We are reader supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Choosing the right platform to manage referees and umpires can be hard. If you have used Reftown or you are exploring it, you might wonder what other options exist and what makes them different. This complete guide explains the best Reftown alternatives, how they work, who they fit, and how to switch without headaches. Whether you run a youth league, a high school assigner group, a college conference, or a multi-sport association, you will find simple and practical advice here.
What Reftown Does and Why You Might Look for Alternatives
Reftown helps assigners schedule officials, track availability, send messages, and handle game changes. It is built for referee associations and leagues that need tools for calendar management, assignments, evaluations, and communication.
People look for alternatives for many reasons: a need for mobile-first tools, built-in payments, different pricing, specific sport features, integrations with school systems, or simply a fresh interface that is easier for new officials to learn. The good news is that the market offers several strong choices, each with different strengths.
How to Evaluate Any Referee Platform
Scheduling and Assigning Power
Check how easy it is to create games, build crews, and enforce rules like no double-booking, distance limits, and skill levels. Look for drag-and-drop tools, auto-assign options, and quick filters for availability and conflicts.
Availability, Blocks, and Self-Assign
Officials should be able to set blocks, travel limits, and preferred partners. Some associations use self-assign windows. Make sure the platform supports your workflow and lets you control who can self-assign and when.
Communication and Alerts
Fast alerts matter. Verify support for email, SMS, and in-app notifications. Look for automatic reminders, change alerts, and reply tracking so you know who has actually seen the update.
Payments, Fees, and Tax Docs
Decide if you want built-in direct deposit, mileage tracking, and 1099 support. Some tools handle payouts and W-9 collection for you. Others export to your payroll system. Understand fees for payouts and who pays them.
Mobile Apps and Usability
Officials live on their phones. Check if the iOS and Android apps are clean, fast, and reliable. Try logging a block, accepting a game, and messaging an assigner from a phone. Quick tests reveal real-world usability.
Compliance and Security
Some states require background checks, training, or concussion certifications. Look for features to collect documents, track expirations, and restrict assignments when credentials lapse. Ask about data security and user permissions.
Integrations and Data Export
Do you need to connect to school scheduling systems or accounting tools? Ask if the platform offers data export, calendar feeds (iCal), and APIs. Easy export matters if you ever switch again.
Pricing and Who Pays
Platforms may charge the association, the league, or the official. Compare costs not only per month or per official, but also per payout or per text message. Decide what is fair and simple for your group.
The Best Reftown Alternatives at a Glance
ArbiterSports
ArbiterSports is one of the biggest names in officiating management, widely used by state high school associations, assigner groups, and colleges. Its core scheduling tool is often called ArbiterOne. It also offers ArbiterPay for payments and other modules for eligibility and compliance. If you need scale, legacy workflows, and deep features, ArbiterSports is a strong option.
HorizonWebRef
HorizonWebRef focuses on easy scheduling with strong assignment logic, mobile apps, and solid communication tools. It supports availability, blocks, tests, evaluations, and reports. Many small to mid-size associations find it simple to learn but still powerful.
Assignr
Assignr is known for a clean interface and fast setup. It supports scheduling, mobile notifications, availability, self-assign, and integrated payouts in some regions. It fits youth leagues and mid-size referee groups that want modern design and less setup hassle.
ZebraWeb
ZebraWeb is used by many college conferences and independent assigners. It emphasizes crew management, game confirmations, and clear communication. If you manage advanced officials and need reliable tools without extra fluff, ZebraWeb can be a practical choice.
DragonFly Officials
DragonFly (often known for school compliance and digital forms) includes officials management in certain states and sports. It is worth a look if your schools already use DragonFly for rosters, eligibility, and paperwork, because integration can reduce manual work.
TeamSideline Officials
TeamSideline offers officials management alongside league and tournament tools. If you also run league registrations, schedules, and standings on TeamSideline, having officials in the same ecosystem can streamline operations.
