What They Have in Common
Quite a lot, actually. Same dual Doppler radar plus photometric camera fusion. Same metric set — ball speed, launch angle, backspin, sidespin, spin axis, carry, club path, face angle, the works. Both work indoors and outdoors. Neither requires special balls or club face stickers. Both connect to E6 Connect and GSPro. They're basically the same measurement engine in two different housings from the same company.
Where They Differ
The Discontinued Problem
This is the only thing that really matters in this comparison, so let's address it directly. The SkyTrak+ is discontinued. SkyTrak still makes it available at closeout pricing, but stock is limited and dwindling. Once it's gone, it's gone — and if you need a warranty repair or replacement unit a year from now, your options narrow significantly. SkyTrak hasn't announced end-of-support for the Plus, but buying discontinued hardware is always a bet on how long software support and firmware updates keep coming.
The ST MAX is the current product. Updates, support, and the company's future development roadmap are all pointed at the ST MAX. From a purely practical standpoint, that matters.
Hardware Upgrades in the ST MAX
The ST MAX adds dual-band Wi-Fi (the Plus has standard Wi-Fi) and dual USB-C ports versus the Plus's single USB-C. The dual-band Wi-Fi is the more meaningful upgrade — 5GHz connectivity in a sim room means less interference and more stable app connection when you're mid-round in E6. If your sim setup involves a crowded 2.4GHz band (smart TVs, streaming devices, home automation), that faster lane matters.
The dual USB-C is presumably for simultaneous power and data, which removes one small friction point in setup. Neither upgrade is earth-shattering, but the ST MAX's connectivity improvements are real-world useful, not spec-sheet fluff.
Software Ecosystem
Both products run on the same SkyTrak platform with the same tiered membership — Essential, Core, or Elite — for course play. The Plus originally launched with a slightly different membership naming convention, but by now the platforms have converged. The ST MAX also includes integration with Golftec Speed Training, which is either useful or irrelevant depending on whether you care about structured swing speed programs. If you don't, it's just a feature you'll ignore.
E6 Connect and GSPro compatibility is identical across both units. Neither requires special software setup or additional hardware to connect to either platform.
Price and Value Math
The SkyTrak+ lists at $2,495. The ST MAX lists at $2,995. That's a $500 gap. If you find a SkyTrak+ at closeout for, say, $1,800–$1,999, the math gets interesting — same measurement technology, same metric set, five hundred dollars back in your pocket. Whether that's worth buying an end-of-life unit is a judgment call only you can make.
At $2,495 vs $2,995 — full list on both — the $500 premium for the supported, current-generation product seems reasonable.
Who Should Buy Which
SkyTrak ST MAX
- You're setting up a permanent sim room and want a product that'll receive software updates and manufacturer support for the foreseeable future.
- Your home network is crowded and dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity is genuinely useful to you.
- You're buying new, at or near list price, and want the current product, not the previous one.
- You want Golftec Speed Training access bundled in.
SkyTrak+
- You've found closeout inventory at a significant discount — $400 or more off the ST MAX price — and you're comfortable with the discontinued hardware risk.
- You're buying used from a private seller who already has the unit, and the price reflects its end-of-life status.
- You need the same measurement capability and don't care about dual-band Wi-Fi or the second USB-C port.
The Bottom Line
This comparison is simpler than it looks. The SkyTrak+ and ST MAX use identical technology, measure identical metrics, and live in the same software ecosystem. The SkyTrak+ is still available at closeout pricing, but stock is limited and you're buying a discontinued product. If the price gap is large enough, that tradeoff might pencil out — if I had to bet, most buyers aren't finding ST MAX-quality discounts on the Plus anymore. At comparable prices, the ST MAX is just the better buy: it's supported, current, and brings real connectivity improvements in the dual-band Wi-Fi that matter in real sim rooms.
Get the SkyTrak ST MAX.
See Also