summary
Anywhere from nothing to about $850 a year, and the launch monitor decides it. Three of the units we sell need no yearly plan at all. The Garmin Approach® R50 plays 43,000 courses for £89.99 a year. Foresight and Uneekor units run on tiered memberships, and the tier names hide what you actually get, so this page lays out four rungs for each unit: what it costs to play at all, the smallest plan with courses, the maker's full course library, and the GSPro route. Prices are the makers' own, checked on 23 and 24 October 2026. Where a maker only publishes US dollars I have left them in dollars.
One rule holds across every brand: no plan is compulsory. Every launch monitor here hits balls and shows its data for nothing. You pay only to play courses.
Garmin Approach® R50
- Play at all: nothing. Range practice, all ball and club data, shot history and stats are free on the unit and in the Garmin Golf app.
- Smallest course plan: Garmin Golf membership, £8.99 a month or £89.99 a year. That unlocks Home Tee Hero on the R50 itself, no PC.
- Full library: the same £89.99. All 43,000+ courses and the weekly tournament come with the one membership.
- GSPro route: $250 a year to GSPro and nothing to Garmin. GSPro lists the R50 as a supported device and the R50's own Connect menu has a GSPro option; no Garmin membership is mentioned anywhere in the setup. You need a Windows gaming PC. See the R50 with GSPro in 4K.
Three years: £269.97 on Home Tee Hero, or $750 on GSPro. What most R50 owners actually pay: £89.99 a year.
Square Golf
- Play at all: nothing. Practice modes are free and the unit comes with 1,000 welcome credits. One credit is one hole for one player, about 55 solo rounds.
- Smallest course plan: there is no plan. Top-ups are £2.99 for 100 credits, £5.99 for 220, £9.99 for 440, £17.99 for 770 or £19.99 for 1,000. Square calls it pay as you play, and says there are no monthly subscriptions.
- GSPro route: $250 a year to GSPro. Square says there are no annual fees for its third-party integrations.
Three years: a £19.99 pack a year is £59.97. What most owners pay: a pack or two a year.
FlightScope Mevo Gen2 and TruGolf LaunchBox
These two need nothing, ever, to play courses.
- Mevo Gen2: FlightScope says all core data is available at no extra charge with no subscription, and you get lifetime ownership of an E6 Connect bundle of 8 courses (Valderrama, Kiawah Ocean, Torrey Pines South and five more). FlightScope's store sells E6 Basic at $300 a year (39 courses) and Expanded at $600 (90+) if you want more. GSPro is $250 a year, with no FlightScope plan needed.
- LaunchBox: TruGolf includes E6 CONNECT Home with 27 courses and says no annual subscription is required. A dealer lists an optional one-off $500 upgrade for Pebble Beach, St Andrews and Oakmont. GSPro isn't on TruGolf's list, so ask before you count on it.
Three years: nothing on either. What most owners pay: nothing.
SkyTrak+ and ST MAX
- Play at all: SkyTrak's UK plans start at Essential, £90 a year, which covers the driving range, practice library and challenges but no courses.
- Smallest course plan: Core, £270 a year with 49 Foresight-built courses, or £315 with 51 TrackMan-built courses including Pebble Beach and Bethpage Black. SkyTrak's US site says the ST MAX includes a year of Core.
- Full library: Elite, £540 a year, both course packs.
- GSPro route: SkyTrak doesn't confirm GSPro on its own site, so I don't list one.
Three years: £810 on Core (Foresight) to £1,620 on Elite. What most owners pay: Core, £270 or £315.
Uneekor Eye Mini, EYE XO and EYE XO2
Uneekor's plans are per unit and the same across its range.
- Play at all: Player, free. All the ball and club data, the VIEW driving range, 100 Power U reports and one profile. New units also come with three months of Ultimate.
- Smallest course plan: Pro, $199 a year. Adds REFINE with 5 Uneekor courses, 5 profiles, and the door to third-party software. Without it GSPro and E6 won't connect.
- Full library: Champion, $399, with REFINE+ and 20 courses, or Ultimate, $599, which adds GAMEDAY (50+ courses, needs two displays).
- GSPro route: Pro $199 plus GSPro $250, so $449 a year.
Three years: $597 on Pro alone, $1,347 on Pro plus GSPro, $1,797 on Ultimate. What most owners pay: $449, Pro plus GSPro. Uneekor says all subscription payments are non-refundable.
Foresight GC3, GCQuad and Falcon
Foresight's membership is Foresight+, its course software is Premier, and courses are a separate pass on top. Full detail is on Foresight+ and Premier explained.
- Play at all: Free. Core data views in the app and in Premier, and 10 sessions of history. No courses.
- Smallest course plan: Silver, $199 a year (unlimited history, dispersion views, drills, Course Pass eligible) plus Course Pass, $295 a year for 35 courses. $494 a year.
- Full library: Silver plus Course Pass Pro, $595 for 111 courses. $794 a year.
