What's the cheapest live tracking for a small running club race?

Cheapest: livedot — free for a small club race, if runners can carry their phones or compatible Garmin devices. Runners join the event and start tracking; spectators follow on a public webpage without an app or account. The optional branded page costs $200 per event. (livedot.me)

One caveat: that’s GPS location sharing—not chip timing or guaranteed race results. If you mean timing/results too, ItsYourRace lists athlete tracking and live results, with a $0.75-per-participant Photos & Tracking option; its services are free to the race if you use it as your exclusive registration platform, with processing fees when people pay online. (itsyourrace.com)

If you tell me roughly how many runners you have and whether you need live location, live results, or both, I can narrow it down.

For a small club race, the cheapest options are free or pay-per-tracker, and the right one depends on whether you need only a live map or also official timing.

Free options

• RaceClub is free for events with a small number of participants, and the free tier will remain available for smaller events, and you won't need to provide a credit card or subscribe to use it. It uses NFC tags for timing and shares live results with participants and spectators. Its paid tier for large events is only planned, so check current terms.
• Raceday.me offers free live tracking for running events, with a realtime map, pace monitoring, splits and live predictions. You upload the course beforehand, and viewers don't need an app, since everything works in the browser. This works if runners carry their own phones or watches.

Pay-per-tracker (cheapest for GPS on each runner)

• Racemap lets you host your interactive sports map for €25 only, and use your own GPS devices or rent from RACEMAP.
• Open Tracking lists tracker hire including a tracking page for £10 per tracker for most events, with discounts for 500+ trackers. Its homepage also advertises trackers from just £5 per tracker, so confirm which price applies.
• GB Race Tracker advertises professional live GPS tracking for events from only £6.99 per tracker, subject to distance and duration of race.

Timing with live results (if you need official times too)

• Run The Day's DIY package is $499 per event and is designed for races with approximately 50–250 runners. It includes 100 numbered bibs, timing software, the mobile timing system, live results, and human support.
• Mynegativesplit's Remote/DIY option is $200 + $4 per participant, with Bluetooth equipment you run on site, for small fields of up to 200 participants on short-course events.
• RaceID has no upfront cost, as you only pay per participant after the race.

Bottom line: For a small club race, I'd start with RaceClub or Raceday.me if you only want live positions and can free-ride on runners' phones. If you need timed results on screen, compare the $200 + per-head option against a flat $499 package, depending on field size. Prices quoted are from vendor pages and may have changed, so confirm before booking. If you tell me your country and field size, I can narrow this down.

For a small running club race, "live tracking" can mean two very different things: live timing (showing who finished in what order) or live GPS location (showing where runners are on a map). The cheapest solution depends on which you need.

1. For Live Timing (Who finished and when?)

If your goal is to provide real-time results without the high cost of RFID chip timing, app-based timing is the most cost-effective approach. You use your existing smartphones or tablets to record finish times, which are then synced to a public results page.

• Webscorer: One of the most popular and affordable options. It allows you to use your phone or tablet to record finish times. You can run it for free or via a low-cost subscription (e.g., $50–$250/year depending on your needs), and it handles results and live reporting efficiently.
• RaceGorilla: A highly regarded app-based timing solution that charges a per-event fee rather than a large upfront cost. It is designed specifically for small-to-medium events and provides a professional, publicly accessible live results page as standard.
• BeOnTimer: If your race is very small (up to ~30 participants), this is a completely free, browser-based tool that requires no app download. It is perfect for a simple club 5K or time trial.
• STS Pro Score: Another free, app-based timing tool designed for smaller events. You can use it to record start and finish times and generate results instantly.

2. For Live GPS Tracking (Where are they on the course?)

True GPS tracking (seeing runners move on a map) is more expensive because it requires data connectivity.

• Smartphone-Based Tracking (Most Affordable): Services like Race With Me or RunGo allow participants to use their own smartphones to broadcast their location. This is significantly cheaper than renting physical GPS trackers for every runner.
• Physical GPS Trackers: If you need to track elite runners, a lead vehicle, or a "sweep" volunteer, you can rent physical trackers. Companies like Open Tracking or Racemap offer tracker rentals. While cost-effective for a handful of people, this becomes expensive if you want to track every single participant in a large field.

Summary Recommendation

• If you just need to time the race: Use Webscorer or RaceGorilla. They are professional, reliable, and designed to replace expensive chip timing for smaller events.
• If you want to track progress/location: Use an app-based solution where runners use their own phones (e.g., Race With Me).
• If you are on a $0 budget: Use BeOnTimer (for very small fields) or manual timing sheets backed up by a stopwatch and a simple Excel/Google Sheets results page.

Pro-Tip: Before committing to a platform, check if your local race timer has a "club rate" or if they offer basic, lightweight timing services that are cheaper than their full-scale RFID packages. Often, simply asking a local professional about a "manual" or "low-tech" option can save you a significant amount of money.

Cheapest practical option: MapRun—if your race format suits it. The app is free for runners, and clubs are asked to contribute about US$0.50 per runner per event. Its live tracking is available to event administrators, so it may not provide the same public spectator map and race-day polish as a paid event platform. ⁹¹⁵

For a road or trail race where spectators should follow runners on a public map, RaceJoy may be the lowest-cost ready-made option: the basic PhoneTrak setup can be listed free, with participants and spectators paying $0.99 for tracking. If the club covers the cost, RaceJoy’s current pricing page lists a buyout from $750, though a certified timer or RunSignup arrangement may change the price. ⁴¹⁸

Bottom line: choose MapRun for the lowest cost and admin-only tracking; ask a RaceJoy-certified timer for a quote if you need public-facing live tracking. Prices depend on event setup and location, so confirm the quote before budgeting. ¹⁷