REFSIX
REFSIX Ltd builds a multi-platform smartwatch and mobile application for football referees, offering match timing, incident recording, and GPS-based performance tracking. Operating in 130+ countries with 40,000+ officials, the Brighton-based company monetizes through freemium PRO subscriptions and partners with national football associations and referee appointment platforms.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersBrighton, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What REFSIX does
REFSIX Ltd is a UK-based software company that builds a smartwatch and mobile application for football/soccer referees, founded in 2017 and headquartered in Brighton, England. The core product enables referees to time matches across multiple formats (count up, count down, elliptical), record match incidents including goals, cards, substitutions, and sin bins with player attribution, and track physical performance metrics such as GPS heatmaps, sprint data, distance covered, and heart rate zones. The platform supports Apple Watch, Samsung (Tizen), Garmin, and WearOS devices, alongside iOS and Android smartphones, making it one of the few multi-platform smartwatch solutions in the referee tooling space. A two-way API allows integration with national football association systems and referee appointment platforms, enabling automatic fixture import and real-time match data export.
The company operates a freemium business model: the base REFSIX app is free with core timer and incident recording features, while REFSIX PRO provides a paid subscription tier unlocking advanced analytics, video analysis, career trend tracking, and full fitness data. Revenue is generated primarily through individual subscriptions (monthly and annual), supplemented by a referral scheme offering 20% discounts. Distribution occurs through the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, Samsung Galaxy Store, Garmin Connect IQ, and direct website downloads, while a partnership-led channel with football associations (national, county, and state-level FAs) drives adoption among grassroots and semi-professional referee communities. The platform is used in 130-160 countries by over 40,000 officials, with 1.6 million+ matches tracked since launch and approximately 12,000 matches per week active in 2025.
REFSIX has established integration partnerships with the KNVB (Royal Netherlands Football Association), DBU (Danish Football Association), FA Wales, and referee administration platform RefAssist, among others. The company acquired Danish competitor SportsLevels IVS (RefLevel) in 2021 and has developed a live data API for real-time event streaming demonstrated at the KNVB Football of Tomorrow hackathon. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional funding rounds and maintains a team of 11-50 employees under founder leadership (CEO Hassan Rajwani, CTO Luke Gardiner, CIO Rimon Nassory).
REFSIX firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- REFSIX
- Legal name
- REFSIX Ltd
- Website
- https://refsix.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- REFSIX Ltd builds a multi-platform smartwatch and mobile application for football referees, offering match timing, incident recording, and GPS-based performance tracking. Operating in 130+ countries with 40,000+ officials, the Brighton-based company monetizes through freemium PRO subscriptions and partners with national football associations and referee appointment platforms.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
REFSIX industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Sports officiating software
- NAICS
- Spectator Sports (71121), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Sports Data, Analytics & CRM Services (Fan Data, Insights, Audience Development) (MPAKAKAO)
Keywords
Where REFSIX is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brighton
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
REFSIX business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- REFSIX PRO Subscription: Premium subscription tier providing access to advanced features including video analysis, career trends, performance heatmaps, sprint data, and full fitness tracking. Monthly and annual billing options available with minimum one-month commitment.
- Freemium Base App: Free version of the app with core timer, match incident recording, and basic performance tracking features. Serves as the top-of-funnel for PRO upgrades and drives mass adoption among grassroots referees.
- Referral Scheme: Users earn credit toward their REFSIX PRO subscription by referring friends who upgrade to annual PRO plans. Referred users receive 20% discount. Credits applied at checkout via website.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free basic app with core match management features |
| Subscription | Monthly | REFSIX PRO subscription for advanced features |
| Subscription | Annual | Referral-based PRO discount |
| Subscription | Annual | Association partnership discount |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels8 records
Marketing channels14 records
REFSIX product offering
Product offeringCore offering
REFSIX provides a smartphone and smartwatch application purpose-built for football referees that combines a multi-format match timer, real-time incident recording (goals, cards, substitutions, sin bins), referee-specific GPS-based performance tracking (heatmaps, sprints, heart rate), and automated match report generation. A premium REFSIX PRO subscription unlocks advanced analytics, career trends, heatmap comparisons, and a video analysis tool. The company also sells dedicated tools for football associations and a REST API for integration with referee appointment and league platforms.
