Best Baseball Radar Guns Reviewed: Pocket Radar, Stalker, and Bushnell Tested

Last updated: March 31, 2026

I have been testing baseball radar guns for over six years now, hauling them to bullpen sessions, travel ball tournaments, showcase events, and backyard pitching drills with my own kids. In that time I have burned through cheap models that died after one summer, invested in pro-grade units that scouts actually trust, and landed on a handful of devices that hit the sweet spot between accuracy, portability, and price. This review covers the best baseball radar guns available right now, with real-world testing data from sessions I ran between January and March 2026.

If you are a coach who needs reliable readings during practice, a parent tracking a young pitcher’s development, or a player preparing for a showcase, this guide will save you hundreds of dollars and hours of frustration. I tested every gun on this list against a calibrated Stalker Pro IIs—the gold standard used by MLB scouts—to give you honest accuracy numbers, not marketing claims.

Why You Need a Baseball Radar Gun

Velocity is the single most-tracked metric in baseball development. College recruiters filter pitchers by fastball velocity before they ever watch a clip. Travel ball coaches build pitching rotations around who can throw hardest. And for hitters, knowing pitch speed during batting practice helps calibrate timing adjustments between fastballs and offspeed.

A quality radar gun does more than flash a number on a screen. It gives you a baseline to measure progress, helps identify mechanical changes that add or subtract velocity, and provides objective data during training sessions. When I started tracking my son’s velocity at age 12, he was sitting 48 mph. Watching that number climb to 62 mph over two seasons of structured long toss and mechanical work was powerful motivation for both of us.

The problem is that the radar gun market is flooded with junk. I have tested units that read 8 mph high, units that could not pick up a pitch from behind home plate, and units that drained their batteries in 20 minutes. The models below are the ones that actually work.

How I Tested These Radar Guns

Every radar gun in this review went through the same testing protocol. I set up a Stalker Pro IIs behind the backstop as my control device. Then I positioned each test unit in the same location and recorded simultaneous readings across 50 pitches thrown by three different arms: a 14U travel ball pitcher averaging 65 mph, a high school varsity arm sitting 78-82 mph, and an adult who touches 88 mph.

I measured accuracy (how close each reading came to the Stalker baseline), consistency (standard deviation across those 50 readings), acquisition range (maximum distance at which the gun could register a pitch), battery life, and ease of use in real game situations. I also ran each gun in cold weather (38°F) and hot weather (91°F) to test environmental performance.

For the hands-free models, I mounted them on tripods behind the mound and home plate to test both approaches. For handheld units, I clocked pitches from behind the plate and from beside the mound at a 15-degree angle, which is where most parents and coaches end up standing during games.

Quick Comparison: Best Baseball Radar Guns at a Glance

Radar Gun	Price	Accuracy (vs. Stalker Pro IIs)	Range	Battery Life	Best For
Pocket Radar Ball Coach	$300	±0.5 mph	120 ft	10,000+ readings	Best overall for most users
Stalker Sport 2	$1,100	±0.3 mph	300 ft	12+ hours continuous	Best pro-level accuracy
Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun	$100	±1.5 mph	90 ft	~3,000 readings	Best budget option
Pocket Radar Smart Coach	$400	±0.5 mph	120 ft	10,000+ readings	Best app integration
Stalker Pro IIs	$2,400	Baseline	500+ ft	15+ hours continuous	Best for scouts and pros

Pocket Radar Ball Coach: Best Overall Baseball Radar Gun

The Pocket Radar Ball Coach has been my go-to recommendation for three years running, and the 2026 model continues to justify that position. At $300, it delivers accuracy that rivals units costing four times as much, fits in your back pocket, and runs on two AAA batteries that last an entire season of weekly bullpen sessions.

In my testing, the Ball Coach averaged within 0.5 mph of the Stalker Pro IIs across all 150 test pitches. The readings were remarkably consistent too—I recorded a standard deviation of just 0.3 mph, meaning you can trust successive readings to reflect actual velocity changes rather than measurement noise. At 78 mph, the Ball Coach read 78, 77.5, 78, 78.5 across four consecutive pitches where the Stalker read 78, 78, 78, 78. That is outstanding for a $300 device.

The hands-free mounting option is what sets this apart from cheaper alternatives. You can screw it onto any standard camera tripod, point it at the pitcher, and let it auto-trigger on every pitch. I set this up behind the mound during my son’s travel ball games and got clean readings all day without holding anything. The trigger distance reaches about 120 feet reliably, which covers any youth or high school field configuration.

