Notch
Comparison
Notch vs Mantis Laser Academy
Laser Academy scores laser hits in dry-fire practice. Notch scores the paper card from live fire.
App of the Day
from the creators of 
murmur
Layered
Notch on iPhone
Facts checked on 11 November 2026.
The short answer
Notch scores paper cards from live fire and analyses the groups. Mantis Laser Academy scores laser hits on its own targets for dry-fire practice.
Pick Notch if
- You want the cards from your range sessions scored.
- You shoot NSRA, ISSF or other match targets.
- You want group analysis and coaching from real shots.
Side by side
| Notch | Mantis Laser Academy | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | target shooters who want a card scored and a group explained before they leave the range | shooters practising dry fire at home with a laser and smart targets |
| Where it runs | iPhone and Apple Watch, with scoring on the device | iPhone and iPad, in English, with the phone on a tripod |
| How it scores | from a photo: every shot found, scored and measured, across NSRA, ISSF and other formats | laser hits on its own smart targets, detected by the camera |
| What it keeps | sessions by rifle, range and date, with trends, heat maps and coaching insights | drill results saved to a history |
| How you pay | free for your first three sessions; Notch Pro is a weekly or annual subscription | drills and a lifetime membership sold in the app |
What Notch is
Notch is an iPhone and Apple Watch app that scores shooting target cards from a photo. It finds each shot on the device, measures the group, flags patterns such as fatigue or breathing through the shot, and keeps every session by rifle and range.
What Mantis Laser Academy is
Mantis Laser Academy is a dry-fire laser training system. Its smart targets and the phone's camera detect laser hits, score them and time the shots, with drills for marksmanship, speed and reaction, and duels between two shooters.
Questions
Is Notch a good alternative to Mantis Laser Academy?
Yes, if you want a card scored from a photo, with coaching on what the group says. Notch scores paper cards from live fire and analyses the groups. Mantis Laser Academy scores laser hits on its own targets for dry-fire practice.
What is the difference between Notch and Mantis Laser Academy?
Notch is built for target shooters who want a card scored and a group explained before they leave the range. Mantis Laser Academy is built for shooters practising dry fire at home with a laser and smart targets.
How is Notch sold compared with Mantis Laser Academy?
Notch: free for your first three sessions; Notch Pro is a weekly or annual subscription. Mantis Laser Academy: drills and a lifetime membership sold in the app.
More comparisons
We make Notch. What we say about Mantis Laser Academy comes from its own pages, read on 11 November 2026: Mantis Laser Academy on the App Store. Spotted a mistake? Write to support@notch.vision. Mantis Laser Academy belongs to its owner, and Notch is not affiliated with it.