- GSPro route: Gold, $599 (swing video, multiple profiles and third-party integrations) plus GSPro $250. $849 a year. Foresight says Silver and Free members can't use GSPro.
Year one may be cheaper. Foresight's European site says every purchase includes 12 months of Foresight+ Silver with Course Pass, and the same page also describes a 30-day trial of Foresight+ and Course Pass with a card needed, so confirm which your unit comes with before you budget. Three years, paying from year one: $1,482 on Silver plus Course Pass, $2,382 with Course Pass Pro, $2,547 on the GSPro route. If the first year is included, take $494 off. What most owners pay: $494 a year for Silver and Course Pass.
Full Swing KIT
- Play at all: the Full Swing app's free tier shows your data. The Premium App is £199 a year for full history, swing replay and the 3D range, and it has no courses.
- Smallest course plan and full library are the same thing: Full Swing GOLF for KIT, £399 a year, 15 courses and a customisable range, on a Windows PC.
- GSPro route: $250 a year to GSPro. Full Swing Europe lists GSPro as optional compatibility with a separate third-party subscription, and names no Full Swing plan as a condition.
Three years: £1,197 on Full Swing GOLF, or $750 on GSPro. What most owners pay: GSPro, because it is cheaper and has 2,500 courses to Full Swing's 15.
Golfzon WAVE
- Play at all: Free. 3 courses in Vision WAVE on a PC, 25 in WAVE Play.
- Smallest course plan: Basic, $99 a year, 18 Vision WAVE courses. Golfzon marks this as 50% off its $199 list price.
- Full library: Premium, $199 a year or $399 for three years, 150 courses. Also marked 50% off.
- GSPro route: Golfzon doesn't confirm GSPro, so none listed.
Three years: $297 on Basic or $399 on the three-year Premium plan. What most owners pay: Premium.
How to read all this
Add three years of the plan you would really use to the launch monitor price before you compare units. A GC3 on Silver plus Course Pass carries about $1,500 of software over three years that an R50 or a Mevo Gen2 doesn't, often more than the gap between two units on your shortlist. The Foresight and Uneekor units earn it with more cameras and more measured club data, so it comes down to whether you want that data enough to pay the yearly bill. For the bigger picture, including electricity and screens, see what software costs each year and what a golf simulator costs in the UK.
Yearly software cost ladder by launch monitor
| Launch monitor | Play for nothing | Smallest course plan | Full maker library | GSPro route | Three years, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Approach® R50 | Range, all data, history, stats | Garmin Golf £89.99 a year: Home Tee Hero, 43,000+ courses, on the unit | Same £89.99; no higher tier | GSPro $250; nothing to Garmin; Windows PC | £269.97 (Home Tee Hero) |
| Square Golf | Practice modes; 1,000 welcome credits (about 55 solo rounds) | Credits: £2.99 for 100 to £19.99 for 1,000; 1 credit = 1 hole per player | Same credits | GSPro $250; no Square fee | About £60 (a 1,000-credit pack a year) |
| FlightScope Mevo Gen2 / TruGolf LaunchBox | Mevo: 8 E6 courses for life. LaunchBox: E6 CONNECT Home, 27 courses | Nothing needed | Mevo: E6 Basic $300 (39 courses) or Expanded $600 (90+). LaunchBox: optional $500 one-off for 3 courses | Mevo: GSPro $250, no FlightScope fee. LaunchBox: not confirmed | £0 |
| SkyTrak+ / ST MAX | Essential £90 a year: range, practice and challenge libraries, no courses | Core £270 (49 Foresight courses) or £315 (51 TrackMan courses); ST MAX includes a year of Core | Elite £540: both packs | Not confirmed by SkyTrak | £810 to £945 (Core) |
| Uneekor Eye Mini / EYE XO / EYE XO2 | Player: all data, VIEW range, 1 profile; 3 months Ultimate in the box | Pro $199: 5 REFINE courses, 5 profiles, third-party door | Champion $399: 20 courses. Ultimate $599: adds GAMEDAY, 50+ courses, two displays | Pro $199 + GSPro $250 = $449 | $1,347 (Pro + GSPro) |
| Foresight GC3 / GCQuad / Falcon | Free: core data, 10 sessions of history | Silver $199 + Course Pass $295 = $494: 35 courses. Year one may be included, see note | Silver + Course Pass Pro $595 = $794: 111 courses | Gold $599 + GSPro $250 = $849; Silver can't run GSPro | $1,482 (Silver + Course Pass), $988 if year one is included |
| Full Swing KIT | Full Swing app free tier; Premium App £199 (data, no courses) | Full Swing GOLF for KIT £399: 15 courses, Windows PC | Same £399 | GSPro $250; no Full Swing plan named | $750 (GSPro) or £1,197 (Full Swing GOLF) |
| Golfzon WAVE | Free: 3 Vision WAVE courses | Basic $99: 18 courses (marked 50% off) | Premium $199 a year or $399 for 3 years: 150 courses | Not confirmed by Golfzon | $399 (3-year Premium) |
No plan is compulsory: every unit hits balls and shows its data on the free rung. Foresight's European site says every purchase includes 12 months of Silver with Course Pass and also describes a 30-day trial, so confirm which your unit carries. Golfzon's prices are marked as 50% promotions. SkyTrak and Golfzon don't confirm GSPro on their own sites. Uneekor and Foresight say memberships are non-refundable.