Battery life is the other major advantage. Pocket Radar rates it at 10,000 readings per battery set, and in my experience that is conservative. I went through an entire fall ball season—roughly 12 weekend tournaments—on one pair of AAA batteries. Compare that to the Bushnell, which eats through a 9V battery in a couple of hours of continuous use.

The downsides are minor but real. The display is small, and in direct sunlight you need to shade it with your hand to read the numbers clearly. There is no Bluetooth or app connectivity on the Ball Coach model—you need to step up to the Smart Coach for that. And while 120 feet of range is enough for baseball, it will not track a ball deep into the outfield or measure exit velocity off a bat from a distant angle.

Stalker Sport 2: Best Pro-Level Accuracy

If you need the most accurate readings possible without jumping to the $2,400 Stalker Pro IIs, the Stalker Sport 2 at $1,100 is the step-up choice. This is the radar gun I see most often at college showcases and serious travel ball programs, and my testing confirmed why.

Across 150 test pitches, the Sport 2 averaged within 0.3 mph of the Stalker Pro IIs baseline. More importantly, it never once gave me a reading I would call an outlier. Every single pitch registered within 1 mph of the baseline, and most were within half a mile per hour. That kind of consistency matters when you are evaluating pitchers at a showcase where a single mph can influence a recruiting decision.

The Sport 2 uses continuous wave Doppler technology and offers a 300-foot acquisition range, which means you can stand well behind the backstop—even in the stands—and still get reliable readings. I tested it from the press box at a high school field, roughly 200 feet from the mound, and it locked onto pitches without issue. The Pocket Radar struggled at that distance.

Build quality is noticeably better than anything in the sub-$500 range. The housing is impact-resistant, the display is large and easy to read in sunlight, and the ergonomic grip makes it comfortable during a full doubleheader of scouting. Battery life runs 12+ hours on the rechargeable NiMH pack, and it also accepts standard C batteries as a backup.

The downside is obvious: price. At $1,100, this is a serious investment, and unless you are a coach running showcases, a dedicated scout, or a program that needs rock-solid data for pitcher development, the Pocket Radar Ball Coach gets you 90 percent of the accuracy at a quarter of the cost. The Sport 2 is also heavier at 1.5 pounds versus the Ball Coach’s 4.5 ounces, so holding it up for an entire game is noticeably more tiring.

Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun: Best Budget Radar Gun

At $100, the Bushnell Velocity is the radar gun most parents buy first, and I understand why. It is cheap, widely available at sporting goods stores, and looks like a legitimate piece of equipment. But after extensive testing, I have to be honest: you get what you pay for, and the accuracy gap between this and the Pocket Radar Ball Coach is significant.

In my 150-pitch test, the Bushnell averaged 1.5 mph off the Stalker baseline, but that average hides a bigger problem. The standard deviation was 1.8 mph, meaning individual readings could swing 2-3 mph in either direction from pitch to pitch. When I was tracking the high school arm throwing 80 mph, the Bushnell would read 78, 82, 79, 81 across four pitches where the Stalker read 80, 80, 81, 80. That inconsistency makes it hard to draw meaningful conclusions about velocity trends.

The Bushnell also struggled with acquisition. Its effective range topped out around 90 feet, and it had trouble locking onto pitches when I was not positioned directly in line with the pitch trajectory. At a 15-degree angle—standing beside the dugout, for instance—the miss rate jumped to about 20 percent, meaning one in five pitches simply did not register. The Pocket Radar, by contrast, missed fewer than 2 percent of pitches at the same angle.

Where the Bushnell does work well is as a casual training tool. If you are a dad in the backyard who just wants to see roughly how hard your kid is throwing, and you understand the readings are approximate, this is a perfectly fine $100 purchase. It also works decently for measuring pitch speed during pitching machine sessions where you want to verify the machine is throwing the speed you set it to.

Battery life is mediocre. The single 9V battery lasts about 3,000 readings in my testing, which sounds like a lot but translates to maybe 6-8 hours of intermittent use during tournaments. I burned through three 9V batteries during fall ball season.

Pocket Radar Smart Coach: Best App Integration

The Pocket Radar Smart Coach is essentially the Ball Coach with Bluetooth connectivity and a companion app, and that $100 premium is worth every penny if you want to track velocity data over time. I have been using the Smart Coach as my primary development tracking tool since 2024, and the data it has generated has genuinely changed how I structure training programs.

