The market at a glance
Leaderboard software splits into two segments that are easy to confuse: self-serve leaderboard makers (create a board, add scores, share a link — minutes to set up, flat-rate or one-time pricing) and enterprise sales gamification platforms (CRM-connected, per-user pricing, multi-week onboarding). Comparing tools across segments on features alone is misleading — they solve different problems at very different price points.
This page compares the major tools in both segments. For background on the category itself, see what leaderboard software is; for a prose walkthrough of the same tools, see our best leaderboard maker tools guide.
| Tool | Segment | Best for | Pricing | Free tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leaderboarded | Self-serve maker | Sales teams, classrooms, events, nonprofits, fitness challenges | Free; flat $19–39/mo paid plans | Yes — 2 boards, 25 participants |
| Scoreleader | Self-serve maker | Casual scoreboards and tournament brackets | One-time upgrades (e.g. $9/board ad removal) | Yes — unlimited boards, ad-supported |
| BoardQ | Self-serve maker | Single leaderboards with QR sharing | $6.99/mo Premium to $129/mo Enterprise | Yes — 2 leaderboards, no custom logo or API |
| LeaderboardHQ | Self-serve maker | One-off boards and ladder tournaments | One-time per-board upgrades | Yes — LeaderboardHQ branding shown on board |
| Spinify | Enterprise gamification | CRM-driven sales orgs, 15+ reps | ~$25/user/mo, annual billing, 15-user minimum | No — trial only |
| SalesScreen | Enterprise gamification | Salesforce/HubSpot sales orgs wanting polished TV displays | ~$30–50/user/mo, annual contracts, sales-gated | No — demo and trial only |
| Plecto | Enterprise gamification | KPI dashboards across CRM data | ~$19/user/mo, 10-license minimum | No |
Self-serve leaderboard makers compared
These four tools share the same shape — browser-based, set up in minutes, no sales call — so a feature-by-feature comparison is meaningful:
| Feature | Leaderboarded | Scoreleader | BoardQ | LeaderboardHQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | ✓ 2 boards, 25 participants | ✓ Ad-supported | ✓ 2 leaderboards | ✓ With own branding |
| Pricing model | Flat $19–39/mo subscription | One-time upgrades only | $6.99–$129/mo subscription | One-time per-board upgrades |
| Board types | Leaderboard, scoreboard, multi-score, team board, goal tracker | Scoreboard, leaderboard, counter, bracket | Leaderboard | Leaderboard, ladder tournament |
| Team boards (scores roll up) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Goal tracker / thermometer | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Google Sheets live sync | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ CSV import only |
| REST API | ✓ Paid plans | ✗ | ✓ Premium and above | ✗ |
| Website embed | ✓ iframe | ✗ | ✓ iframe | ✓ Script tag, paid |
| OBS streaming overlay | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Scorekeeper / self-update links | ✓ | ✗ | Enterprise only | ✓ |
| Custom logo and colors | ✓ Paid plans | ✓ One-time upgrade | ✓ Premium and above | ✓ Paid |
| Tournament brackets / ladders | ✗ | ✓ Brackets | ✗ | ✓ Ladders |
Each cell links back to a deeper head-to-head: Leaderboarded vs Scoreleader, vs BoardQ, and vs LeaderboardHQ cover every row above in detail.
Enterprise sales gamification platforms compared
Spinify, SalesScreen, and Plecto automate scoring from CRM data and add badges, levels, and animated TV celebrations. The comparison that matters here is mostly commercial:
| Leaderboarded | Spinify | SalesScreen | Plecto | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat-rate: $19/mo Plus, $39/mo Pro | ~$25/user/mo, annual billing, 15-user minimum | ~$30–50/user/mo, annual contracts | ~$19/user/mo, 10-license minimum |
| Cost for a 10-person team | $19/month flat | Not sold — below the 15-user minimum (~$4,500/yr floor) | ~$300–500/month | ~$190/month |
| Free tier | ✓ | ✗ Trial only | ✗ Demo and trial only | ✗ |
| Public pricing | ✓ | ✗ Sales call required | ✗ Sales call required | ✓ |
| Setup time | Minutes | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
| CRM required | ✗ Optional Sheets sync / API | ✓ | ✓ Salesforce, HubSpot | ✓ Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive |
| Standout strength | Flat pricing, any team size, multiple board types | Badges, levels, animated celebrations | Most polished TV-display experience in the category | Deep per-user KPI dashboards and analytics |
If you're weighing the enterprise platforms specifically, the head-to-heads go deeper: Leaderboarded vs Spinify, vs SalesScreen, and vs Plecto. For the sales use case in general, see sales gamification software.
