You are running a functional fitness competition or a hybrid race, and you are looking for the tool that handles it all: registrations, payments, scoring and broadcast on the day. Circle21 is a UK platform aimed at CrossFit and functional fitness events, with an app built for athletes, judges and spectators. Throwdown is built for event day, from heat planning to the live ranking, with professional chip timing as an option. Here is what you need to choose.
Price: what you really pay
Both platforms charge on registration sales, with no monthly subscription. We take 3% + 1.50 € per registration. Circle21 offers a free Starter plan for clubs running a one-off event, a free Supportive plan for charity competitions, and a Professional plan charged at 4% + 1.50 € per transaction for organizations that want advanced stats, unlimited messaging and priority support. On both platforms, Stripe's processing fees come on top of the platform commission (around 1.5% + 0.30 € per European card on Circle21's side). One caution: Circle21's pricing page shows "4% +1.5" with no explicit currency symbol next to the fixed amount. The rest of their page uses euros for the Stripe fees, which is why we settle on 1.50 € by inference, but it is not spelled out on their own site. Check directly with them if this exact gap matters for your decision.
The comparison
| Throwdown | Circle21 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Commission per paid registration | 3% + 1.50 € | 4% + 1.50 € |
| Free registration | 0% | 0% (Starter plan) |
| Charity competition | 0% | 0% (Supportive plan) |
| No subscription | ||
| On the day | ||
| Online registrations and ticketing | ||
| Drag-and-drop heat generation | ||
| Automatic ranking | ||
| QR code check-in | ||
| Professional chip timing | Add-on | Not disclosed |
| Athlete and judge side | ||
| iOS and Android app | ||
| Judges with no account to create | Magic link | Not disclosed |
| Built-in video for online qualifiers | ||
| Broadcast screens for spectators | ||
Competitor pricing and features taken from their public pages on September 1, 2026. Rows marked "Not disclosed" are not publicly documented to date, feel free to check with the provider.
Professional chip timing
If you want to run a hybrid race, you want reliable times without a manual stopwatch. We offer a professional timing system: velcro transponders on the athletes and a sensor system at the finish, rented for the weekend. The time flows automatically into the ranking, and your athletes get an experience close to an official race.
“So far everything is perfect. Can't wait to celebrate the Liège Throwdown anniversary alongside Throwdown.”
Pierre, competition founder
Liège Throwdown
10th
Liège Throwdown edition
Frequently asked questions
- You create your competition on Throwdown in minutes and open your registrations right here. If some athletes are already signed up, you can enter those registrations by hand. Our team can help you bring them over.
- It is not documented on their site to date. On Throwdown, it is an add-on rented for the weekend, velcro transponders and finish-line sensor included.
- Their pricing page shows "4% +1.5" with no currency symbol. The Stripe fees right below it are in euros, which strongly suggests 1.50 €, but it is not explicitly stated on their side. Check directly with them if this gap matters to you.
- Yes: solo, pairs, teams, mixed divisions, as many divisions as you want, each with its own standards and price.