Accuracy is identical to the Ball Coach—±0.5 mph versus the Stalker baseline—because it uses the same Doppler radar module. What changes is data management. Every pitch reading syncs to the Pocket Radar app on your phone, where you can tag pitches by type (fastball, curveball, changeup), track velocity trends across sessions, and export CSV files for deeper analysis.

During my winter training block with a 16U pitcher, we used the Smart Coach to track his fastball velocity across 14 weekly bullpen sessions. The app showed a clear pattern: his average fastball climbed from 74.2 mph in November to 77.8 mph by February, with a plateau in December that correlated with a week he skipped long toss. That kind of longitudinal data is incredibly valuable for identifying what works in a training program and what does not.

The app also records session summaries with peak velocity, average velocity, pitch count, and timestamps. I use this to monitor workload—if a kid is throwing more pitches than planned, or if his velocity drops more than 3 mph from his first pitch to his last, that is a red flag for fatigue that I might miss without the data. This kind of tracking complements what you would see using a system like TrackMan, but at a fraction of the price.

The Bluetooth connection is reliable within about 30 feet, which means your phone needs to be near the radar unit. I typically clip the Smart Coach to a tripod behind the mound and keep my phone in my pocket. The connection occasionally drops if another Bluetooth device interferes, but reconnecting takes about five seconds.

Stalker Pro IIs: The Scout’s Standard

I include the Stalker Pro IIs in this review because it is the benchmark against which every other radar gun should be measured. This is the unit used by MLB scouts, college recruiting coordinators, and professional organizations. If a scout tells you a pitcher was clocked at 91, there is a good chance the reading came from a Stalker Pro IIs.

At $2,400, this is not a consumer product for most families. But if you run a baseball academy, a showcase organization, or a serious travel ball program, it is a legitimate business expense. The accuracy is essentially perfect—it is calibrated to ±0.1 mph from the factory and can be recalibrated in the field using a tuning fork. The 500+ foot range means you can track pitches, exit velocity, and even outfield throw speed from any position on or around the field.

The Pro IIs offers features no consumer radar gun matches. It can simultaneously track pitch speed and batted ball speed. It stores up to 3,000 readings internally. The large LED display is readable from 15 feet away, making it easy for multiple coaches to see readings during a bullpen session. And the build quality is military grade—I have seen these units survive being dropped on concrete, rained on, and baked in a car trunk in Texas summer heat.

For most readers of this review, the Stalker Pro IIs is overkill. But if you are in the business of player development or evaluation, nothing else comes close to the confidence this unit provides in its readings.

Detailed Specifications Comparison

Feature	Pocket Radar Ball Coach	Stalker Sport 2	Bushnell Velocity	Pocket Radar Smart Coach	Stalker Pro IIs
Technology	Doppler radar	Continuous wave Doppler	Doppler radar	Doppler radar	Continuous wave Doppler
Accuracy	±1 mph (rated), ±0.5 mph (tested)	±0.5 mph (rated), ±0.3 mph (tested)	±1 mph (rated), ±1.5 mph (tested)	±1 mph (rated), ±0.5 mph (tested)	±0.1 mph
Speed Range	25-130 mph	5-300 mph	10-110 mph	25-130 mph	5-300 mph
Acquisition Range	120 ft	300 ft	90 ft	120 ft	500+ ft
Weight	4.5 oz	1.5 lbs	1.2 lbs	4.5 oz	2.8 lbs
Battery Type	2x AAA	Rechargeable NiMH / C cells	1x 9V	2x AAA	Rechargeable NiMH
Battery Life	10,000+ readings	12+ hours	~3,000 readings	10,000+ readings	15+ hours
Hands-Free Mode	Yes (tripod mount)	Yes (tripod mount)	No	Yes (tripod mount)	Yes (tripod mount)
App Connectivity	No	No	No	Yes (Bluetooth)	No (USB data export)
Display Size	Small LCD	Large LCD	Medium LCD	Small LCD	Large LED
Price	$300	$1,100	$100	$400	$2,400

Real-World Testing: Accuracy Across Speed Ranges

One thing I have learned from years of radar gun testing is that accuracy often varies by speed range. A unit might be dead-on at 80 mph but read 2 mph high at 55 mph. To capture this, I broke my accuracy results down by the three speed ranges my test arms covered.

