From picking the format to the prizes: everything you need to run a Riftbound tournament properly. And if you're looking for a free alternative to Challonge, here you do it all in one place — with no fees.
Running a tournament isn't just "making a bracket". An event that works needs clear rules, orderly signups, tracked decklists, correct pairings, communication with players and transparent prizes. Let's go through the steps one by one — and at the end, the fastest way to do them all at once.
The most-used format in competitive TCGs is Swiss: everyone plays the same number of rounds, with no direct elimination, and you face opponents on the same score. It's fair and keeps everyone in the game until the end.
The number of rounds depends on the entrants:
| Players | Recommended Swiss rounds | Top cut |
|---|---|---|
| 4 – 8 | 3 | Top 2 / 4 (optional) |
| 9 – 16 | 4 | Top 4 |
| 17 – 32 | 5 | Top 8 |
| 33 – 64 | 6 | Top 8 |
Tip: for weekly community tournaments, Swiss with no top cut (or with a top 4) is the sweet spot between length and competitiveness.
Before opening signups, put it in writing:
This is where most organizers lose time. With generic tools you have to collect signups in chat, chase down whoever doesn't confirm attendance and keep two or three different lists in sync.
The ideal is a single flow: the player signs up in one click and gets confirmation automatically, with an always up-to-date record of who's in and who's on the waiting list.
For paid tournaments you don't need a system that holds the money: you collect it however you prefer (PayPal, Satispay, bank transfer, in person…) and from the site you mark each entrant as paid or unpaid with one click. The platform keeps the record always up to date — with no per-transaction fees.
Once the tournament is running, for each round you need to:
Tip: the automatic round notification (who plays whom) drastically cuts the dead time between rounds.
Define the prize pool in advance and how it's distributed (e.g. entry fees → prizes), and make it transparent on the tournament page. A tournament that leaves a mark gives players something that lasts over time: a leaderboard, a ranking, a recognition — not just a bracket that disappears at the end of the night.
100% free · no per-signup fee
All the steps above — signups, decklists, pairings, results, prizes and ranking — on Riftbound Zone are already built in and automatic, connected to Discord. Unlike Challonge, you pay no fee on signups.
| Guide step | On Riftbound Zone | By hand / generic tools |
|---|---|---|
| Format & Swiss rounds | Automatic based on entrants | Recalculated every time |
| Signups | Single site + Discord flow | Chat + separate sheet |
| Paid signups | Paid/unpaid status, no fee | Collected via Stripe ($0.75/order) |
| Decklists | Immutable snapshot + PDF/PNG export | Not handled |
| Pairings & notifications | Discord DM + pairing channel | Notify by hand |
| Results & disputes | Auto-confirm + support ticket | Entered by hand |
| Tiebreakers GW%/OMW%/OGW% | Calculated automatically | Often approximated |
| Prizes & ranking | Prize pool + seasonal ranked | Ends and disappears |
Challonge prices updated June 2026 (free Standard plan with Stripe $0.75/order; Premier $6.99/month). Source: challonge.com.
In practice: you open the tournament, players sign up in one click, the system does the rest.
For Riftbound tournaments, Riftbound Zone is a free alternative to Challonge: you manage format, signups, decklists, Swiss pairings, results, prizes and ranking in one place, with Discord notifications. It charges no fee on signups.
Challonge has a free Standard plan but with ads, and for paid signups it charges a $0.75 fee per order via Stripe. The ad-free Premier plan costs $6.99 a month. Riftbound Zone, for Riftbound tournaments, is free and charges no per-signup fee.
Pick the format (usually Swiss), set the rules, open signups and let the system handle pairings, results and standings. On Riftbound Zone all these steps are built in and free: you create the tournament and players sign up in one click.
No. The platform takes no percentage or per-signup fee. For paid tournaments the organizer collects the money directly, however they prefer.
Yes, but in a simple way: the site does not process payments, it tracks the status. The organizer collects however they want (PayPal, Satispay, bank transfer, in person) and marks each entrant as paid or unpaid with one click, keeping the record always up to date.
See the active tournaments or learn how to join in one click.