Badminton score keeper
A free badminton scoreboard that knows the rules: tap a side to score, and it tracks deuce, the 30-point cap, who serves from which court, intervals and the change of ends. Works offline and survives a refresh.
This badminton score keeper is an online scoreboard built on the BWF Laws of Badminton. Tap the side that won the rally and it does the rest: adds the point, moves the serve, tells you which service court to serve from, flags game point and match point, calls the interval at 11 and reminds you to change ends. It runs entirely in your browser, keeps the match if you refresh or lose signal, and has a courtside mode with digits big enough to read from the other end of the hall.
How to use the badminton score counter
- Set up the match. Pick singles or doubles, the scoring format (best of three games to 21 is the standard) and type the names. Toss a coin if nobody remembers who won the last one.
- Choose the first server. In doubles, also pick who serves and who receives first. Both start in the right service court.
- Tap the winner of every rally. On a laptop, press A or ← for the left side and L or → for the right. U undoes the last rally, all the way back to 0–0.
- Go courtside. Press F or the Courtside button for a full-screen scoreboard. On phones it also asks the screen to stay awake where the browser supports it.
- Share the result. When the match ends you get each game score, the duration, the number of rallies and the longest run of points, ready to copy or share.
How badminton scoring works
Badminton uses rally scoring: every rally wins a point, whoever served. Under the BWF Laws of Badminton (Law 7) a match is the best of three games, and a game goes to the first side to 21 points. The rest is the bit people argue about:
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Normal game | First to 21 wins (21–19 or better) |
| 20–20 (deuce) | Play on until one side leads by 2: 22–20, 25–23… |
| 29–29 | The 30th point wins: 30–29 is the highest possible score |
| Next game | The winner of a game serves first in the next one |
| Intervals | Up to 60 s when the leading score reaches 11; up to 2 minutes between games |
| Change of ends | After game 1, after game 2, and in game 3 when a side first reaches 11 |
The full explanation, with examples, is in how badminton scoring works. If you want to keep score on paper instead, print a badminton score sheet.
The new 3×15 scoring format
In April 2026 BWF members voted to move to games of 15 points (best of three), taking effect on 4 January 2027. From 14-all a side needs a two-point lead, and at 20-all the next point wins, so 21–20 is the highest score. The mid-game interval and the deciding-game change of ends move to 8 points. The 21-point system stays allowed by prior arrangement, and club and league competitions follow their own organisers, so check before you play. The score keeper offers both: pick 21 points (current) or 15 points (BWF from Jan 2027) when you set up the match. Our guide to badminton scoring compares the two systems.
Which service court? The badminton scoreboard rule that confuses everyone
The server's own score decides the court. Even score (0, 2, 4…): serve from the right. Odd score: serve from the left. The serve always goes diagonally, so the receiver stands in the opposite right or left court. In singles that is the whole rule: when you win a point on your serve, you simply move to the other court and serve again. The scoreboard shows the court under the serving side and draws it on the mini court diagram.
The doubles serving rule
Doubles uses the same even-right, odd-left rule for the serving side's score, plus one extra (BWF Law 11): players only swap service courts when their side wins a point on its own serve. When the receiving side wins the rally, it takes the serve and nobody moves. Whoever is standing in the right court (for an even score) or the left court (for an odd score) serves. That is why the server is not always the player who served last time.
There is no “first server” and “second server” any more, and no service over. Each side has one serve, and it passes back and forth with the rallies. Step through it slowly with the interactive doubles serving order guide, or read the doubles rules and the serve rules for what makes a legal serve.
Tips for keeping score courtside
- Call the score before every serve, server's score first: “7–4”. It settles disagreements before they start.
- Use the courtside mode on a tablet or a phone propped on a bench so both sides can see it.
- Match the screen to the court. The panels swap automatically when the players change ends; if your view is the other way round, tap Swap sides once.
- Undo, don't argue. If a point was given to the wrong side, undo it and re-enter it. Everything after re-calculates, including the server and court.
- Running a club night? Pair this with the round robin generator or the King of the Court rotation tool.
Frequently asked questions
How do you keep score in badminton?
Every rally scores a point for the side that wins it. A game is won by the first side to 21 points with a lead of at least two; at 29-all the 30th point wins. A match is the best of three games, and the winner of a game serves first in the next game.
What happens at 20-20 in badminton?
At 20-all the game continues until one side leads by two points, for example 22-20 or 24-22. If it reaches 29-all, the side that wins the next point wins the game 30-29.
Which side do you serve from in badminton?
From the right service court when the server's score is even (including 0) and from the left when it is odd. The serve goes diagonally to the opponent's corresponding court. In doubles the serving side's score decides it.
When do players change ends in badminton?
At the end of the first game, at the end of the second game if there is a third, and in the third game when the leading side first reaches 11 points. The score keeper reminds you each time and swaps the screen to match.
Does this badminton scoreboard work offline?
Yes. Once the page has loaded, scoring runs entirely in your browser and the match is saved in local storage, so it survives a refresh or a lost connection. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Is badminton changing to 15-point games?
BWF members approved a 3x15 format in April 2026, taking effect on 4 January 2027: best of three games to 15, a two-point lead needed from 14-all, and 21 points wins at 20-all. The 21-point system remains allowed by prior arrangement and many local leagues will keep it, so the score keeper supports both.
Stop guessing. Start seeing.
Rather not tap at all? Badminton Sensei traces every shuttle, clocks your smashes, calls the lines and keeps the score, all on your iPhone.
Coming soon to theApp StoreFree · iPhone with iOS 26 or later- On-device AICore ML tracking, nothing uploaded
- No account, no adsEvery feature, every match, free
- Works with no signalAny gym, any court