Do a quick Google search for softball swing and motion analyzers, and this is what you'll get: dozens of companies with hundreds of testimonials each saying it's designed to deliver improvements in an athlete's performance.

Whether you're a player, parent, or coach, you're probably wondering: Is it worth the money?

Let's make one thing clear -- the choice comes down to either Zepp or Blast Motion's swing analyzers. Both use sensors to gather data on your swing's performance, and both utilize 3D visualization of the bat. Making the decision on which to choose really comes down to preferences and end goals.

Keep in mind, the products aren't going to magically fix someone's batting struggles. They are both designed, however, to help athletes understand why their swings are producing certain results. That data, ultimately, helps lead an athlete and coach to be able to adjust the swing appropriately.

So, back to the question at hand -- should my kid be using Zepp or Blast Motion?

Key Differentiators: Zepp vs. Blast Motion

Sensors

Both products use sensors attached to the bat but do present the user with different options. Zepp uses a square-shaped sensor, compared to the round sensor by Blast.

The Blast Motion sensor fits inside the bat attachment casing in such as way that there's very little chance the sensor is dislodged during play.

Zepp's sensor, however, is held together by the plastic frame on the mount and has had more instances of dislodged sensors. Both products use USB adaptors to charge the batteries -- no winner in that aspect. The Blast Motion product does show, very clearly, how much charge is left on the sensor -- an extra but user-friendly function.

"I've had some issues with my players dislodging the Zepp sensor, so we switched over to Blast for that," an anonymous coach from Ventura Girls Fastpitch (CA) said. "Especially once the girls are in high school, the fitting of Blast's sensor onto the bat just seems to have less complications.

Said an anonymous employee at Simi Valley Batting Cages in California, "I actually like Zepp's visualization and data a lot more, but taking off their attachment from the bat got a little too much. We broke one, actually."

Metrics/Data Visualization

Forget the fit on the bat -- which product does its job better? Here's where it really comes to the user and the intricacy of their data needs.

For the absolute numbers geeks who want as much info as possible, go with the metrics offered by Zepp. Its 3D visualization of both the bat path and plane is a nice feature that gets the player and coach targeted data about vertical and attack angles, time to impact, bat-speed impact, and hand-speed max.

Blast Motion's product is more simple, and as a result, more user friendly. It combines the efficiency and power of a swing -- known as the Blast Factor -- to simplify metrics for the user. Younger kids are going to have a much easier and more enjoyable time messing around with Blast.

Let's take it one step further, though. If these products are meant to provide enough information to lead to a swing improvement, then Zepp's option to compare swings to professionals is quite the feature. The application comes equipped with video and analysis of professional athletes. Despite that added feature, it's actually Blast Motion that recently became an official partner with the MLB -- the first professional league in North America to allow wearable technology during play.

Final Word

The art of good hitting -- rather the science -- is one that's been studied for decades now. There's a reason batters from local park leagues to MLB are utilizing products from Zepp and Blast.

Zepp has been around longer and any of its added features are a result of just being a more mature product in the market. When it comes to functionality and getting the most out of your product, the lean is still on Zepp, especially with its 3D visualization features. After partnering with MLB, watch for Blast Motion to keep pushing newer iterations of its product.