Report updated May 15, 2026
Board Game Buddy
For board game enthusiasts who require digital scoring assistance and want to track or share their game results.
Board Game Buddy is an established games app that is completely free. With a 4.6/5 rating from 58 reviews, it shows polarized user reception.
What is Board Game Buddy?
Board Game Buddy is a digital scoring and game-tracking utility for tabletop board game enthusiasts on iOS and Android.
Users hire the app to eliminate manual scoring friction and archive game results, allowing them to focus on gameplay rather than arithmetic.
Current Momentum
v3.2 · 3w ago
Maintenance- Ships minor updates for stability.
- Maintains consistent free-to-use model.
Active Nemesis
Farkle Scorekeeper
By NieStudio Creative
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
GamesNo ranking data
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
How Is The App's Momentum Right Now?
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What Are The Key Features?
User-defined templates for tracking game-specific tokens, victory points, and bonus points
Uploads completed game results to external board game websites
UI orientation support for tablet and desktop-like viewing
How much does it cost?
- Fully free access to all features
The app operates on a free-to-use model with no IAP or ad-supported tiers currently identified.
Who Built It?
Enrichment in progress
Publisher profile available very soon
What other apps does Andrew Morrison make?
What do users think recently?
Analysis in progress, available soon
What is the competitive landscape for Board Game Buddy?
How's The Games Market?
How does it evolve in the Games market?
Board Game Buddy maintains a 5-star rating on iOS but faces a significant volume deficit with only 58 total ratings across platforms. This low engagement density signals a niche utility that has yet to capture the broader tabletop enthusiast market.
| Country | Category | Chart | Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Board | AndroidFree | #161 | ▼17 |
| 🇵🇰 Pakistan | Board | AndroidFree | #172 | ▼17 |
The rivals identified
The Nemesis
Head to Head
The target should lean into its unique 'upload to web' feature to differentiate from the static, siloed nature of the nemesis.
What sets Board Game Buddy apart
Offers a more versatile platform that supports custom smart scoresheets for a wider variety of games
Includes seamless integration for uploading game results directly to popular board game community websites
What's Farkle Scorekeeper's Edge
Maintains a significantly larger user base and social proof with over 2,300 ratings
Provides specialized features like a player directory that streamline recurring game night management
Peers
Provides specialized scenario fog-of-war mechanics that enhance the experience of playing complex dungeon crawlers
Includes dynamic monster setup tools that automate tedious game preparation tasks for the user
Ugolki - Checkers - Dama
★4.4 (20)UAB Target Works
It targets the same casual board game audience by providing a digital version of classic tabletop mechanics with multiplayer support.
Includes built-in multiplayer modes that allow for direct local competition between two human players
Provides an adaptive difficulty setting that helps maintain engagement for casual users during long sessions
Russian Checkers!
★4.5 (112)UAB Target Works
This app competes for the user's time within the board game category by offering a polished, AI-driven digital implementation of a classic game.
Features an adaptive AI engine that provides a challenging experience for players of all skill levels
Integrates with Game Center to provide social leaderboards and online multiplayer functionality for competitive play
Checkers for Apple Watch
★4.2 (98)UAB Target Works
This app occupies the same casual gaming utility space, focusing on hardware-specific accessibility for classic tabletop titles.
Optimized specifically for Apple Watch, providing a glanceable UX for quick, short-duration gaming sessions
Focuses on standardized rulesets for classic checkers, lacking the custom scoring flexibility of the target
New Kids on the Block
Prioritizes a landscape-first view specifically designed to improve readability during complex tabletop scoring sessions
Aggregates 10+ classic board games into one app, offering higher utility than single-purpose scoring tools
The outtake for Board Game Buddy
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- Custom smart scoresheets enable game-specific tracking flexibility
- Direct export to board game websites builds community utility
Critical Frictions
- 58 total ratings across platforms indicates low market penetration
- No IAP or ad-supported tiers limits revenue sustainability
Growth Levers
- Develop a player directory to manage recurring gaming groups
- Integrate wearable support for glanceable scoring during high-paced sessions
Market Threats
- Aggregated game apps like BoardQ offer higher utility per download
- Established rivals like Farkle Scorekeeper maintain 2,300+ ratings, creating a social-proof barrier
What are the next best moves?
Ship player directory feature because it is the primary differentiator of the nemesis → increase user retention.
Farkle Scorekeeper uses a player directory to manage recurring groups, creating a switching cost that Board Game Buddy lacks.
Trade-off: Pause the landscape-mode UI refinement — player directory has higher retention impact.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's lack of monetization is a strategic liability, as it prevents the reinvestment needed to compete with the feature-rich, high-volume rivals currently dominating the category.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Player directory (available in Farkle Scorekeeper)
- Wireless keyboard support (available in Farkle Scorekeeper)
Key Takeaways
Board Game Buddy provides essential scoring utility but lacks the social-retention loops of its primary rivals, so the PM should prioritize player-directory features to defend against community-focused competitors.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
Tabletop utility apps are consolidating around community-focused features that drive recurring group engagement. Board Game Buddy remains in maintenance mode, which leaves it exposed to aggressive newcomers like BoardQ that offer higher utility per download.
The app maintains a stable, niche user base but lacks the feature cadence to challenge category leaders, signaling a long-term stagnation risk.