GameOfficials (Legacy in Some Areas)
GameOfficials still exists in some regions and has long served assigners and associations. It can be familiar to veteran officials and support basic to advanced workflows. If your state or conference uses it, adoption will feel straightforward. Availability depends on your area and governing body.
Strengths and Best Fit by Platform
ArbiterSports: Best for Complex Organizations
Choose ArbiterSports if you manage many schools, multiple sports, or thousands of games. It supports layered permissions, crew hierarchies, and compliance. ArbiterPay simplifies payments at scale. The learning curve can be steeper, but the breadth of features supports enterprise-level needs.
HorizonWebRef: Balanced Power and Simplicity
Pick HorizonWebRef if you want advanced scheduling with a modern feel and strong mobile apps. It works well for referee associations and youth leagues that need blocks, tests, and evaluations. It offers a good balance of control and ease of use.
Assignr: Fast Setup and Friendly Interface
Go with Assignr if you value a clean interface, simple onboarding, and mobile-focused workflows. It is great for smaller to mid-size groups and single-sport organizations. It supports direct deposits in some cases, and communications are easy for new officials.
ZebraWeb: Reliable for College-Level Crews
Consider ZebraWeb if you manage college games or advanced officials who need efficient assignments and confirmations. It focuses on stability, clear scheduling, and communication without trying to be everything for everyone.
DragonFly Officials: Strong in School Ecosystems
Choose DragonFly if your schools already use DragonFly for eligibility, rosters, and scheduling. Having officials and school compliance in one place can cut down on duplicate work for athletic directors and assigners.
TeamSideline Officials: Best for League-First Workflows
If you run leagues or tournaments and already use TeamSideline, adding the officials module can keep everything connected. This is handy when schedules change and you need assignments to update quickly.
Key Features to Compare in Detail
Assignment Logic and Rules
Look for travel distance limits, prevent double-booking, partner preferences, required rest times, skill levels, and no-assign lists. The best systems make these rules easy to set and easy to reuse week to week.
Availability and Calendar Feeds
Officials should set blocks by date, time, region, and venue. iCal feeds let them see assignments in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook. Confirm the feed updates quickly after changes.
Change Management and Notifications
Games often move. Demand automatic alerts when fields change, times shift, or weather cancels games. You should be able to require officials to re-confirm when major details change.
Evaluations and Training
Assessments help develop officials. Some platforms include customizable forms, scoring, and comment tracking. Others host tests and eligibility checks. Decide how formal your evaluation process is and pick tools that match it.
Payments, Mileage, and 1099s
If you pay officials directly, look for ACH payouts, per-game fees, travel pay, and mileage. If the league pays, check for easy invoice exports. For tax season, confirm W-9 collection and 1099 support if needed.
Multi-Sport and Multi-Level Support
Assigners who manage multiple sports need sport-specific rules, positions, and pay scales. If you cover youth through varsity, make sure you can tag skill levels and set assignment restrictions across levels.
Reporting and Analytics
Useful reports include coverage rates, fill time, cancellation trends, mileage totals, pay summaries, and no-show counts. The best systems let you filter by school, sport, date range, and official.
User Roles and Permissions
You may need assigners by region or sport, school AD roles, and read-only views. Strong permission controls prevent mistakes and protect data. Make sure the setup matches your governance.
Support and Onboarding
Check response times, training webinars, and documentation. Ask for a sandbox or trial. Friendly onboarding saves you hours during busy season.
Scenarios: Which Alternative Fits Your Situation
Small Youth Soccer Club
Pick a platform that is easy for volunteers and part-time assigners. Assignr or HorizonWebRef can be strong here because of simple setup and clear mobile flows. You want quick assigning, easy blocks, and simple communications.
High School Association Across Many Schools
ArbiterSports often fits statewide HS models, especially if schools already use it. HorizonWebRef is also viable if you prefer a newer interface and still need robust rules and evaluations.
