Judo kata scoring software compared
There is no long list of dedicated kata tools, so organisers usually choose between a few open-source options and the spreadsheets and paper most events still use. Here is an honest look at the options, including where each one fits.
We make Judo Kata Tournament Manager, so take our summary of the others as a starting point and check the sources yourself. Last reviewed September 2026.
What to look for
Kata scoring is not the same problem as running shiai brackets. A tool has to score a panel of judges, apply a ruleset, and produce an official result. When you compare options, these are the things that decide whether one works on the day:
- Offline and local network. Venue internet is often unreliable or absent. Does the system need a cloud service, or can it run on a laptop on the venue LAN?
- Judge devices. Do judges score on their own named tablet seats, or does one person enter every mark at the table?
- Live results for the hall. Can the projector show a running ranking and the announcer board as scores come in?
- Your ruleset. Does it implement EJU, kata-judge/BJA style, or IJF, and has it been checked against a real competition?
- Paperwork. Can it produce printable scoresheets, performance orders, and result sheets?
- Data and audit. Where is the event data kept, and can you see what was marked and when?
The options
Judo Kata Tournament Manager (this site)
An all-in-one system that runs a whole kata competition from one laptop on the venue LAN, with no internet. It covers the draw, named judge tablets, live hall results, the announcer board, a printable PDF pack, and CSV exports, and supports EJU, kata-judge/BJA-style, and IJF rulesets. Each event is a single SQLite file kept by the organiser.
Best for: organisers who want the draw, judging, displays, and paperwork in one offline system.
Watch out for: there is no public download yet — onboarding is through a demo or supervised test event, and someone has to set up the laptop server (or use paid on-site help).
Judo Kata Judge
An open-source (AGPL) kata judging web app based on the IJF ruleset, at kata-judge.judowaza.org. It stores judges, tournaments, and matches in an Azure Cosmos DB database, so it is designed around cloud hosting rather than an offline venue.
Best for: panels who want an IJF-ruleset judging app and are comfortable running it on Azure.
Watch out for: the cloud database means it assumes internet access, and draw, hall display, announcer, and printable packs are not part of it.
Kata Manager (Vader Consulting judo toolkit)
A free, MIT-licensed collection of Windows judo tools that includes manual and electronic kata scorecards, alongside shiai scoreboards, venue displays, and membership. It is a Windows desktop program, not a browser system for tablets.
Best for: Windows-based clubs that want a grab-bag of judo utilities and are happy working from source.
Watch out for: kata is one small part of a large codebase, and there is no evidence of browser tablets or a live hall display for kata.
Kata Scoresheets (EJU) — the Excel spreadsheet
The reference spreadsheet many EJU organisers still use, written by Michel Kozlowski. It computes EJU scoring in Excel. This project follows his sheets and is dedicated to his memory.
Best for: organisers who tally on a laptop and are happy with that process.
Watch out for: it is a single-user file — totals are entered by hand, there is nothing for the hall, and there is no per-tap audit trail. See the alternative to Excel kata scoresheets.
Paper scoresheets and manual tallying
Paper still works, and it never has a technical failure. It is also the slowest option: every mark is written by hand, then tallied, then transcribed into results.
Best for: very small events, or as a backup.
Watch out for: manual totalling under time pressure is where errors and disputes come from.
At a glance
| Option | Offline / LAN | Judge devices | Live hall display | Rulesets | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Judo Kata Tournament Manager | Yes | Named tablet seats | Yes | EJU, BJA-style, IJF | Free (optional services) |
| Judo Kata Judge | No — Azure cloud | Judges score in the app | Not evidenced | IJF | Free + Azure costs |
| Kata Manager (Vader) | Windows desktop | Electronic scorecards | Not evidenced | Not stated | Free (MIT) |
| Kata Scoresheets (EJU) — Excel | One laptop | No | No | EJU | Free |
| Paper + manual tally | Yes | No | No | Any | Print costs |
"Not evidenced" means we could not confirm the feature from the project's own sources — not that it is impossible.
Which to choose
Choose Judo Kata Tournament Manager if…
- You want one offline system for the whole event
- You want judge tablets and a live hall display
- You need EJU, BJA-style, or IJF scoring with printable packs
Choose Judo Kata Judge if…
- You only need IJF-ruleset judging
- Cloud hosting on Azure suits you
- You are comfortable self-hosting a small web app
Stay with a spreadsheet or paper if…
- You run very small events and the process works
- You do not want devices on the mat
- You want the simplest possible setup
Questions
Is there free judo kata scoring software?
Yes. Judo Kata Tournament Manager and Judo Kata Judge are both free and open source. Judo Kata Tournament Manager is AGPL-licensed and runs on one laptop with no internet; Judo Kata Judge is also AGPL but needs an Azure cloud database to run.
What is the best replacement for a spreadsheet kata scoresheet?
If you want to keep EJU scoring but add judge tablets, live hall results, and printable packs, Judo Kata Tournament Manager replaces the spreadsheet while implementing the same EJU ruleset. You can also run it in parallel with your spreadsheet as a safety net.
Can judo kata scoring run without internet?
Judo Kata Tournament Manager runs fully offline on a laptop on the venue network. Judo Kata Judge is designed around a cloud database (Azure Cosmos DB) and is not built for an offline venue LAN.
See the options running on your event
The software is free and open source (AGPL). Demos, sandbox access, and parallel runs beside an existing scoring process are all welcome — send your event date, kata, and rough pair count and we’ll show you how it would run.
Email us to arrange a demo or test event · Compare with specific tools