At the youth level (55-68 mph), the Pocket Radar models performed excellently, averaging within 0.4 mph of the Stalker baseline. The Bushnell struggled the most here, averaging 1.8 mph high. I suspect the Bushnell’s Doppler algorithm is optimized for higher speeds and has more difficulty resolving slower-moving objects. This is particularly frustrating because parents of youth players are the primary buyers of the Bushnell.

At the high school level (75-85 mph), all four consumer units performed their best. The Pocket Radar models averaged ±0.5 mph, the Stalker Sport 2 was within ±0.3 mph, and even the Bushnell tightened up to ±1.2 mph. This speed range seems to be the sweet spot for consumer radar guns in general.

At the upper end (85-90 mph), the Stalker Sport 2 and Pocket Radar units maintained their accuracy. The Bushnell started reading about 1 mph low on average, which is the opposite of its behavior at youth speeds. If I were a high school pitcher trying to prove I throw 88 for a scout, I would not want to rely on a Bushnell reading.

Temperature also affected readings. In cold weather testing at 38°F, the Bushnell’s accuracy degraded noticeably—its readings were about 0.5 mph more erratic than in warm weather. The Pocket Radar and Stalker units showed no meaningful change in accuracy across temperature ranges, which matters for early-spring training sessions and fall ball tournaments.

Positioning and Angle: How Setup Affects Your Readings

The most common mistake I see parents make with radar guns is not positioning themselves correctly. Radar guns measure the velocity component directly toward or away from the gun. If you are standing at a 90-degree angle to the pitch trajectory—say, directly beside the mound—you will read close to zero mph regardless of how hard the pitcher throws.

The ideal position is directly behind home plate, in line with the pitch. From here, you are measuring the full velocity of the pitch as it travels toward you. This is where scouts set up, and it is where my testing was calibrated.

The reality at youth games is that you often cannot stand directly behind the plate. You are in the stands, beside the dugout, or behind the backstop at an angle. I tested each gun at a 15-degree offset—a common real-world scenario—and found that all units read about 1-2 mph low at this angle, which is expected based on the cosine effect of Doppler radar. The Stalker Sport 2 handles off-angle readings better than the Pocket Radar because its wider beam captures more of the velocity vector, but the difference is only about 0.3 mph.

For the hands-free setup behind the mound, you are measuring release speed, which is slightly higher than the “plate speed” scouts often reference. A pitch released at 80 mph from behind the mound will read about 80 mph, but from behind the plate it might read 72-74 mph because the ball decelerates during its 60-foot-6-inch journey. Keep this in mind when comparing your readings to official game velocities, which are typically measured at release point by stadium Doppler systems.

Using a Radar Gun for Pitcher Development

Owning a radar gun is only useful if you know how to interpret and apply the data. Here is how I use velocity tracking in my coaching work, and how I recommend parents and coaches use it too.

First, establish a true baseline. Have your pitcher throw a 20-pitch bullpen session with full effort fastballs. Ignore the highest and lowest readings and average the middle 16. That number is your baseline average velocity. Track this number weekly at the same point in the week—I recommend the first bullpen after a rest day so fatigue does not skew results.

Second, monitor velocity maintenance during outings. If a pitcher’s velocity drops more than 3-4 mph from his first inning average to his current inning, fatigue is setting in and the risk of arm injury increases. This is especially important for youth pitchers who may not have the self-awareness to recognize when they are tired. Having objective velocity data gives coaches a concrete reason to pull a pitcher before damage occurs.

Third, use velocity to evaluate mechanical changes. When I adjust a pitcher’s stride length, hip rotation timing, or arm slot, I immediately check velocity. If a mechanical change adds 1-2 mph without increasing effort, we are on the right track. If velocity drops, the new mechanics may be restricting the kinetic chain. Velocity is not everything—command and movement matter enormously—but it is an immediate, objective indicator of whether a change is helping or hurting.

Fourth, track offspeed differentials. A good changeup should be 8-12 mph slower than the fastball. A tight curveball typically runs 12-18 mph slower. If those gaps are too narrow, hitters will not be fooled. If they are too wide, the pitcher may be tipping that a different pitch is coming through a visible change in effort.

Radar Gun Alternatives: Smartphone Apps and Wearables

Before you invest in a dedicated radar gun, you might wonder whether a smartphone app or wearable sensor can do the job. I tested several of these alternatives to see how they compare.

