Free pinewood derby software: your real options
There are three good free routes: DerbyNet (free and open source, but you run a small server), Derby Dashboard's free plan (runs in the browser, up to 20 racers), or a spreadsheet plus a printed heat chart. Which one fits depends less on price and more on who's running it and how much setup they want to do.
If you've just been handed the derby and a budget of zero, good news: you don't have to pay for software to run a fair race. But "free" covers some very different experiences. Here's what each option actually involves, so you can pick one and stop researching.
The options at a glance
| Option | Cost | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| DerbyNet | Free, open source | Run a small web server on a laptop, a Raspberry Pi or a free hosted option, then connect other devices | Groups with a tech-comfortable volunteer who want lots of screens and timer support today |
| Derby Dashboard (Free plan) | Free up to 20 racers | Open it in Chrome or Edge. Nothing to install | Small packs, clubs and first-time race leaders |
| Spreadsheet + printed chart | Free | Build the sheet yourself | Very small races, or anyone who loves spreadsheets |
| GrandPrix Race Manager | Paid, with a free demo | Install on Windows or a Mac | Trying before you buy a long-running desktop program |
DerbyNet: free and powerful, if you have a techie
DerbyNet is the best-known free option, and for good reason. It's open source, it costs nothing, and it does a lot: multiple displays, check-in with photos, webcam replays and electronic timer support through a small program called DerbyTimer.
The trade-off is how it's built. DerbyNet runs as a web server, so someone has to set that up on a laptop or a Raspberry Pi, or use its free hosted option, and then connect the other screens and devices to it over a network. If your pack has a volunteer who enjoys that kind of thing, it's a great choice. If your derby chair changes every year and the next one isn't technical, think about who's going to set it up in January.
Derby Dashboard's free plan: nothing to install
Full disclosure: this is ours. We built Derby Dashboard after running derbies with DerbyNet, because we wanted something the next volunteer could pick up without help.
It runs in Chrome or Edge on a Windows laptop, a Mac or a Chromebook. Once you install it from the address bar, it keeps working without internet, which matters in a church basement or a school gym. The free plan covers races of up to 20 racers and includes:
- A roster you can type in, paste or upload from a spreadsheet
- Check-in as cars pass inspection
- Every race format: every lane, round robin, rounds with a cut, single and double elimination
- Judge mode, where a judge taps the finish order, with buttons for ties and cars that don't finish
- The current heat on a projector or TV (with a small Derby Dashboard badge)
- A printable heat schedule and an awards reveal on the big screen, including special awards like Best Paint Job
What it doesn't include: more than 20 racers, the leaderboard screen, camera replay, cloud saving and helpers with their own sign-in. Those are on the Club plan ($49 a year) and Club Plus ($89 a year). Results come from a judge today; we're actively working on support for USB track timers, and it's coming soon.
New accounts are paused for the moment while we get ready for more groups. Join the waiting list and we'll email you when it's your turn.You can create a free account and set up a practice race in a few minutes.
A spreadsheet and a printed chart
Lots of derbies still run on Google Sheets or Excel, and there's nothing wrong with that for a small race. You'll need a fair heat chart (our free generator makes one in seconds), a recorder who types results carefully, and a total of each car's places at the end. Our spreadsheet guide walks through it in four simple steps.
Where spreadsheets struggle is race night itself: a no-show means rebuilding the chart, a typo puts the wrong kid in first, and showing standings to the crowd means projecting a grid of numbers.
What about old free downloads?
Search around and you'll find older free Windows programs on scouting and derby websites, some of them years past their last update. Some still work fine. If you go that route, download it from the author's own site and run a full practice race on the actual race laptop at least a week ahead. The worst time to find out a program won't open on a newer version of Windows is race morning.
How to choose in two minutes
- Need an electronic timer working this season? DerbyNet, or a paid program like GrandPrix Race Manager.
- Twenty racers or fewer, and want it simple? Derby Dashboard's free plan.
- Have a techie who'll own it for years? DerbyNet is hard to beat for the price.
- Tiny race, no screen, just want it done? A printed chart and a spreadsheet.
If you're weighing paid options too, our guide to choosing pinewood derby software goes through the questions that actually matter, like who's running it next year.