Product overview
REFSIX is a unified platform consisting of a core smartphone and smartwatch application for football referees, supplemented by the REFSIX PRO premium subscription tier. The core app runs on iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Samsung (Tizen), Garmin, and WearOS platforms. REFSIX PRO provides advanced features including performance analytics, video analysis, and career tracking. The platform also includes Tools for Associations enabling football associations to coach and retain referees, and a public API for integrating with appointment platforms and league systems. REFSIX acquired SportsLevels IVS (RefLevel app) in March 2021, consolidating the Danish market.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- REFSIX App (Core)
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1.6 million matches tracked since launch in 2017
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use REFSIX
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
REFSIX technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature10 records
REFSIX partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered national, regional, global and acquisition.
- KNVB (Royal Netherlands Football Association)nationalREFSIX approved as supported product by KNVB. Dutch referees can access match appointments directly in REFSIX app with automatic data sharing back to KNVB. Includes new substitutions feature developed specifically for KNVB partnership.
- RefInsightregionalExpanded integration with RefInsight allowing accepted game assignments to automatically appear in REFSIX app with match details syncing from RefInsight platform.
- Cheshire FAregionalPartnership with Cheshire FA, one of the oldest and most prominent football associations in the UK (founded 1878). Supporting referee development across the region.
- Cal South Referee ProgramregionalOfficial Referee App Partner of Cal South providing California referees with real-time game analytics, fitness measurables, and digital aid during matches. Multi-year deal.
- Maryland State Youth Soccer Association (MSYSA)regionalMulti-year partnership to analyze the effect of REFSIX on reducing administrative burden for referees. Maryland referees receive special deals on REFSIX PRO. MSYSA conducting robust review of technology impact on referee retention.
- Middlesex FAregionalOfficial partnership with one of the oldest and biggest UK associations (founded 1883). Looking to support grassroots referees and aid development at every level.
- Danish Football Association (DBU)nationalDeepened two-way integration with DBU Fodbold app. Fixtures automatically upload to REFSIX with team sheets, and match data (cards, goal scorers) syncs back to DBU for real-time fan engagement without need for volunteer livescore reporters.
- Fairbanks Youth Soccer (Alaska)regionalFirst US partnership supporting hundreds of teams and referees in Fairbanks area. Association focuses on education and promotion of youth soccer with REFSIX helping referee development.
- Derby and South Derbyshire RAregionalPartnership with Derby and South Derbyshire Referees Association.
- NAFAMAregionalPartnership with NAFAMA (North American Football Officials Association).
- Brentwood Community Football Alliance LeagueregionalPartnership with Brentwood Community Football Alliance League.
- Bury & North Manchester RAregionalPartnership with Bury & North Manchester Referees Association.
- Surrey FAregionalPartnership with Surrey County Football Association.
- Stockport RefereesregionalPartnership with Stockport referee group.
- NFF Nordland (Norwegian Football Association)nationalPartnership with regional Norwegian FA for referee support.
- South Hampshire RefereesregionalPartnership with South Hampshire Referees Association.
- KSOVA (Antwerp Referees Association)regionalPartnership with Antwerp referees association in Belgium.
- Nottingham RAregionalPartnership with Nottingham Referees Association rebuilding after pandemic hiatus. Helping members develop into best referees.
- South Coast Football (Central Coast Football)regionalFirst Australian partnership with Central Coast Football. Loyal and growing fan base in Australia.
- Derbyshire FAregionalPartnership to help referees in Derbyshire develop and improve using REFSIX platform. Part of national recruitment and retention strategy.
- Brighton RAregionalPartnership with Brighton Referees Association to support grassroots referees in the Brighton area.
- Leicestershire & Rutland County FAregionalOfficial partnership to help referees across the region improve and develop. CORE development group uses REFSIX coaching and video analysis features. Joint marketing and discount offerings.
- RefAssistglobalFull integration with RefAssist, the world leader in referee administration trusted by FIFA and national associations. Enables automated appointments, push notifications, and seamless match report delivery directly from REFSIX to RefAssist platform.
- Sussex County FAregionalOfficial Refereeing Partner since 2021. Sussex referees receive 10% off annual REFSIX PRO subscription. Multi-year partnership with plans to collaborate on referee development innovations.
- SportsLevels IVS (RefLevel)acquisitionAcquisition of SportsLevels IVS, the company behind competing refereeing app RefLevel. RefLevel founder Rimon Nassory joined REFSIX as CIO and Business Development Manager. RefLevel platform sunsetted with users migrated to REFSIX.