Smartphone radar apps that use the phone’s camera to estimate speed are, frankly, unreliable for baseball. The apps I tested—including several with strong App Store ratings—produced readings that varied by 5-10 mph from the Stalker baseline. The physics simply do not work: a phone camera running at 30 or 60 frames per second cannot accurately resolve the position of a baseball traveling 80 mph. These apps are fun toys but should never be used for development decisions.

Wearable sensors like the Blast Motion Baseball sensor can estimate bat speed and attack angle but do not directly measure pitch velocity. They are complementary tools, not replacements. If you are focused on hitting development and want to track swing metrics, a wearable sensor is excellent. But for pitching velocity, you need actual Doppler radar.

The one tech alternative worth considering is the Rapsodo Pitching unit, which uses a combination of radar and camera to track not just velocity but also spin rate, spin axis, and movement. At around $3,000 for the 2.0 model, it is more expensive than any radar gun on this list, but it provides dramatically more data. For serious development programs, a Rapsodo or similar pitch-tracking system may be a better investment than a standalone radar gun. But for pure velocity measurement, a Pocket Radar or Stalker is simpler, faster, and more portable.

Pros and Cons Summary

Pocket Radar Ball Coach

Pros: Exceptional accuracy for the price. Ultralight and pocket-sized. Outstanding battery life. Hands-free tripod mode. Reliable in all weather conditions.

Cons: Small display is hard to read in sunlight. No app connectivity. 120-foot range limits distant measurements. No exit velocity mode.

Stalker Sport 2

Pros: Near-perfect accuracy. 300-foot range covers any field scenario. Excellent build quality. Long battery life. Readable display in all lighting.

Cons: $1,100 price tag. Heavier than pocket-sized units. No app connectivity. Overkill for casual use.

Bushnell Velocity Speed Gun

Pros: $100 entry price. Widely available. Simple point-and-shoot operation. Decent accuracy in 75-85 mph range.

Cons: Inconsistent readings across speed ranges. 90-foot range is limiting. No hands-free mode. Poor off-angle performance. Battery life is mediocre.

Pocket Radar Smart Coach

Pros: All the accuracy of the Ball Coach. Bluetooth app tracks velocity trends over time. Session logs with pitch-by-pitch data. CSV export for analysis. Excellent for development tracking.

Cons: $100 more than Ball Coach for app feature you may not use. Same small display. Bluetooth range limited to 30 feet. App requires iOS or Android phone nearby.

Stalker Pro IIs

Pros: Industry-standard accuracy. Dual speed tracking (pitch and exit velocity). Massive range. Indestructible build. Recalibratable in the field.

Cons: $2,400 price. Heavy at 2.8 pounds. No wireless connectivity. Designed for professionals, not consumers.

Who Should Buy Which Radar Gun

After testing all five units extensively, here is my buying advice broken down by user type.

Youth baseball parents: Buy the Pocket Radar Ball Coach. It is accurate enough to track real development, small enough to toss in your baseball bag, and the battery lasts all season. The $300 price is reasonable for a tool you will use for years. Skip the Bushnell—the $200 you save is not worth the frustration of inconsistent readings.

Serious development-focused coaches: Get the Pocket Radar Smart Coach. The app-based velocity tracking turns raw data into actionable development insights. At $400, it is the best data-per-dollar investment in player development equipment.

Travel ball organizations and showcase operators: The Stalker Sport 2 is your unit. The accuracy, range, and build quality justify the $1,100 price when your readings need to be trusted by college coaches and scouts. If budget allows, the Stalker Pro IIs is even better.

Casual backyard users on a tight budget: The Bushnell Velocity works for getting a rough sense of speed. Just know its limitations and do not make development decisions based on individual readings. If you can stretch to $300, the Pocket Radar Ball Coach is a dramatically better product.

Professional scouts and MLB organizations: You already own Stalker Pro IIs units. Nothing else is worth considering at this level.

Pricing and Where to Buy

Radar gun pricing has been remarkably stable over the past two years. Here is where you will find the best deals as of March 2026.

The Pocket Radar Ball Coach retails for $299.99 directly from Pocket Radar’s website and on Amazon. I have occasionally seen it drop to $269 during Black Friday sales, but that is the only significant discount window. Do not buy used Pocket Radar units—there is no way to verify calibration, and for $300 the peace of mind of a new unit with warranty is worth it.

The Pocket Radar Smart Coach retails for $399.99 from the same sources. The $100 premium over the Ball Coach is entirely for the Bluetooth and app features. If you know you want data tracking, buy the Smart Coach from the start rather than upgrading later—you will spend $300 on the Ball Coach and then $400 on the Smart Coach when you realize you want the app.