College Conference with Advanced Crews
ZebraWeb or ArbiterSports may be best if your officials work multiple conferences and you need fine control over crew composition and confirmations. Payments may be handled externally, so reliable exports are important.
Multi-Sport, Multi-Season Assigning Group
HorizonWebRef or ArbiterSports are good options because they support complex rules, multiple sports, and layered permissions. TeamSideline might fit if you also run leagues and want everything tied together.
School District That Already Uses DragonFly
DragonFly Officials can streamline compliance, rosters, and scheduling in one system. This reduces duplicate data entry and helps athletic directors monitor eligibility and assignments together.
Pricing: What to Expect and How to Compare
Common Pricing Models
Vendors may charge per official per year, per association per month, or per game. Payment features can include extra transaction fees. SMS messaging may have usage-based costs. Always ask for the total monthly estimate in your specific setup.
Who Pays: Association, League, or Officials
Some groups pay the full subscription and let officials use it for free. Others pass a portion to officials as an annual fee. If payments run through the platform, factor in payout fees and whether the league or the official pays them.
Hidden Costs to Watch
Ask about onboarding or migration fees, per-text fees, premium support tiers, and additional modules like evaluations or testing. Make sure your quote includes everything you need for the season.
Step-by-Step: How to Switch from Reftown Smoothly
Step 1: Audit Your Current Setup
List the features you use now: scheduling, availability rules, tests, evaluations, payments, and reports. Note where data lives and what must migrate, such as officials, teams, venues, and pay scales.
Step 2: Shortlist Two or Three Alternatives
Pick options that match your size and sport. Schedule demos and ask assigners and a few senior officials to try them. Focus on daily tasks: create games, assign crews, send alerts, and accept or decline assignments from a phone.
Step 3: Export and Map Your Data
Export officials, teams, locations, and schedules from your current system. Clean duplicates and fill missing emails and phone numbers. Map columns to the new platform’s import templates. A clean import saves headaches later.
Step 4: Run a Pilot
Use a small set of games and a handful of officials. Test assigning, notifications, and any payments. Collect feedback within a week. Fix rules and settings before the full rollout.
Step 5: Train and Communicate
Send a simple welcome guide with screenshots. Include how to log in, set availability, accept games, and update bank details if you pay through the platform. Offer a quick live session and record it for late joiners.
Step 6: Go Live with a Support Plan
Pick a go-live date. Keep your pilot crew on standby to help new users. For two weeks, check message delivery, game confirmations, and coverage rates daily. Adjust rules and reminders as needed.
Step 7: Close Out the Old System
Keep the old system read-only for a few weeks to reference history. Save final exports for your records. Confirm 1099 data and historical reports before shutting access down.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Rushing the Import
Bad data creates bad assignments. Clean up names, emails, and phone numbers. Use unique IDs for schools and venues. Verify time zones, especially for cross-border groups or daylight saving changes.
Overcomplicating Rules on Day One
Start with essential rules: availability blocks, distance limits, and skill levels. Add special cases later. Too many constraints at launch can slow down assigning and frustrate officials.
Ignoring Mobile Experience
Test everything on a phone. If it takes too many taps to accept a game or update availability, officials will delay responses. Pick a tool that feels smooth on mobile.
Under-Communicating the Change
Explain why you are switching and what improves for officials. Share a simple checklist, offer quick training, and keep a Q and A thread open for the first month.
Not Setting Clear Payment Expectations
If you are switching to direct deposit, tell officials who pays fees, when payouts run, and how to fix failed deposits. Clear rules prevent complaints.
Hands-On Comparisons: What You Might Notice in Use
Creating and Editing Games
ArbiterSports and HorizonWebRef often include robust batch tools, templates, and conflict checking. Assignr shines with a clean interface for quick adds and edits. ZebraWeb keeps workflows lean and efficient for experienced assigners.
Finding the Right Official Fast
Strong filters are key. Look for filters by distance, certification level, sport level, blocks, and partner history. Shortlist platforms where these filters are one click away.