Best practice
- Price the plan you would really usePick one rung per unit, multiply by three and add it to the launch monitor. Compare those totals, not the box prices.
- Start on the free rungEvery unit practises and shows data for nothing. Set the room up, hit for a fortnight, then decide whether you want courses at all.
- Decide maker courses or GSPro before you payOn Foresight, GSPro needs Gold not Silver, so paying for Silver and Course Pass first and switching later costs twice.
- Use what comes in the boxUneekor gives three months of Ultimate, ST MAX a year of Core, Foresight a trial or a first year. Diarise the end date.
- Keep the currency straightForesight, Uneekor, GSPro, Golfzon and E6 bill in US dollars. Your card sets the sterling figure on the day, plus any fee.
Gotchas to avoid
- Pro, Silver and Gold are not interchangeableUneekor's third-party door is Pro ($199). Foresight's is Gold ($599). Foresight Silver cannot run GSPro, whatever the name suggests.
- Foresight courses are never in the tierSilver and Gold contain no courses. Course Pass is $295 or $595 on top, and Free isn't eligible for it at all.
- Two Foresight offers on one pageForesight's site promises 12 months of Silver with Course Pass and, separately, a 30-day trial. Check which applies to your order.
- GAMEDAY needs two displaysUneekor's Ultimate tier is $599 and its course mode wants a second screen. Most home rooms are better on Pro plus GSPro.
- Non-refundable once activatedUneekor and Foresight say subscription payments are non-refundable. Returning the launch monitor doesn't bring the plan money back.
Our recommendation
For the lowest bill with courses, the Garmin Approach® R50 at £89.99 a year, or a Mevo Gen2 for nothing. Budget $449 to $494 a year for Uneekor or Foresight.
- If you want no yearly bill at all
- Mevo Gen2 or LaunchBox, with their included E6 courses, or Square Golf on credits.
- If you want courses with no PC
- The Garmin Approach® R50 with Garmin Golf at £89.99 a year, on its own screen.
- If you want measured club data and GSPro
- A Uneekor unit on Pro plus GSPro, $449 a year, the cheapest camera-unit route to GSPro.
- If you want Foresight's data and courses
- Silver plus Course Pass, $494 a year, and check whether your first year is included.
For your setup we'd pick…
£89.99 a year, no PCGarmin Approach® R50 Launch Monitor & SimulatorHome Tee Hero on its own screen; GSPro later with no Garmin fee.£4,299
Nothing a yearFlightscope Mevo Gen28 E6 courses for life and no subscription; GSPro needs no FlightScope plan.£1,199
Cheapest camera route to GSProUneekor EYE XO Launch MonitorOverhead cameras with measured club data; Pro plus GSPro is $449 a year.£6,499
Foresight data, $494 a yearForesight Sports GC3 Launch MonitorSilver plus Course Pass for 35 courses; Gold plus GSPro if you want 2,500.£7,500
Questions people ask
Do I have to pay a subscription to use my launch monitor at all?
No. Every unit on this page hits balls and shows its data on a free tier: Garmin's app, Square's practice modes, FlightScope's FS Golf, Uneekor Player, Foresight+ Free, Full Swing's app and Golfzon's free plan. You pay only to play courses.
What is the cheapest way to play courses?
Nothing on a Mevo Gen2 or LaunchBox, because E6 courses come with the unit. Next is Square Golf on credits from £2.99, then the Garmin Approach® R50 at £89.99 a year for 43,000 courses.
Why is Foresight so much dearer than Uneekor for GSPro?
Because of where each maker puts third-party access. Uneekor puts it in Pro at $199. Foresight puts it in Gold at $599, two tiers up. Both then need GSPro's own $250, so $449 against $849 a year.
Does the Garmin Approach® R50 need a Garmin Golf membership for GSPro?
Not according to GSPro's connection guide or Garmin's manual. The R50's Connect menu has a GSPro option and you pay GSPro $250 a year. The membership is only for Home Tee Hero.
Is the first year of Foresight+ really free?
Foresight's European site says every purchase includes 12 months of Silver with Course Pass. The same page also describes a 30-day trial with a card needed. Ask which applies to your order before you rely on it.
How much is a golf membership by comparison?
That depends on your club, so I haven't put a figure here. Use the three-year column: the dearest route on this page, Foresight Gold plus GSPro, is $849 a year, and most routes are under £300.
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