The DIY option: spreadsheets
Google Sheets or Excel can rank a list for free, and for purely internal tracking among a few people that's often enough. The limits show up when you need a live display: no TV mode, no branded design, no permission levels, manual re-sorting. Our guides to building a leaderboard in Google Sheets and in Excel cover the DIY route honestly — and if you outgrow it, Leaderboarded's Google Sheets sync lets you keep the spreadsheet and add the display layer on top.
Which tool should you choose?
- Choose Leaderboarded if you want a professional leaderboard, scoreboard, or goal tracker at a flat price, set up in minutes — with team scoring, Google Sheets sync, API access, and website embedding. It covers sales teams without enterprise budgets, classrooms, events, fitness challenges, and fundraisers. Why Leaderboarded explains the positioning in full.
- Choose Scoreleader for a quick, free, casual scoreboard or a tournament bracket where ads don't bother you.
- Choose BoardQ for a single leaderboard where QR-code sharing is the priority.
- Choose LeaderboardHQ for a one-off board or a ladder tournament with player self-update links.
- Choose Spinify or SalesScreen if you run a 15+ seat sales org on Salesforce or HubSpot and want fully automated gamification with animated TV celebrations — and you have the budget for per-user annual contracts.
- Choose Plecto if what you actually need is KPI dashboards across CRM data, with gamification as a secondary feature.
- Stay with a spreadsheet if the tracking is internal-only and nobody needs a live display.
Try Leaderboarded free
Create your first leaderboard in under a minute — free plan, full feature access for small boards, no credit card needed.
Frequently asked questions
"What is the best leaderboard software?"
It depends on which segment you're in. For most teams, classrooms, events, and nonprofits, a self-serve leaderboard maker like Leaderboarded is the best fit: flat-rate pricing, setup in minutes, no CRM required. For sales organisations with 15+ reps running on Salesforce or HubSpot, an enterprise gamification platform like Spinify or SalesScreen automates scoring from CRM data. For a one-off casual board, free tools like Scoreleader or LeaderboardHQ are enough.
"What is the difference between leaderboard software and sales gamification platforms?"
Leaderboard software (Leaderboarded, Scoreleader, BoardQ, LeaderboardHQ) is self-serve: you create a board, add scores manually or via spreadsheet/API, and share a link. Sales gamification platforms (Spinify, SalesScreen, Plecto) connect to a CRM, score reps automatically, and add badges, levels, and animated TV celebrations — at per-user prices with annual contracts and multi-week onboarding.
"Is there free leaderboard software?"
Yes. Leaderboarded, Scoreleader, BoardQ, and LeaderboardHQ all have free tiers. The differences are in the limits: Leaderboarded's free plan has full feature access for small boards, Scoreleader is ad-supported, BoardQ caps you at 2 leaderboards without a custom logo, and LeaderboardHQ shows its own branding on free boards. The enterprise platforms (Spinify, SalesScreen, Plecto) have no free tier.
"How much does leaderboard software cost?"
Self-serve tools are flat-rate or one-time: Leaderboarded is free to start with paid plans from $19/month, BoardQ runs $6.99–$129/month, and Scoreleader and LeaderboardHQ sell one-time per-board upgrades. Enterprise gamification platforms are per-user: roughly $19–$50 per user per month, usually with annual contracts and team-size minimums — a 10-person team pays about $190–$500/month, and Spinify doesn't sell below 15 users at all.
"Do I need CRM integration for a leaderboard?"
Only if your scores live in a CRM and you want them synced automatically. Spinify, SalesScreen, and Plecto require a CRM to be useful. Self-serve tools work with manual entry, spreadsheet import, Google Sheets sync, or a REST API — which covers sales teams without a CRM, classrooms, events, fitness challenges, and fundraisers.
Related pages
- Leaderboard software explained — what the category is and how it works
- Best online leaderboard maker tools — the same market in prose, with recommendations
- Why Leaderboarded — who it's for, what it replaces, what it does better
- All comparisons — every head-to-head and alternatives guide
- What is a leaderboard? — concepts and scoring logic