Hudl Technique alternatives: what to use now
Hudl Technique, once Ubersense, was folded into Onform. Users say the new app is slower and caps storage. What replaced it and what a solo runner should use.
Hudl Technique was replaced by Onform, and Onform is where its users were sent. If you are a coach who used Hudl Technique to film, slow down and draw on athletes' video, Onform is the official successor and does more than Hudl Technique ever did. The catch is that its former users say it is slower, costs more and caps free storage. If you used Hudl Technique to check your own running with no coach, the better answer is an app that reads the video for you, and that is what Caden does.
What happened to Hudl Technique
The app started life as Ubersense. Hudl bought it and renamed it Hudl Technique. Later Onform absorbed it, and Hudl Technique was retired. Old lesson videos that were not downloaded before the shutdown are gone. One Google Play reviewer of the main Hudl app found this out too late:
"I just found out that the old technique software is no longer supported If you did not download thenlesson videos they are gone" Google Play review of Hudl, 1 star
If you still have a Hudl Technique account, export anything you care about now.
What Hudl Technique did well
It was simple. Film, scrub, slow down, draw, share. Reviewers still describe it the way they describe Coach's Eye: quick, cheap and unfussy. A coach could film ten athletes in a session and mark up each clip in a minute. It did not need an invite, a subscription or a tutorial.
Where people get stuck with Onform
Onform is a good app. It is rated 4.79 from 8,616 iOS ratings and records at 240 frames per second. But the people who arrived from Hudl Technique are the most critical reviewers it has.
"Hudl was simple and quick to use. On Form is the opposite." App Store review of Onform, 1 star, GB
"Since the OnForm take over of the previous app Hudl technique this app only allows 10 files to be stored before they ask you to upgrade!" App Store review of Onform, 1 star, GB
"As an athlete with an android, this app is no longer usable as it is a major downgrade from hudl technique. I am no longer able to zoom, use the scroll wheel, or slow it down past .5 speed" Google Play review of Onform, 1 star
"The tool was nice but was never as easy to use as Ubersense which was purchased and then absolutely destroyed by HUDL. I moved to Onform to get out of HUDL and now I will look for yet another tool" App Store review of Onform, 2 star, US
Three themes. The storage cap of 10 files before an upgrade prompt. The speed of the app compared with the old one. And the Android version, which reviewers describe as a cut-down copy of iOS. The Android app is rated 3.0 on Google Play against 4.79 on iOS.
The wider set of Onform complaints, on pricing, the trial and uploads, is covered on Onform alternatives for runners. The list of coach tools that also tried to replace Coach's Eye, with their trade-offs, is on Coach's Eye alternatives. This page will not repeat both.
What to use now
If you coach: Onform is still the most capable option on iPhone. Budget for the subscription and check the trial terms before you tap. If you want something simpler, CoachView is a slow-motion player with a frame dial and drawing, and Dartfish Express is the clinic-grade choice. If you work from a Windows laptop, Kinovea is free.
If you run alone: none of those apps tells you anything. They show you your stride and hand you a pen. Hudl Technique did the same, which is why solo runners mostly used it to stare at their own feet. Caden does the reading. Film 5 to 20 seconds from the side on your iPhone. The audio is removed and the clip uploads to private storage under your account for the pose estimation. You get a form score out of 100, six dials, cadence, three freeze frames at foot strike, midstance and toe-off, a coach's tip with one cue per metric, and a 4 or 8 week plan built from your lowest scores. Film again at the end and compare.
Caden has no drawing tools, no voice-over and no sharing to a coach. If those are what you used Hudl Technique for, Caden is not your replacement.
Comparison table
| Hudl Technique | Onform | CoachView | Caden | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Status | Retired | Official successor | Independent | Independent |
| Platform | Was iOS and Android | iPhone, weaker Android | iOS, Android | iPhone, iOS 17 or later |
| Draw on video | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Storage | Was generous | 10 files free, per reviews | On device | Private account storage until you delete it |
| Automatic joint tracking | No | No | No | Yes |
| Verdict and plan | No | No | No | Yes |
| Cost model | Was free | Subscription | Paid | Free download, Pro subscription |
Who should pick which
- Coach with athletes who need chat, compare and 240 fps: Onform.
- Coach who wants the old simple film-and-scrub feel: CoachView.
- Runner with no coach who wants to know what to fix: Caden.
- Runner who liked staring at slow-motion feet and wants to keep doing that: CoachView, or the built-in slow motion in the iPhone camera.
How to switch or try
Export your Hudl Technique clips first if you still can. Then film a fresh 10 to 20 second side-view clip with your phone at hip height. That one clip works in every app on this page. Try Caden with it for free. If you also need drawing tools, put the same clip in Onform or CoachView.
How to do it in Caden
- Tap Run a new analysis. Film 10 to 20 seconds from the side at your easy pace.
- Read the form score and the six dials. Tap the lowest dial for its cue.
- Open Breakpoints and look at Foot strike. This is the frame you used to pause on in Hudl Technique, with the joints already marked.
- Read the coach's tip.
- Start a 4 or 8 week plan from the result.
- Re-film at the end of the plan and open Before and after in Stats.
FAQ
What happened to Hudl Technique?
It was absorbed by Onform and retired. Users were directed to Onform. Videos not downloaded before the shutdown were lost, according to reviewers.
Is Onform the same as Hudl Technique?
No. Onform has more features, including 240 fps recording, voice-over and athlete chat. Former Hudl Technique users say it is slower, costs more and limits free storage to 10 files.
Is there a free Hudl Technique replacement?
Not with the same tools on a phone. Kinovea is free on Windows desktop. Caden is free to download on iPhone, with the full analysis on the Pro subscription.
Can Caden replace Hudl Technique for a coach?
Only for the first pass. It gives you a score, breakpoints and a cue in a minute. It does not draw, voice-over or share annotated clips.
Hudl, Hudl Technique, Ubersense, Onform, CoachView, Dartfish, Kinovea and Coach's Eye are names that belong to their owners.