A BenchApp alternative for recreational leagues

If you're looking for a BenchApp alternative to run a whole league, compare three things: the price across all your teams, your players' language, and what the tool does for the league rather than for one team. BenchApp is still a good choice for a single team. For a league, a well-kept spreadsheet or a tool built for leagues, like Notre Ligue, are other options.

I ran my ball hockey league on BenchApp before building Notre Ligue. The facts about BenchApp come from its pricing page on FitGap and from benchapp.com, as of October 2026: check the prices on their site before you decide.

Key takeaways

• BenchApp is built team first; Notre Ligue, league first.
• With BenchApp, the price multiplies with your number of teams; with Notre Ligue, one price covers the whole league.
• BenchApp's app is English only and its free plan shows ads; Notre Ligue is French first, with no ads.
• For a single team that speaks English and already likes its app, BenchApp is still a good choice.

What does BenchApp offer, and at what price?

BenchApp is aimed at adult recreational teams. Here is the comparison as of October 2026, BenchApp's prices in US dollars, according to FitGap.

Why does per-team pricing change everything for a league?

With BenchApp, an 8-team league pays 8 times US$9, or US$72 a month on the PRO plan. On the League plan, it's 8 times US$10, or US$80 a month, or US$800 a year on yearly billing.

With Notre Ligue, the price follows the number of regular players, for the whole league. The same 8-team league with 90 regular players pays $19.99 CAD a month, or $199.90 CAD a year on yearly billing, before tax. The currencies are different, so run the numbers again with your own number of teams and players.

Do your players need an app?

BenchApp has its app, in English only as of October 2026, and text replies are part of the PRO plan.

Notre Ligue sends an email with a link: the player opens it and confirms their answer, with no account and no app to install. Those who want it add "My games" to their home screen and get notifications, without going through an app store. Reminders go out before each game, then to those who haven't answered yet. For the details, read how to track attendance without an app.

How do you handle subs for the whole league?

When I ran my league on BenchApp, subs were handled per team: I had no sub list shared across the whole league, and the waitlist that invites the next player was part of the paid plan.

Notre Ligue starts from the league. You keep one sub list for the league, and when a player says they can't play, subs are invited automatically, five at a time every hour by default, or all at once when the game is less than 48 hours away. The first one to accept gets the spot. Those invitations are included in every plan.

What about stats, the schedule and the league page?

With BenchApp, stats are typed in by hand. Notre Ligue reads the photo of the scoresheet filled in at the game: you check the reading, then the score, goals and assists are saved. It's included in every plan, up to 30 sheet readings a month per league. The scoresheets print with the names already on them.

For the schedule, Notre Ligue prepares the whole season ahead, and you can try its free schedule generator with no account. The league also has a public page that shows the schedule, standings, stats and each game's score, with your logo and your sponsors.

When BenchApp is the right choice

To be fair: in these cases, BenchApp fits better.

• You run a single team, not a league. The free plan is $0, and BenchApp is built for that.
• Your group speaks English. An English app bothers no one, and several players may already know it: BenchApp counts more than 60,000 teams.
• You already pay and everyone is happy. Switching tools takes time, yours and your players': if nothing is broken, keep what works.
• Your players want to answer by text. That comes with PRO. Notre Ligue goes through email or phone notifications.

Before you switch tools

• Count your teams and regular players, then compare the total price for a season.
• Note your players' language and who already uses an app.
• List what you actually use every week.
• Look at how scores and stats get entered.
• Check how subs are invited, and on which plan.
• Switch at the start of a season, never in the middle.

Doing it by hand

A league can also run without BenchApp or Notre Ligue. A shared spreadsheet is enough: the player list and contact details, the schedule, an attendance column per game, and the scores. Subs go in a separate list, with a text sent to a few names at a time. It's free and flexible, but every reply, every stat and every reminder goes through you.

With Notre Ligue

You paste your player list from your spreadsheet, prepare the schedule, and your players answer from the email, in French or in English. Subs are invited in waves and stats come from a photo of the sheet. It's free under 15 regular players (one league per organizer), with a 2-month trial for larger leagues, no card needed to start.

Frequently asked questions

Is Notre Ligue free?

Yes, under 15 regular players, one league per organizer. Above that, the price depends on the number of regular players, for the whole league, with a 2-month trial.

Is BenchApp available in French?

As of October 2026, BenchApp's app is in English only. Notre Ligue is French first, with English available.

How much does BenchApp cost for an 8-team league?

On the League plan, US$80 a month or US$800 a year, according to FitGap as of October 2026. Check the current price on their site.

Do my players need to create an account?

Not with Notre Ligue: they answer from the link in the email, with no password. Only organizers have an account.