Pub quiz software and apps: what to look for before you pay

There are plenty of pub quiz systems out there now. Some are quiz companies that send a host or a pack of questions. Some are apps your customers answer on. Some put the quiz on your TVs. Prices and contracts vary a lot.

We're not going to name names, and yes, we built one ourselves, so read this knowing that. But these are the questions we'd want answered before paying for any of them, including ours.

Start with what you actually need

Before you look at any software, write down the problem you're trying to fix. For example:

• "The back of the room can't hear the questions."
• "Marking takes too long and causes arguments."
• "I can't get a host every week."
• "Nobody comes in on Tuesday at all."
• "I want something on the screens when there's no quiz."

Software is good at the first three. It's only part of the answer to the fourth: people still have to know about it and want to come. Keep your list handy and judge everything against it.

What your customers need

No app to download

Every extra step on a phone loses people. If players have to find an app, download it, make an account and log in, some will give up. Look for a system that works in the phone's web browser: scan a QR code, type a team name, play. In our first week of running a phone quiz, 33 of the 40 people who joined went on to play, and we think having nothing to download helped.

Works on any phone

Older phones, cracked screens, small screens, big text settings. Ask to try it on the oldest phone in your pub.

A paper option

Not everyone wants to use their phone. The best systems let a team play on paper alongside phone teams, or let one person answer for the whole table.

Clear on the TV

If the questions go on your screens, check they're readable from the furthest seat. Big text, high contrast, one question at a time.

What the host needs

• Easy control. Can the host run it from a phone while walking round, or are they stuck behind a laptop?
• Your own questions. Can you add a local round? Can you import questions from a quiz company you already use?
• Picture rounds. Can pictures go on the TVs?
• Marking. Is marking automatic for phone teams? Can you mark paper teams in the same scoreboard?
• Replays. Can you show a round again for marking?
• What happens when it breaks. If the Wi-Fi drops, does the quiz carry on? Can you carry on with paper?

The price traps

Per screen or per pub

Some screen software charges per screen. Four screens at a per-screen price adds up quickly. Ask for the price for your whole pub, every screen, inside and out.

Per player or per team

Some quiz apps charge by how many people play. That's fine for a small quiz. It can get expensive when your quiz takes off, which is the opposite of what you want.

Setup fees and kit

Do you need to buy a box, a tablet or a special screen? Or does it work on the TVs and devices you've already got? Our post on cheap ways to put your offers on your pub TVs covers the kit side.

The contract

How long is the minimum term? How much notice to cancel? Does the price go up after the first year? Get it in writing. If the answer is vague, that's an answer.

For comparison, the starting prices we've seen are about £60 a month + VAT for quiz-only systems and about £130 a month for all-in-one screen systems. Our post on what a quiz night really costs has the full sums.

Who owns the customer data?

This one gets missed. When people play a phone quiz, they often give a name and sometimes an email. Ask:

• Who owns that list? Your pub, or the software company?
• Can you download it and take it with you if you leave?
• Is marketing consent asked for properly? The ICO says valid consent must be freely given, specific and informed, and the rules on marketing emails (PECR) need a clear opt-in. A pre-ticked box doesn't count.
• Does the company use your customers' details for its own marketing?

Our post on building your own email list legally explains the rules.

Rules the software won't handle for you

• Prizes. A genuine quiz is a prize competition decided by skill, knowledge or judgement, according to the Gambling Commission. Free entry is the simplest way to stay out of trouble. Our pub quiz rules post explains it.
• Music rounds. If the software plays recorded music in your pub, you'll usually need TheMusicLicence from PPL PRS.
• Bingo. Bingo in pubs has its own rules from the Gambling Commission, including no under-18s.

Questions to ask before you sign

1. Do my customers need to download an app?
2. Is the price for the whole pub or per screen, per player or per team?
3. What's the minimum term, and how do I cancel?
4. Can I add my own questions and a local round?
5. Can I run the quiz from my phone?
6. Who owns the customer list, and can I download it?
7. What happens if the Wi-Fi drops mid-quiz?
8. Can I try it for a few weeks in my pub before committing?

How StockTap TV helps

Here's how ours answers those questions, honestly. Players scan a QR code and play in the phone's browser, with no app. It's £34 a month for the whole pub, however many TVs. The host runs quiz night from a phone, with the questions on every TV at once. Our Quick Fire phone quiz runs every 20 minutes during the day. Players can join your pub's own email list, with a separate, unticked box for offers, and the list belongs to your pub. We.re taking founding pubs now, with a 14-day free trial and plain-English terms, so ask us anything. See pricing, see all the features, or join the founding pubs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best pub quiz software?

The one that fixes your problem at a price that works for your pub. Judge every system on whether players need an app, whether the price is per pub or per screen, who owns the customer data and how easy it is to cancel.

Is there free pub quiz software?

There are free tools for making quizzes and running them on a screen. They can work well for a small quiz. Check whether they show adverts, limit players, or are meant for home use only.

Do customers need to download an app for a phone quiz?

Not always. Some systems run in the phone's web browser after scanning a QR code. That's usually easier for customers.

Who owns the emails collected by a quiz app?

It depends on the system. Ask before you sign, and make sure you can download your list if you leave.

Sources

• ICO: What is valid consent?
• ICO: How do we comply with the PECR electronic mail marketing rules?
• Gambling Commission: Definitions, from Understanding the consumer landscape in free draws and prize competitions
• Gambling Commission: Exempt gaming in pubs
• PPL PRS: TheMusicLicence for pubs and bars

We checked every source on 24 October 2026. Rules change, so check the latest version before you act. Nothing here is legal advice.