The Tournament Director alternative that runs in your browser
The Tournament Director is a powerful Windows program for running poker tournaments. Poker League is a different approach: nothing to install, the tournament run from your phone, the clock on any TV, and a season league that players follow on their own phones. Here is an honest comparison, including where TD is the better pick.
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The short answer
The Tournament Director (TD) is a long-standing Windows program for running poker tournaments, with deep control over the clock, the screens and the seating. Poker League runs in the browser instead: the director works from a phone, the clock shows on any TV, and every result goes straight into a season league that players follow on their own phones. If you run one-off events on a Windows laptop and want every setting, TD is hard to beat. If you run a league, Poker League does the season for you.
When The Tournament Director is the better choice
- You want to run tournaments with no internet connection — TD is installed on your computer.
- You need very detailed control of the display: TD lets you pick from over 100 pieces of information and cycle several screens.
- You run a venue and need features such as guaranteed prize pools, house contributions and bounties.
- You export results to outside rankings such as the Hendon Mob.
When Poker League is the better choice
- You use a Mac, a Chromebook or just a phone: Poker League works in any browser, with nothing to install.
- You want to run the night from your phone while the clock runs on the TV, and keep playing yourself.
- Your players should see the standings, their results and the next tournament on their own phones.
- The season matters as much as the night: points, a Masters final, rivalries and records are built in.
- You want to start free: 6 players cost nothing, with no trial period.
The Tournament Director vs Poker League at a glance
| The Tournament Director | Poker League | |
|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Windows (installed program) | Any browser: phone, Mac, PC, tablet, smart TV |
| Works offline | Yes | No — the clock and standings sync online |
| Run the tournament from a phone | Built around the computer that runs it | Yes — the director panel is made for phones |
| Tournament clock on a TV | Yes, highly customisable screens | Yes — open the clock in the TV's browser |
| Seating and table balancing | Yes | Yes — seating and table merges |
| Rebuys, add-ons and payouts | Yes | Yes — tracked per player, payouts by field size |
| Season league and points | Yes, kept in the program; export or publish to share | Yes — live standings on every player's phone |
| Players register from their phone | Not listed | Yes — they get an invite and say "I'm in" |
| Masters final, rivalries, records, Elo | Not listed | Yes |
| Price | 30-day free trial; one-time personal licence per major version; yearly subscription for commercial use | Free for up to 6 players with no time limit; Pro €20/month (20 players), Pro Max €40 (50), Club €60 (100) |
What changes when you move from TD to the browser
- No laptop on the table: the TV's browser shows the clock, and you run it from the phone in your pocket. The clock runs on the server, so it keeps going if your phone locks.
- Nothing to install or update on anyone's computer, and the same league opens on every device.
- Players stop asking for the standings: they see points, form and the Masters race the moment the last player is knocked out.
- Results e-mails go out after every tournament, and the season history is kept automatically.
What you get for your league
- Season standings with points, rating, form, attendance and money per player, live on every phone.
- A Masters final: a season-long qualification race, a pot built at every tournament and a Wild Card for the last seats.
- Eliminator board and rivalries: every knockout is logged, so any two players can be compared head-to-head.
- Records, streaks, an Elo rating and an end-of-season Wrapped for every player.
- Finances per season (buy-ins, rebuys, add-ons, the pot, expenses) with CSV export.
- Invitation and results e-mails, a predictions game and Summer/Autumn Special nights.
- Your league's own address (yourleague.poker-league.app) with its name and logo.
Frequently asked questions
Does Poker League work on a Mac?
Yes. Poker League runs in the browser, so it works on Mac, Windows, Chromebook, iPhone, Android, tablets and smart TVs. There is nothing to install.
Can I run a tournament without internet?
No. The clock and standings sync over the internet so that the TV, the director's phone and every player see the same thing. If your venue has no connection, an installed program such as The Tournament Director is the better fit.
Can I bring my blind structure over?
Yes. Poker League comes with ready-made blind structures, and you can edit every level, its length and the breaks to match the structure you already use.
Can I import my old TD results?
Not automatically. Most leagues start their next season in Poker League and keep their old results as an archive.
Is Poker League free?
Yes, for leagues of up to 6 players, with no card and no time limit. Bigger leagues start at €20/month for up to 20 players.