Strike Zone: Bowling Ball Database & Coaching App
Strike Zone is a bowling app for iOS and Android that combines a searchable database of more than 3,200 bowling balls and more than 1,380 oil patterns with arsenal management, game tracking, a training suite, and an optional AI coach.
The ball database you are browsing on this site is the same data that powers the app. On the web it is free and open to everyone. In the app it comes with more per ball, graded against the pattern you are actually bowling on. Browse the free bowling ball database here on the web.
Inside the app
Five screens
Swipe to see more.
The short version
What is Strike Zone?
Strike Zone is a bowling app for iOS and Android built around two things most bowling apps treat as an afterthought: a deep, searchable equipment database and a structured way to think about your ball arsenal. It covers more than 3,200 bowling balls and more than 1,380 oil patterns, classifies every ball into one of eight arsenal slots, and grades how well each ball matches a given lane condition. On top of that it offers game and session tracking, statistics, a training suite with drills and plans, and an optional AI coaching layer powered by Google Gemini.
The app is available worldwide in English and German, and picks the language automatically from your device settings.
Who it is for
Built for bowlers who own more than one ball
- League and tournament bowlers deciding which ball to throw on which pattern.
- Bowlers building or rebuilding an arsenal who want to know which lane conditions they are not covered for.
- Sport-pattern players who need pattern-specific strategy rather than generic house-shot advice.
- Bowlers tracking games, spares, and pocket percentage over time.
- Anyone researching a specific ball before buying — the database is fully usable for free.
- Coaches and pro-shop staff who need a fast reference on cores, coverstocks, and layouts.
It is not primarily a score counter. If all you want is to tally frames once a year, Strike Zone is more app than you need.
What makes it different
Six things worth knowing
Database depth
More than 3,200 balls with core, coverstock, RG, differential, surface, and release status, plus more than 1,380 oil patterns with length, volume, ratio, and shape.
The eight-slot model
Every ball is classified into a functional slot, so an arsenal can be analyzed for coverage and gaps rather than just listed.
Ball-to-pattern grading
A scoring engine grades any ball against any oil pattern on an A–E scale — the balls in your bag and the entire database.
Pattern-specific strategy
Advice is tied to the pattern you are actually bowling, by its length, volume, and ratio, not to generic tips.
Fair pricing
The full ball and pattern database is free forever. Pro is a one-time purchase, not a subscription. Only the AI layer is subscription-based.
EU data processing
All AI coaching requests run through Google Vertex AI in an EU processing region.
The organizing idea
The eight arsenal slots
Every ball in the database is assigned to exactly one slot based on its core, coverstock, and specifications, with a stated reason. The slots run from the heaviest oil to the driest lane — and then the spare ball, which sits outside the scale entirely.
Heavy Oil
Maximum traction for high-volume sport patterns and fresh house shots. Early, strong reaction.
Benchmark
The foundation of the arsenal. Versatile all-rounder for typical medium-to-heavy house shots. The default when in doubt.
Control
Predictable, controlled reaction for short patterns and sport shots with little margin for error.
Transition
The bridge between fresh oil and breakdown. For when the benchmark ball starts hooking too early.
Angular
Sharp, back-end-dominant reaction for open, defined conditions.
Dry / Burn
Weak cores and high RG for burnt or very dry lanes, where everything else hooks too early.
Urethane
Urethane reaction for flat sport patterns, short patterns, and maximum control.
Spare
Plastic ball for straight spare shooting. No hook, maximum precision, built for the 3-6-9 system.
You can override the slot for any ball in your bag. Spare balls are deliberately excluded from grading and ranking — a plastic ball is not a worse ball, it simply does a different job.
Inside the app
Feature areas
Ball database
More than 3,200 bowling balls. Manufacturer, core name and type, coverstock name and type, RG, differential, factory surface, release status, and USBC eligibility. Tap a core, coverstock, or ball type to find every other ball that shares it. Every ball shows its arsenal slot and the reasoning behind it. Pro unlocks the full detailed report.
