CheddaBoards

Overview

CheddaBoards is a free, open-source backend for games that need competitive rankings, achievements, shared player identity, and authentication. It suits indie teams, game-jam entries, student projects, and MVPs that want hosted infrastructure without running a game server or database. Its main appeal is breadth at no cost; teams running high-stakes, prize-based competition should pair it with stronger anti-cheat systems.

The service runs on the Internet Computer and can be self-hosted. The backend and SDKs use the MIT license, giving developers a permissive option for adapting the stack or controlling deployment. CheddaTech Ltd, the UK studio behind it, was incorporated in July 2025.

Key features

Boards, seasons, and score checks

Daily and weekly boards reset automatically, while monthly and custom-interval boards cover longer or specialized competitions. Season management, historical results, and real-time updates support games that need both ongoing rankings and archives of past performance.

Server-side rules can apply per-game score caps, play-session duration checks, and streak limits. These controls are useful for filtering obviously implausible submissions, but they do not make a competitive game cheat-proof. CheddaBoards acknowledges that determined users may reverse-engineer its public API or operate bots that mimic realistic pacing, and recommends extra protections for ranked or prize-based PvP. It is therefore a sensible baseline for casual or developmental leaderboards, not a complete security strategy for esports.

Identity and integration

Players can begin anonymously and later link an account through Google or Apple sign-in using a short code. That flow lowers friction for first play while retaining a path to persistent identity and cross-game profiles.

Drop-in SDKs for Godot and Unity cover the two engines with the most direct integration. A REST API extends support to Unreal, GameMaker, Construct, native iOS and Android, web projects, and custom engines that can make HTTP requests. Developers can also record in-game events through API calls, making the backend useful beyond score submission.

Moderation and operations

The dashboard lets developers delete individual score entries or wipe a player from boards, with a deletion log for accountability. This is practical for correcting abuse or mistakes, though the published feature set does not describe automated moderation.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes three games per account, unlimited players, no per-player fees, season management, historical results, real-time updates, and API access. Extra game slots can be requested. There is no free trial because the product is already offered as a free plan, and no paid renewal term is stated.

Three games is generous for a prototype portfolio or a small studio testing several titles, while unlimited players avoids a per-user bill as a project grows. The cap becomes a planning issue for publishers managing more than three live games; requesting additional slots introduces an approval step rather than a predictable self-service upgrade. Teams that need a commercial support contract or defined service commitments should look beyond this single free tier.

Platforms

CheddaBoards supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, and self-hosted deployments. Its platform support also covers consoles and the Godot, Unity, Unreal, GameMaker, and Construct engines, plus native mobile and custom-engine integrations through the API or SDKs.

Who it's for

Choose CheddaBoards for an indie game, classroom project, game jam, or early MVP that needs rankings, identity, and event tracking without operating backend infrastructure. It is especially attractive when open-source licensing and self-hosting on the Internet Computer matter. A studio building serious ranked or prize-based PvP should treat it as one layer and add independent anti-cheat and abuse controls.

Pros and cons

• Pros: The free tier allows unlimited players with no per-player charges, which keeps experimentation and early launches inexpensive.
• Pros: Automatic board resets, seasons, historical results, and real-time updates cover both recurring contests and long-term progression.
• Pros: Anonymous-first play with Google and Apple account linking reduces sign-up friction while supporting persistent profiles.
• Pros: MIT-licensed backend and SDKs, plus self-hosting, give technically capable teams deployment control.
• Cons: One account is limited to three games unless extra slots are requested, which can constrain a larger portfolio.
• Cons: Public-API reverse engineering and realistic bots remain outside the score checks' protection, so high-stakes PvP needs additional defenses.

Alternatives

brainCloud is a better fit when you want a freemium backend with a free trial and published support options alongside its development plans.

Construct 3 suits individuals and hobbyists seeking a broader game-making tool with all features unlocked under its Personal License.

Metaplay is preferable when local development with a full SDK and local server, without hard local limits, is the priority.

AccelByte Gaming Services fits teams planning a managed gaming-services platform that can move from free building to usage-based public cloud or paid private cloud.

App42 Cloud API is an option for developers wanting a paid service with a free multiplayer-gaming tier and a stated two-million-message allowance.

Colyseus is the alternative when self-hosted open-source multiplayer servers with community support are more important than a leaderboard-focused backend.

Crux offers a free developer tier with published monthly active-user, API-call, request-rate, server, project, and environment limits for teams that need those quotas defined.

LEADR is worth considering for a free leaderboard service with a stated 10,000 monthly score submissions and basic anti-cheat, accepting its branding and community-support terms.

For a broader directory of comparable tools, see Game Leaderboard Software.

Verdict

CheddaBoards is a strong starting point for small teams and prototypes that need a no-cost, open-source leaderboard and identity backend across many engines. Pick it for its unlimited-player free tier, flexible board scheduling, and self-hosting path. Look elsewhere if your game depends on robust anti-cheat for ranked or prize competition, or if a portfolio larger than three games requires predictable scaling and formal service commitments.