- Football Association of Wales (FAW)nationalPartnership with the Football Association of Wales for referee support and development. Part of broader national FA partnership strategy.
- AssignrregionalIntegration with Assignr.com allowing referees to pull their schedule of upcoming matches directly into REFSIX.
- RefInsightregionalIntegration with RefInsight allowing referees to pull their schedule of upcoming matches directly into REFSIX.
- KNVB (KNVB #11 Innovation Programme)nationalParticipant in KNVB's #11 Innovation Programme. Live API demonstrated at KNVB Football of Tomorrow hackathon with PwC and technology partners. Joint development of real-time match data streaming capabilities.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
REFSIX competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- STATSports: STATSports builds GPS athlete tracking solutions for elite and grassroots teams. Comparable technology stack to REFSIX (wearable + analytics) and serves overlapping football ecosystem, though focused on players/coaches not referees.
- Catapult Sports: Catapult provides GPS-based athlete and team performance tracking worn via wearables. Directly comparable to REFSIX's GPS heatmap, sprint, and positioning features, but optimized for players and team staff rather than officials.
Broad incumbents
- Stats Perform (Opta): Stats Perform owns Opta sports data, founded by REFSIX backer Aidan Cooney. Operates deep sports-data infrastructure across football and is a comparable incumbent in the same referee-adjacent data category REFSIX is expanding into.
- Genius Sports: Genius Sports is a global sports data and technology company providing official data, scores, and integrity services to leagues. Comparable as a sports data ecosystem incumbent overlapping with REFSIX's data-from-referee positioning.
- Polar Electro: Polar manufactures sports/fitness wearables and analytics platforms including heart rate and GPS tracking. Comparable hardware/analytics stack to REFSIX but in a much broader consumer fitness category.
- LiveScore: LiveScore provides real-time sports scores and data feeds to consumers globally. Comparable as a real-time sports-data distribution platform that REFSIX's live data API would interface with or compete against downstream.
Emerging players
- TeamSnap: TeamSnap is a sports team and league management platform used widely across youth and amateur sports. Comparable as a software layer organizing grassroots sports teams, schedules, and communication in REFSIX's addressable base.
- Sport:80: Sport:80 provides membership, registration, and competition management software to sports governing bodies. Comparable as B2B software sold into national and regional federations for referee/athlete administration — overlapping with REFSIX's association tooling.
- Hudl: Hudl is a leading sports performance platform focused on video analysis and team management for amateur and professional teams. Comparable as grassroots sports-tech tooling serving a similar coach/official ecosystem with overlapping video review functionality.
- Whoop: Whoop is a subscription fitness wearable that captures continuous physiological and performance data. Comparable as a subscription-wearable analytics model with overlapping fitness tracking and longitudinal trend features.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
REFSIX social profiles
Digital presenceREFSIX financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
REFSIX leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
REFSIX subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
REFSIX funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
REFSIX M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about REFSIX
What does REFSIX do?
REFSIX provides a smartphone and smartwatch application purpose-built for football referees that combines a multi-format match timer, real-time incident recording (goals, cards, substitutions, sin bins), referee-specific GPS-based performance tracking (heatmaps, sprints, heart rate), and automated match report generation. A premium REFSIX PRO subscription unlocks advanced analytics, career trends, heatmap comparisons, and a video analysis tool. The company also sells dedicated tools for football associations and a REST API for integration with referee appointment and league platforms.
Is REFSIX a public or private company?
REFSIX is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was REFSIX founded?
REFSIX was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is REFSIX based?
REFSIX is headquartered in Brighton, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does REFSIX make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. REFSIX PRO Subscription is the primary driver. The others are freemium Base App and referral Scheme.
Who are REFSIX's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are STATSports and Catapult Sports. Broad incumbents are Stats Perform (Opta), Genius Sports, Polar Electro and LiveScore. Emerging players are TeamSnap, Sport:80, Hudl and Whoop.
Does REFSIX have an API?
Yes. REFSIX has created an API that enables integration with appointment and league platforms. Referees can see fixtures and team sheets automatically and return match reports at the touch of a button. For associations and leagues, results and match incidents are shared instantaneously after the game from the source of truth—the referee. The company also developed a live data API that streams everything the referee records—goals, cards, match clock—in real time from the first whistle.
What industry is REFSIX in?
REFSIX's product category is Sports officiating software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAKAKAO, Sports Data, Analytics & CRM Services (Fan Data, Insights, Audience Development). Its NAICS code is 71121.