Oil pattern database
More than 1,380 patterns with length in feet, volume in millilitres, ratio, and a lane visualisation of fresh oil, carry-down, and burn. House shots, sport patterns, tournament patterns. Each one generates a line suggestion: stance board, target, exit point.
Pattern scanner
Photograph a printed pattern sheet and the app reads the data off it. Five scans on Free, unlimited on Pro.
Arsenal management
Assign balls to slots, track surface and maintenance, record multiple copies of the same ball, and sort everything into bags. Arsenal Analysis grades your coverage A–F and names the gaps. The layout editor supports PAL, Dual Angle, and VLS, and prints drilling sheets.
Game and session tracking
Frame-by-frame scoring with pin-level input, a ball assigned per frame, and location and pattern metadata. Games group into sessions and seasons. Guest bowlers can play alongside you.
Statistics
Average, high game, strike and spare rates, pocket percentage, a pin-by-pin spare conversion heatmap, and breakdowns per ball, per pattern, per center, and per lane. CSV and PDF export.
Training suite
21 drills with tracking, generated training plans, a custom plan builder, quests, a skill tree, XP and levels, streaks, and goals. A shot analyzer works from video frames.
Community
A public bowler directory with arsenals and slot coverage, community ball ratings, friend lists with Plus, and bowler challenges with leaderboards.
Pricing
Free, Pro, and Plus
Three tiers. Plus is an add-on to Pro, not a replacement for it.
Free
$0No time limit
- Complete ball database
- Complete oil pattern database
- Community browsing
- 3 balls in your arsenal
- 10 tracked games
- 1 ball bag, 1 guest bowler
- 5 pattern scans
One-time purchase
Pro
from $9.99Paid once. Not a subscription. Includes all future Pro updates.
- No limits on balls, games, or sessions
- Pro Scoring Engine, A–E per pattern
- Live coaching while you play
- Pattern logbook
- Ball comparison and recommendations
- Arsenal analysis with gap detection
- Layout editor and drilling sheets
- Training suite, 21 drills
- Advanced statistics and CSV export
- Full detailed ball reports
- Bowler challenges
Requires Pro
Plus
from $3.99Per month, or $34.99 per year. 7-day free trial.
- Seven AI coaching modules
- Powered by Google Gemini
- Processed in an EU region
- Friends and custom bowler lists
- Cancel any time in your store account
Prices follow regional store pricing and may differ in your country. In the DACH region Pro is EUR 14.99 and Plus is EUR 2.99 monthly or EUR 24.99 yearly. Plus requires an active Pro purchase.
| Plus module | What it does | Allowance |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly Coach Recap | An AI breakdown of your week every Sunday, with a focus point for the week ahead | 5 |
| Pattern Briefing | Strategy for a specific pattern — line, breakpoint, and which ball from your bag | 20 |
| Ball Advisor | Is this ball right for me, what should my next ball be, which balls sit unused, what fits my player type | 15 per mode |
| Training Focus | A 30-day weakness analysis with concrete drills attached | 8 |
| Season Review | Four award-style cards per season covering highlights and trends | 2 |
| Coach Chat | Open conversation with an AI coach that knows your game data | 100 / month |
| Scorecard Scanner | Photograph the lane monitor and the game lands in your statistics | 30 |
Privacy
Where your data lives
- Your arsenal, games, and statistics live on your device.
- Publishing a profile to the community is an explicit opt-in action.
- AI requests use an anonymous device identifier, hashed server-side. No account needed.
- AI features run on Google Vertex AI in an EU processing region.
- Purchases run through Apple and Google. Strike Zone never sees your payment details.
- Analytics can be turned off entirely in settings.
- Backup, restore, CSV, and PDF export mean your data is never locked in.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Get Strike Zone
Free to download, with the full ball and oil pattern database included at no cost. Prefer to start on the web? Browse the free bowling ball database or the balls currently available.
