Best Football Playbook Software For Coaches

As a coach, your bible is your playbook. It’s the source of how plays are run and each player’s assignment. The days of putting playbooks in bulky binders are a thing of the past, and digital playbooks can easily be distributed to both players and coaches.

In this article, we will show you all the playbook softwares we’ve tested personally and give you the best option for your staff.

The three major factors that we used to rank these playbook softwares are:

• Time Saved
• Value
• Usability

As a coach myself, these are the three key elements I look for when purchasing a new program to train our staff on. Time is the most important ranking factor, as we need something easy to use that will help us spend less time in the office and more time with our families.

Let’s get started.

1. Pro Quick Draw

Our pick for the best playbook software for football coaches is Pro Quick Draw.

Saving us on average 1 hour of playbook entry time, Pro Quick Draw is one of the best playbook softwares that we’ve used.

There is a reason why 25 NFL teams and over half of the Power 5 Conference have chosen to adopt this program. Pro Quick Draw saves you time, and its interface is one of the most user-friendly because it integrates directly with PowerPoint (or Visio), which many users are familiar with.

It integrates seamlessly with PowerPoint or Visio, whichever you are more comfortable with.

The drawing features are easy to use, and you can get started with the click of a button. No, really, one click will auto-generate your formations, and then you can add routes with a few more taps of your mouse.

If you’re a high school or youth coach and use Hudl, Pro Quick Draw has a plugin that allows you to implement your video directly into your playbook.

The few downsides of Pro Quick Draw are they are not compatible with Mac. However, we’re told a Mac version should be ready by mid-2024.

There is also no quiz feature with Pro Quick Draw, as it’s directed toward building and presenting playbooks.

Overall, there is a reason why Pro Quick Draw is becoming the #1 football playbook software for football at all levels. Their customer support is top-notch as well. Questions are typically answered on the same day by their staff, who are also football coaches.

Pro Quick Draw plans start at $199/ year for the High School/Small College market with the option of integration add-ons for an extra cost. You own everything you create to take with you if you change teams or softwares.

2. Just Play Solutions

Our second pick is Just Play Solutions. Just Play Solutions has a stronghold of the playbook market for multiple sports other than football and for a good reason.

They have a fully functional mobile app (available for both iOS and Android), which makes it easy to use on the go.

Their software is unique because they have an analytic dashboard that allows coaches to see if players are viewing the content, how they do on quizzes, and how they are interacting with the content.

If players are struggling to answer questions in the quizzes, coaches get immediate feedback and can give that player support.

The downside of Just Play Solutions is your content lives on their platform. That means if you leave your current position, you can’t take your plays with you unless you pay for a yearly subscription yourself.

Also, Just Play Solutions offers limited customization on their templates compared to the other football playbook software.

Last, you’ll need the internet to access your playbooks. While that may not seem like a big deal, if players are blocked on a school VPN or aren’t able to get internet (schools always seem to have no service), it means you can’t access your playbooks.

Just Play packages start at $150.

3. First Down Playbook

First Down Playbook is a playbook software that has carved out a niche in the youth football market. Hall Of Fame Linebacker Mike Singletary is the spokesman for this software and speaks very highly of it.

With over 35,000 pre-made plays, First Down Playbook is ready to use out of the box.

Also available on iOS and Android, First Down Playbook can be distributed to coaches and players via a mobile app.

While it’s easy to draw plays, the downside of First Down Playbook is its customization options. There are hardly any, which makes a big difference when adjusting formations, routes, and blocking assignments.

Along with their customization options, their pricing structure is buckling to a new coach or a small program.

4. Team Nation

Team Nation is a new player in the space, as they are an all-in-one team solution.

The most impressive thing about Team Nation is its analytic dashboard and quiz system. They give you insights into every player and how “ready” they are for each game plan. Get directly into the brains of your players and test their readiness.

Team Nation’s playbook software offers a play-maker software and a Hudl integration, so you can easily bring your plays over from Hudl if you use it.

Equipped with a mobile app for both iOS and Android, Team Nation can be accessed from any device.

The cons of using Team Nation is the playbook editor is not as smooth and time-saving as others on this list.

If you focus more on how the team interacts with your playbooks/accountability rather than time-saving and usability, then Team Nation is the best solution for you.

5. Hudl

We wanted to feature Hudl, as it’s one of the best out of the box options on the list. While the customization is limited, coaches can keep everything in one place with their film.

Simply link plays to your current playbook drawings we can use. Hudl’s playbook feature is easy to access, easy to use, and user-friendly.

The major downside to the playbook feature in Hudl is it hasn’t been updated in years. It lacks depth, customization, and everything lives on Hudl. If you don’t have a Hudl subscription, you don’t have your playbook.

6. Ready List Sports

The last pick on our list is Ready List Sports.

Ready List Sports playbook software was created by legendary NFL quarterback Jake “The Snake” Plummer.

Similar to other football playbook software on this list, Ready List Sports can quiz players and see how players interact with the playbook content.

One draw to Ready List Pro is the ability to use this playbook software for 6-man, 8-man, and 9-man football leagues, along with 11-man football.

Another unique feature is the ability to use your playbook software offline. You don’t have to have internet access to get your plays.

The cons of Ready List Sports is it feels a bit outdated compared to other platforms. The playbook drawing isn’t as flawless as that of the other playbook makers on the list.

Best Football Playbook Software For Coaches Recap

Our pick for the best football playbook software is Pro Quick Draw. Not only can you save hours of time with pre-made templates, but the usability for new users is simple, and the support is excellent.

The other football playbook software named are also great, and each has its positives.

We recommend taking time to value what’s most important to you. For us, it’s time and value per dollar.

If you have any questions about this list, please get in touch with us; we’re happy to help.

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