Handling Rainouts and Time Changes
Systems differ in how they require re-confirmations. Try a test: move a game time and see who gets notified and who must re-accept. This reveals how the system protects you from no-shows.
Dealing with Tournaments
Tournaments can bring hundreds of games and rolling changes. You want bulk assignment and bulk messaging that actually works. Some systems also allow self-assign windows tied to rank or certification.
Payment Runs and Reports
If you pay officials, simulate a payroll run from start to finish. Check fee transparency and how adjustments or mileage are handled. If you do not pay through the platform, export a pay report and spot check totals.
Migration Checklists You Can Copy
Data Checklist
1) Officials list with emails and phone numbers. 2) Teams, schools, and venues with consistent names. 3) Sports, levels, and positions. 4) Pay scales and travel rules. 5) Existing schedule or upcoming fixtures. 6) Certification and eligibility data if used.
Training Checklist
1) One-page quick start guide. 2) Short video for officials on availability and accepting games. 3) Assigners-only session on rules and batch tools. 4) FAQ about login, passwords, and notifications. 5) Contact person for the first month.
Go-Live Checklist
1) Pilot complete and feedback addressed. 2) Imports validated with spot checks. 3) Notification settings tested. 4) Payment settings verified with a small test payout if applicable. 5) Support hours posted for week one.
Questions to Ask Every Vendor
Feature Gaps and Roadmap
Ask what is not supported today. Request a simple timeline for upcoming features. Focus on must-haves for your next season, not nice-to-haves for years later.
Support Response Times
Confirm support hours, average response time, and escalation paths for urgent issues on game day. A system is only as good as its support when things break.
Data Ownership and Exit Plan
Ask how to export your data at any time. Confirm formats like CSV and iCal. Know how you would leave before you join. This protects your association.
Uptime and Reliability
Request uptime history or a status page. Review mobile app ratings. The best systems share transparent performance metrics.
Payments and Compliance
If you pay through the platform, ask about fees, timelines, failed payout handling, and tax document generation. If you need background checks or training verification, ask how credential tracking works.
Beginner Tips for Assigners and Officials
For Assigners: Start Simple
Begin with the most common scenarios. Use simple rules for week one. Monitor coverage and feedback. Add complexity later when everyone is comfortable.
For Officials: Keep Your Profile Fresh
Update your phone, email, and address. Set realistic travel blocks and update them before each week starts. Confirm or decline assignments quickly so assigners can fill gaps.
For Leagues and ADs: Communicate Schedules Early
Share schedules as soon as possible. Last-minute changes create stress and coverage gaps. Use the platform’s alerts to keep teams and officials aligned.
Sample Rollout Message You Can Adapt
Announcement Template
Hello officials, we are moving our assignments to a new system this season to improve mobile updates, faster notifications, and simpler payouts. You will receive an invite email today. Please log in, update your profile, and set your availability through next month. We will host a 20-minute walkthrough on Tuesday at 7 PM and share a recording. If you need help, contact Jamie at assignments@example.com. Thank you for your flexibility as we make this easier for everyone.
Which Alternative Should You Choose
If You Want the Broadest Feature Set
ArbiterSports is a strong pick for large, complex organizations, especially when schools already use it and you need enterprise-level control and payments.
If You Want Modern Balance and Evaluations
HorizonWebRef gives you a smart mix of assigning power, tests, evaluations, and easy mobile use for small to mid-size associations.
If You Want Fast Setup and Clean Design
Assignr is beginner-friendly and excellent for youth leagues and mid-size groups that need clear mobile workflows and straightforward communication.
If You Need Simple Reliability at Higher Levels
ZebraWeb is practical for college-level crews and experienced officials who value efficient confirmations and firm processes.
If Your Schools Already Use the Vendor
DragonFly Officials or TeamSideline Officials can save time by keeping everything under one roof, from schedules to forms and compliance.
