Best Tools for Surf Student Progress Tracking in 2026
The complete guide to tracking and showcasing student progression. Compare video solutions that document improvement over time.
Nothing motivates a surf student like seeing their own progression. That wobbly popup from 6 months ago vs. today's confident drop-in - visual proof of improvement keeps students engaged and committed.
The right tools make progress visible. When students can easily access their entire video history, organized and searchable, they see how far they've come.
What we evaluated: How well each tool organizes videos over time, makes progress visible, and helps students (and coaches) track improvement across sessions.
Top Tools for Student Progress Tracking
Surf Buddy Share
Automatic session organization with permanent access. Students build a video library of their progression over time.
Pros
- All sessions organized on your coach page
- Students access their entire history anytime
- Links never expire - true progression library
- Date-organized sessions show timeline
Cons
- No explicit "before/after" comparison tool
- No written progress notes feature
CoachNow / Pactto
Dedicated progress tracking with timeline views and coach notes.
Pros
- Built-in progress timeline
- Coach can add notes per video
- Explicit progress tracking features
Cons
- Manual video upload required
- Not built for group sessions
- Students must use app
- More work per session
Google Drive / Dropbox
Organized folders by date/session. Requires discipline to maintain structure.
Pros
- Unlimited storage (paid plans)
- Full control over organization
- Works with any file type
Cons
- Completely manual organization
- Easy to get messy over time
- No visual progression view
- Students navigate raw folders
Flowstate / Onform
Video analysis platforms with comparison features for showing improvement.
Pros
- Side-by-side video comparison
- Detailed analysis tools
- Good for technique breakdown
Cons
- Manual tagging and organization
- Per-athlete focus
- Not built for quick session delivery
Why We Recommend Surf Buddy Share
Progress tracking should be automatic, not extra work. Surf Buddy Share organizes every session so students can scroll through their history anytime - without you maintaining complex folder systems.
Automatic Timeline
Every session is date-stamped and organized. Students scroll through their entire history.
Permanent Access
Links never expire. That session from 2 years ago? Still accessible.
Zero Maintenance
No folders to manage, no files to rename. Organization happens automatically.
See It in Action
Watch how easy it is from both perspectives
Coach Experience
Upload and share in seconds
Robust Upload
Speed-optimized uploads with auto-recovery to handle network issues seamlessly
Instant Link
Session share link immediately available so you can share to students directly
Auto-Sorting
AI identifies and groups every video by student automatically
Session Gallery
Beautiful session page showcases all students videos
Coach Page
Your personal page with all sessions, ready to share anytime
Student Experience
Find and download waves instantly
Clean Notification
They receive a clear message as soon as you start uploading
Track Progress
They can follow in real-time as videos are uploaded and processed - no more waiting in the dark and bugging you
Preview & Surf-focused Player
720p preview for smooth navigation as well as surf-optimized controls (zoom and slow-mo)
Smart Downloads
Download just their best waves or grab everything at once
Fuel their Progression
Premium experience and easy video access so they progress faster than ever and can never leave you!
Experience It for Yourself
Click the interactive demos below to explore the real pages!
All Sessions View
Click to explore →Student view when you share your coach page: access to all your sessions in one place
Single Session View
Click to explore →Student view when you share just one session: focused on that specific day's videos
Authentication required • Built from John John Florence, Nyzjon longboard, short films and WSL CT events
14-day free trial • No credit card required
Simple, Transparent Pricing
Choose the plan that fits your coaching style
- Upload 10 sessions per month
- Up to 4 surfers per session
- Session of max 2 hours
- Up to 10 GB per session
- AI auto-sorting
- Session gallery page
- Email support
- Upload 30 sessions per month
- Up to 6 surfers per session
- Session of max 4 hours
- Up to 20 GB per session
- Everything in Starter plan
- Custom branding on share page
- Priority support
- Upload 60 sessions per month
- Up to 8 surfers per session
- Session of max 8 hours
- Up to 30 GB per session
- Everything in Pro Coach plan
- Advanced analytics & insights
- Dedicated account manager
All plans include unlimited number of students access and downloads
Already sorting your videos manually?
If you prefer to organize videos yourself, skip the AI auto-sorting and enjoy our upload, share and delivery features at 50% off on all plans.
What our Users Say
Here is what coaches and surfers enjoying Surf Buddy Share say about it
"I can review the videos of my waves with the slow-mo and zoom to analyse all the small details. It really helps me to keep improving my surfing over and ove!"
"It's great to be able to see my daughter's waves easily! It helps understand and track her progress and what she is working on better as I can't always attend her sessions."
"I used to spend hours sorting and sending videos and had to push myself to not postpone! Now it takes 30 seconds and students have amazing galleries. Game changer!"
"The sorting is incredibly accurate. I can access and preview my videos super easily! It's so helpful to quickly pick the ones I want for social networks."
"I can review the videos of my waves with the slow-mo and zoom to analyse all the small details. It really helps me to keep improving my surfing over and ove!"
"It's great to be able to see my daughter's waves easily! It helps understand and track her progress and what she is working on better as I can't always attend her sessions."
"I used to spend hours sorting and sending videos and had to push myself to not postpone! Now it takes 30 seconds and students have amazing galleries. Game changer!"
"The sorting is incredibly accurate. I can access and preview my videos super easily! It's so helpful to quickly pick the ones I want for social networks."
Ready to upgrade your Student Progress Tracking?
Join surf coaches already saving hours every week with AI-powered video organization
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