Pulse FC vs SportsEngine
SportsEngine is enterprise software for state associations running hundreds of teams. Pulse FC is built for the club that just needs to run well — at a fraction of the cost, with AI built in.
Built for soccer clubs
AI features · Free plan · Tryout management · 20-min setup
Enterprise league software
Any sport · Starts at $79/mo · No AI · Complex setup
AI features
3
Pulse FC
0
SportsEngine
Starting price
Free
Pulse FC
$79/mo
SportsEngine
Free plan
✓
Pulse FC
✗
SportsEngine
Feature by feature
Purpose
Built for soccer
Purpose-built for DOCs and soccer clubs
Generic platform for any sport — hockey, basketball, football, etc.
Built by a coach
Founded by a U14 head coach solving his own problem
Owned by NBC Sports. No coaching background in leadership.
AI features
AI schedule import
Upload any PDF, image, or spreadsheet — whole season imported in seconds
Manual entry only. No AI tools of any kind.
AI roster import
Upload any spreadsheet format — AI maps columns and imports automatically
No AI-powered import. Manual entry or fixed CSV format.
AI lineup builder
Drag and drop with AI-suggested starting lineup based on confirmed RSVPs
No lineup builder. Not available on any plan.
Operations
Equal playing time calculator
Automatic rotation plan for equal play time — pure maths, works instantly offline, no AI call needed
Not available.
Fee collection
Send invoices, record payments, track who owes what
Payment processing available — transaction fees apply on top of monthly plan.
Attendance tracking
Per-player attendance history — parents notified instantly if child marked absent
Attendance tracking available — no parent notification if a child is marked absent.
Parent mobile app
iOS today, clean with no ads — Android in progress
iOS and Android available — contains intrusive ads unless removed via paid upgrade.
Game scores + season record
Log scores from the sideline via match tracker. Season W/L/D record builds automatically.
Available — league-focused.
Video recordings library
Link any recording to an event — parents get a push notification. All sessions archived in one place.
Not available.
Guest player management
Borrow players from other teams in the club. Conflict detection, G-badge in lineup and match tracker, org admin activity view.
Not available.
Club management
Multi-team dashboard
All teams, schedules, and RSVPs in a single org-level view
Club-level dashboard exists but designed for leagues — complex for a single club.
Tryout management
Registration forms, player ranking, team builder, offer letters, acceptance tracking
No tryout module on any plan.
White-label branding
Your club logo and brand colors throughout the app
SportsEngine branding always visible. No white-label option.
Communication
RSVP system
Attending or Not Attending only — no maybes. Auto-locks before game time.
Basic availability tracking — not a dedicated RSVP system with lock dates.
Real-time team chat
Group chat, announcements (coach-only posts), and 1:1 direct messages
Team messaging available in the mobile app.
Push notifications
RSVP reminders, schedule changes, new messages, announcements
Push notifications available.
Automatic change alerts
Time change, location change, or cancellation → instant push to all parents with the exact change highlighted
No automatic change notifications.
Setup & pricing
Free plan
Free forever for 1 team up to 12 players. No credit card.
No free plan. Starts at $79/mo. Free trial only.
Starting price
Free → $9.99/mo (Team Pro) → $49/mo (Starter). No surprise fees.
$79/mo (Express), $129/mo (Premium), or $2,199/yr (Pro). Plus transaction fees.
Setup time
Full club live in ~20 minutes. AI handles schedule and roster import.
Manual data entry required. Complex multi-team setup can take days.
Which one is right for you?
SportsEngine is built for state associations running hundreds of teams across multiple sports. Pulse FC is built for the club that just needs to run well.
Choose Pulse FC if you…
SportsEngine might suit you if…
We lost 11 families last season. Three said they felt “out of the loop.” That’s $16,000 in registration fees. Pulse FC paid for itself in the first month.
Director of Coaching · 280-player club
A soccer club shouldn’t pay $79/mo
for league software.
Set up tonight. If it doesn’t save you 3 hours a week, email us and we’ll refund everything. No forms, no arguments.
Set up your club tonight →Founding club: 40% off any paid plan, forever · 15 spots remaining
Free plan available · No credit card · Cancel anytime
Built by Rick Breheny · U14 head coach · still used every Saturday.