Future Trends to Watch
Deeper Mobile Tools
Expect faster mobile apps with offline support, richer push notifications, and one-tap confirmations. Vendors are prioritizing small, frequent updates.
Smarter Assigning with Data
Platforms will use more data to suggest the best officials based on history, travel patterns, and performance. Human judgment will remain central, but suggestions will improve speed.
Integrated Payments and Compliance
More systems will bundle W-9 collection, 1099 generation, and credential tracking. This reduces paperwork and ensures only eligible officials get games.
Open Integrations
APIs and calendar feeds will keep improving, making it easier to sync with school systems, league platforms, and accounting tools.
Checklist: Your One-Page Decision Guide
Your Must-Haves
List the top five features you cannot live without, such as mobile confirmations, direct deposit, self-assign rules, evaluations, and school integrations. Use this list to filter vendors fast.
Your Nice-to-Haves
Capture extras like partner preferences, distance rules by sport, tournament workflows, and custom reports. These should not block a decision if everything else fits.
Your Budget and Who Pays
Decide if the association, the league, or the official pays. Include per-transaction fees if you plan to use payouts. Ask vendors for a real seasonal cost estimate.
Your Timeline
Pick a pilot date, a training week, and a go-live date. Build a two-week support window after launch. Clear dates reduce stress and keep everyone aligned.
Short Reviews for Quick Decisions
ArbiterSports in One Paragraph
A great fit for large and complex groups, ArbiterSports supports deep rules, compliance, and payments. It can feel heavy for small clubs, but it is battle-tested for high volume and multi-sport operations. If you already use related school tools, the ecosystem advantage is real.
HorizonWebRef in One Paragraph
HorizonWebRef balances power and ease. It handles sophisticated assigning rules and offers mobile apps, evaluations, and tests. Many referee associations like its clarity and steady feature updates.
Assignr in One Paragraph
Assignr offers clear design and fast setup with strong mobile-first workflows. It is ideal for youth leagues and mid-size associations. Built-in payouts and simple communications make daily life easier.
ZebraWeb in One Paragraph
ZebraWeb focuses on essential features for serious officials. It excels at confirmations, crew management, and clean scheduling. It is a reliable tool if you want structure with fewer distractions.
DragonFly Officials in One Paragraph
DragonFly connects officials management with school compliance and forms. If your district already uses it, you can streamline many tasks. It is especially useful where school oversight and eligibility tracking matter.
TeamSideline Officials in One Paragraph
TeamSideline unifies officials with your league tools. If you run registrations, schedules, and standings there, adding officials keeps everything in sync. It is a practical choice for league-first organizations.
Real-World Tips from the Field
Use Templates for Repeating Games
Create templates for standard game times and crew sizes. This saves hours when you load weekly slates and reduces mistakes.
Schedule in Waves
Release games in waves by level or date. Senior officials pick first, then open to others. This improves fairness and coverage without chaos.
Automate Reminders
Turn on automatic reminders 48 hours and 24 hours before games. Require re-confirmation after big changes to avoid last-minute no-shows.
Track Coverage and Fill Time
Watch how long it takes to fill assignments and where gaps appear. Adjust outreach, recruiting, or pay scales in those hot spots.
Keep a Backup List
Maintain a short list of trusted backups for each night of the week. When bad weather hits, you will appreciate fast replacements.
Conclusion: Pick the Platform That Fits Your Workflow, Not Just Features
There is no single best alternative for everyone. ArbiterSports offers deep controls for large groups. HorizonWebRef adds a modern balance of power and simplicity. Assignr delivers an easy, mobile-first experience ideal for youth and mid-size associations. ZebraWeb fits higher-level crews that value efficient confirmations. DragonFly and TeamSideline shine when you want to connect officials with school or league ecosystems.
Start with your must-haves, run a short pilot, and test daily workflows on a phone. Focus on clear communication, simple rules, and clean data. With a careful plan, moving from Reftown to a new platform can be smooth, fast, and a big upgrade for assigners, officials, and leagues alike.