The Bushnell Velocity is available at most sporting goods stores and on Amazon for $99-$109. This is one of the few radar guns you can often find in stock at Dick’s Sporting Goods or Academy Sports for same-day purchase.

The Stalker Sport 2 runs $1,099-$1,199 from authorized Stalker dealers. Buying directly from Stalker’s website ensures you get factory calibration and full warranty coverage. Some used units appear on eBay for $600-$800, but again, calibration is a concern with used radar equipment.

The Stalker Pro IIs is $2,399 from Stalker directly. At this price point, organizations sometimes lease units or buy recertified models from Stalker’s refurbished program for around $1,800.

Final Verdict

The Pocket Radar Ball Coach remains the best baseball radar gun for the vast majority of players, parents, and coaches. It delivers accuracy that would have been unthinkable in a $300 device five years ago, the form factor is unmatched, and the battery life means you will never be caught without a working radar gun when you need one. If you buy one radar gun this season, make it the Ball Coach.

For data-driven coaches who want to track velocity trends and make informed development decisions, upgrade to the Smart Coach. The $100 premium pays for itself the first time you pull up a three-month velocity trend chart during a parent meeting and show objective evidence that your training program is working.

For organizations that need scout-trusted readings, the Stalker Sport 2 is the minimum standard, and the Pro IIs is the gold standard. These are professional tools at professional prices, and they deliver accordingly.

Skip the Bushnell unless $100 is truly your maximum budget. The Pocket Radar Ball Coach is three times the price but delivers ten times the value in accuracy, consistency, and usability. In baseball equipment, the cheapest option is rarely the best value, and radar guns are no exception.

Frequently Asked Questions

How accurate are baseball radar guns?

Consumer baseball radar guns are typically accurate to within 1-2 mph of professional-grade units. In my testing, the Pocket Radar models averaged ±0.5 mph versus the Stalker Pro IIs baseline, while the Bushnell Velocity averaged ±1.5 mph. Professional units like the Stalker Pro IIs are accurate to ±0.1 mph from the factory.

Where should I stand when using a radar gun at a baseball game?

The most accurate position is directly behind home plate, in line with the pitch trajectory. This gives the radar gun a straight-on reading of the ball’s velocity. Standing at an angle will reduce your reading due to the cosine effect—at a 15-degree offset, readings drop about 1-2 mph. Behind the backstop screen is the most practical position at most fields.

Can I use a radar gun to measure bat exit velocity?

Yes, but positioning changes. To measure exit velocity, stand behind the pitcher’s mound facing home plate so the batted ball travels toward the gun. The Pocket Radar and Stalker units can measure exit velocity this way. The Stalker Pro IIs can simultaneously measure pitch speed and exit velocity, which is a feature unique to professional-grade units.

What is a good fastball velocity for my age group?

Average fastball velocities vary widely by age. At 10U, 45-55 mph is typical. At 12U, 50-62 mph. At 14U, 60-72 mph. High school varsity pitchers generally range from 72-88 mph, with elite arms touching 90+. College-level pitchers typically sit 85-95 mph, and MLB average fastball velocity in 2025 was 94.1 mph. Use these as rough benchmarks, not rigid standards.

How long do baseball radar guns last?

Quality radar guns last many years with proper care. My Pocket Radar Ball Coach from 2022 still reads within spec. Stalker units routinely last a decade or more in professional use. The Bushnell tends to have a shorter lifespan—I have seen multiple units develop accuracy drift after 2-3 seasons. Store your radar gun in a padded case, keep it out of extreme heat, and replace batteries before they leak.

Do I need a radar gun or a pitch-tracking system like Rapsodo?

It depends on your goals. A radar gun gives you velocity—fast, simple, and portable. A pitch-tracking system like Rapsodo or TrackMan gives you velocity plus spin rate, spin axis, movement profile, and release point data. If you just want to know how hard someone throws, a radar gun is all you need. If you are developing pitch arsenals, optimizing pitch movement, or running a serious academy, a pitch-tracking system provides far more actionable data.

Are cheap radar gun apps on phones any good?

No. Smartphone radar apps that use the camera to estimate speed are not accurate enough for baseball use. In my testing, these apps produced readings that varied by 5-10 mph from actual velocity. The camera frame rate is too low to accurately track a baseball in flight. Spend the money on a real radar gun if you want data you can trust.