By Georgiy Nurov, Founder of Playbox · Updated
Short answer
Playbox is an app built for exactly this: you create a weekly pickup football game once, share one link, and players sign up and pay online (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or wallet) or in cash at the pitch. It keeps the list and the waitlist, reminds players before kickoff and splits balanced teams. Creating an account is free; the organizer pays 7% per player, at least $0.30, only for games that actually took place.
What should the app do for a weekly game?
Most weekly games run on a group chat, a spreadsheet and someone chasing transfers. The app that replaces them should handle this:
- Sign-ups from one link, without making players install anything.
- Money before the game, or a clear record of who pays cash.
- A waitlist that fills the spot when someone drops out.
- The same game every week, without creating it by hand.
- Reminders, so people actually show up.
- Fair teams on the day.
Playbox covers each of these. Here is how.
How does it work on Playbox?
Create the game
How to set the pricePick the pitch on the map (or add yours), then set the kickoff time, format, number of players and price per player. The Checkout step shows your Playbox fee as you type the price, for example "Fee: $0.70 per player", before anything is published.
Share one link
Using Playbox with a Telegram chatPost the game link in the chat where your players already are. It opens in the browser or in Telegram, and players sign up in one tap without installing the app. Add the Playbox bot to your Telegram group and every game and sign-up change is posted there by itself.
Players sign up and pay
How to make everyone pay onlineYou decide how: online (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay or the Playbox wallet, paid at sign-up), cash at the pitch, or both. Cash players are marked as paid in the game, so you always see who still owes. To make everyone pay upfront, choose Only Online in Finance settings.
When the game is full, new players join the waitlist and get a free spot when someone drops out.
Repeat it every week
How recurring games workTurn on Repeat, and Playbox creates the next game on its own: 2 days ahead and published at 12:00 by default, announced in the chats you picked.
Reminders and match day
How balanced teams workAbout 2 hours before kickoff every signed-up player gets a reminder. On the day, Playbox splits the players into balanced teams by rating, and after the game you confirm the score so ratings and stats update.
Get paid
When you get the moneyOnline payments land in your Playbox wallet the morning after the game (about 10:00 your local time), minus the fee. Withdraw to a bank account or to Stripe, from $5 to $1000 per payout.
How much does Playbox cost?
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| Organizer account | Free |
| Paid pickup game | 7% of the price per player, at least $0.30 per player |
| Free game | $0.30 per player who played (games from 7 October 2026) |
| League match | $2 per match played, any format or ticket price |
| Cancelled game or empty slots | Nothing |
The fee is charged only after the game, from your Playbox wallet, once a day at about 10:00 your local time. Players who paid cash count too.
Example: splitting the pitch cost
Say the pitch costs $80 for the hour and 12 players sign up at $10. You collect $120. The Playbox fee is 7% of $10, so $0.70 per player and $8.40 in total. After paying the pitch, about $31.60 is left for you.
On a cheap game the minimum applies: at $3 per player, 7% is $0.21, so the fee is $0.30.
Set the price so it still covers the pitch if the game is only partly full. If you pay the venue upfront, plan that money yourself: online payments reach your wallet the morning after the game, not before.
Your players pay less too
Players who top up their Playbox wallet get a bonus on top: +2.5% from $30, +5% from $70 and +7.5% from $100. Paying for a game from the wallet takes another 5% off. Playbox covers that discount, so you still receive the full price of every spot.
Questions organizers ask
Is Playbox free for organizers?+
Creating an account and games is free. Playbox takes a fee per player only for games that actually took place: 7% of the price, at least $0.30 per player. League matches are $2 each.
Can players pay in cash?+
Yes. You choose cash, online or both. Cash players pay you at the pitch and you mark them as paid in the game. They count toward the fee like everyone else.
When do I get the money from online payments?+
The morning after the game, at about 10:00 your local time, online payments are credited to your Playbox wallet minus the fee. Nothing is available before the game is played.
Do players need to download the app?+
No. The game link works in the browser and in Telegram. Players create an account in one tap with Google, Apple or Telegram.
What if a player pays online and does not show up?+
If you do nothing, the payment stays yours like any paid spot. You can also mark him "Didn't show": his payment goes back to his Playbox wallet minus the fine you choose.
What happens if I cancel the game?+
You pay no fee. Online and wallet payments go back to the players' Playbox wallets automatically, and cash players get a cancellation notice.
Does it work with my WhatsApp or Telegram group?+
The game link works in any chat. In Telegram it goes further: add the Playbox bot to your group and every game and sign-up change is posted there, with a reminder before kickoff.