Comparison

FTC Bonfire vs FTCLive

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

FTC Bonfire

This platform streamlines team management and scouting for competitive robotics. It uses AI to parse scoreboards, calculate alliance compatibility, and track real-time statistics. Features include virtual pit scouting, team notes, and advancement point tracking.

Highlights
  • AI-powered scoreboard parsing
  • Alliance compatibility calculator
  • Real-time statistics tracking
  • Virtual pit scouting
  • Team notes and reliability ratings
  • Advancement points tracking
  • Smart watch system
Features
Read full description

FTC Bonfire is the all-in-one real time scouting and team management platform built by FTC TEAM X (#23512). Transform how your team prepares, competes, and succeeds with powerful tools that give you a competitive edge. AI-Powered Scoreboard Parsing Simply take a photo of the scoreboard or upload an image, and our advanced OCR technology automatically extracts all match scores. No more manual data entry. Focus on scouting instead of transcription. Edit any scores that need adjustment, and watch your statistics update in real-time. Alliance Compatibility Calculator Make smarter alliance decisions with our advanced compatibility algorithm. Analyze OPR/DPR balance, phase coverage (autonomous, teleop, endgame), capability synergy, and match history to find the perfect alliance partners. Get color-coded compatibility scores that help you make data-driven decisions during alliance selection. Real-Time Statistics Watch OPR, DPR, CCWM, and phase-specific stats update in real-time as matches are played. Make data-driven decisions with live analytics throughout the tournament. View team rankings, leaderboards, and historical performance data all in one place. Virtual Pit Scouting Create detailed robot profiles showcasing your team's capabilities. Document drivetrain configuration, sensors, autonomous capabilities, teleOp features, and endgame mechanisms. Scout other teams efficiently with pre-filled robot information, photos, and performance ratings. Share insights with your team members instantly. Team Notes & Reliability Ratings Keep comprehensive scouting notes and rate team reliability at events. Track which teams are reliable partners, note strengths and weaknesses, and share observations with your team. Organize notes by event for easy reference during alliance selection. Advancement Points Tracking Automatically track your team's qualification progress across all events in a season. View advancement points at the event level or track totals across the entire season. See breakdowns by type: qualification points, alliance selection points, playoff points, and award points. Smart Watch System Set up customizable watches for teams, events, or seasons. Receive real-time notifications about match results, awards, schedule updates, and team announcements via push notifications, email, or web. Never miss an important update during tournaments. Match Score Upload (AI Enabled) Anyone at a tournament can upload scoreboard photos—help the entire community by contributing scores. The more scores uploaded, the better the statistics for everyone! Community-driven data collection makes Bonfire more powerful for all teams. Enterprise-Grade Security Two-Factor Authentication (2FA/MFA) with TOTP support and QR code generation. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with system and team-level permissions. Encrypted data storage and transmission to protect sensitive information. Perfect For • FTC teams looking to improve their scouting workflow • Team members who want to contribute to match score collection • Coaches and captains making alliance selection decisions • Anyone who wants to track team performance and advancement points • Teams preparing for championships and major tournaments Getting Started • Sign in with your Google account or email • Join your team using a team code or claim a new team • Create a robot profile for the current season • Find and pin your upcoming event • Start scouting and uploading match scores! Join the FTC Bonfire community and take your team's performance to the next level! Support: For questions or issues, contact feedback@ignitepathways.org Website: https://ftc.ignitepathways.org

About

FTCLive

Features
Read full description

Fully updated for the 2026-2027 "BIOBUZZ presented by RTX" season! FTCLive helps FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) teams, mentors, parents, and fans track event progression in real-time. Whether you are in the pits or in the stands, FTCLive is designed to keep your team's event day organized and stress-free. WHAT YOU GET • Smart Dashboard: Select your team and event, then view a clean dashboard built entirely around your season and your team's progression. • Apple Watch Support: Keep your phone in your pocket while your hands are full in the pits. Track your next match, queue status, and the current on-field match right from your wrist (featuring a custom FTC orange theme!). • Live Activities & Dynamic Island: See your live queue status, next match, estimated timing, and what's currently on the field directly from your Lock Screen. • Pit Map & Team Search: View the venue's pit layout or directory. Search for a team by their number or name and instantly see their pit location highlighted on the map. • Siri & Shortcuts: Simply ask Siri, "What's my next match in FTCLive" or "What's my queue status" to get instant answers without lifting a finger. • Add to Calendar: Ensure you never miss a match by adding your upcoming match directly to your iOS Calendar with a single tap. • Schedule & Rankings: Match schedules with qualification and playoff divisions—know exactly what is up next for your alliance. View current rankings and detailed score breakdowns to track your team's performance. • Smart Offline Mode: Bad connection in the venue? The app securely caches your last successful pit directory and queue snapshot, so you can still access critical data while offline. • Push Notifications & Filters: Opt-in push notifications so you never miss important updates when you step away. Filter and manage parts requests, queue updates, or general announcements easily. • Multi-Language & Themes: Available in English and Turkish, fully supporting light, dark, and system appearance modes with a tailored iPad layout. DATA SOURCES FTCLive is a 100% free, non-profit community project. It connects to the public robotics APIs you configure in Settings (Official FTC Events API and Nexus). Bring your own API keys when necessary.

Screenshots

FTC Bonfire4 screens
FTCLive4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: FTC Bonfire at 13.0 against FTCLive's 17.0. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on September 13, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
FTC Bonfire versus FTCLive: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFTC BonfireFTCLive
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (5 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews75.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings5 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 6 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB43 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperIGNITE PathwaysOnur Akyuz

In-app purchases

None

FTC Bonfire

No in-app purchases

None

FTCLive

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is FTC Bonfire free?
FTC Bonfire is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is FTCLive free?
FTCLive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do FTC Bonfire or FTCLive have ads?
Neither FTC Bonfire nor FTCLive shows ads.
Which is updated more often, FTC Bonfire or FTCLive?
FTC Bonfire ships an update every 6 days, and FTCLive every 6 days. Most recently, FTC Bonfire was updated on September 13, 2026 and FTCLive on September 24, 2026.

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