Tally Counters

CROWD COUNTERS OR "TALLY COUNTERS" ARE SIMPLE, EASY TO USE DEVICES FOR COUNTING PEOPLE. THEY ARE AVAILABLE IN MECHANICAL, ELECTRONIC, OR APP-INTEGRATED VERSIONS

NEW FOR 2024

Mechanical Tally Counters

PEOPLE COUNTER CLICKERS, CROWD COUNTERS OR "TALLY COUNTERS" ARE SIMPLE, EASY TO USE HANDHELD CLICKER DEVICES FOR COUNTING PEOPLE. THEY ARE AVAILABLE IN MECHANICAL, ELECTRONIC, OR APP-INTEGRATED VERSIONS

High Durability Tally Counter

Made from high quality materials, such as aluminum, titanium, and molded composites.

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Mid-Durability Tally Counter

Silent, simple operation. Made to be waterproof, weatherproof. Inexpensive design.

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Low-Durability Tally Counter

Made from molded plastics. Designed to be weatherproof, and inexpensive.

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BOTTOM LINE: Mechanical Tally Counters

With a starting price of less than $20.00 each, mechanical counters are really cheap, and if you're a purist that prefers the mechanical action of these types of counters for attendance counting, then they provide an inexpensive people counting option that can satisfy most crowd counting requirements. However, their inability to integrate with other technologies comes at the cost of overall accuracy and efficiency, often requiring more man-hours to operate than wifi-enabled or app-integrated alternatives. Still, mechanical tally counters are still a widely used people counter clicker, here are the pros and cons:

The Good

The Bad

Simple, durable, weatherproof
Cannot decrement the count
Accurate mechanism
Cannot share count information
Low cost, easily replaceable
Requires manual reporting
No batteries required
Slightly slower than digital counters

Digital Tally Counters

Also a time-tested type of crowd counter, electronic or digital "tally counters" are also available in several different configurations. Like their mechanical counterparts, electronic handheld counters are designed to be held and operated using one hand. Often these counters will include a "loop" where a necklace or wrist strap can be attached to easily store the counter when not in use. For crowd management they are simple, reliable people counters with digital displays and multiple features.

Most electronic crowd counters utilize an LCD screen to display the count, this display typically contains 4 rows of numbers that can display a count from 0000 to 9999. Next to, or above or below the screen, there is typically a soft rubber button to advance the count. In case a mistake is made while counting, some models also include a button to decrement the count. In addition, many electronic counters also have a "reset" button or feature that allows the counter to be reset to zero. In some models, pressing the increment or decrement buttons also produce an audible "chirp," in order to provide the user with additional confirmation that the count has been incremented without the need to look directly at the display.

High Durability Tally Counter

Made from high quality materials, such as aluminum, titanium, and molded composites.

Make A Purchase

Mid-Durability Tally Counter

Silent, simple operation. Made to be waterproof, weatherproof. Inexpensive design.

Make A Purchase

Low-Durability Tally Counter

Made from molded plastics. Designed to be weatherproof, and inexpensive.

Make A Purchase

BOTTOM LINE: Digital Tally Counters

With a starting price of less than $10.00 each, the ability to increment and decrement the count, and their long battery life, electronic tally counters are a viable option for most people counting requirements. However, like mechanical counters, their inability to integrate with other technologies comes at the cost of overall accuracy and efficiency, often requiring more man-hours to operate than wifi-enabled or app-integrated alternatives. If you're looking into a digital clicker for your counting needs, here are some of the pros and cons: 

The Good

The Bad

Simple, durable, accurate
Uses non-standard batteries
Increment, decrement count
Cannot share count information
Low cost, easily replaceable
Requires manual reporting
Long battery life
No back-light for night usage

NEED A TALLY COUNTER?

Here is our recommended digital tally counter solutions

WIFI-Enabled Tally Counters

With a starting price of about $250.00 per device plus $50/month for service, wifi enabled counters are not on the cheaper end of the counter solution spectrum. These devices also require some setup using a cloud-based app which might be too much for some users. When deployed however, wifi enabled counters offer massive benefits for users by enabling real-time count updates across devices, and allowing for multiple zones with unique male/female counts. Despite their novelty, the high device replacement costs, need to recharge, and overly specific functionality might be more trouble than benefit for all but advanced users.

High Durability Tally Counter

Made from high quality materials, such as aluminum, titanium, and molded composites.

Make A Purchase

Mid-Durability Tally Counter

Silent, simple operation. Made to be waterproof, weatherproof. Inexpensive design.

Make A Purchase

Low-Durability Tally Counter

Made from molded plastics. Designed to be weatherproof, and inexpensive.

Make A Purchase

BOTTOM LINE: Wifi-Enabled Tally Counters

Wifi enabled handheld crowd counters combine the simplicity of the tally counter with modern features specifically designed for counting people and syncing with high-tech analytics. These devices consist of an LCD screen (usually color) that can be configured from cloud-based web application to display custom venue information, including being able to display count information on multiple rooms or sections within the same venue.

In addition to the display, wifi enabled crowd counters also utilize click-response buttons that make it easy for bouncers, hostess or ticketers to keep on top of busy lines. Some of these counters allow staff to not only increment and decrement the count, but keep track of male and female guests using 2 sets of increment and decrement buttons. Separate buttons for in and out, and male and female guests offers a more comprehensive counting solution for complex venues.

One of the most efficacious features of wifi enabled crowd counters is the ability to update the count across zones and counters. This is particularly important for venues with multiple entrances and exits, updating the counters in real-time allows door persons to remain at choke-points rather than having to leave periodically to count the entire venue.

The Good

The Bad

Track multiple zones,  men, women
Expensive for device and service
Light up screen for night viewing
Limited to venue wifi range
Update across devices in real-time
Cannot integrate with other tech
Rechargeable battery
Requires daily battery charging

Tally Counter Apps

These people counters are integrated into mobile applications in order to enhance their functionality.

Free Online Tally Counter

Great for a single-user, available free online for any mobile device, easy to use for any use-case.

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Male / Female Tally Counter

Easily track counts of males and females from any mobile device. Works on PC or Mobile, low cost.

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App-Integrated Tally Counter

All-in-one solution for crowd management. Manage queues, reservations, pre-orders and more.

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BOTTOM LINE: Tally Counter Mobile Apps

Unlike stand-alone people counters, app integrated crowd counters combine needed functionality of a specific app with people counting ability. Combining multiple functions into a single device makes the job of bouncers, hosts and door people easier as they don't have to switch between apps or devices to accomplish common functions.

Additionally, information recorded to the app by one user can be transmitted to other users instantaneously, a major advantage over analog or mechanical people counting devices. App integrated crowd counters can handle multiple zones, and can be modified in far greater ways than hardware-dependent people counting solutions like wifi enabled crowd counters.WAITN, the example app above, combines a waitlist application with a people counter, two things thats are used simultaneously at busy venues.

The combination of a real-time counting solution and a waitlist means that bouncers and host staff can "page" customers on the waitlist as soon as they receive real-time updates about the count. Putting the waitlist input form and the count in the same place means that users don't need to click, swipe or browse to add a another person to the waitlist or update the count, saving valuable time at critical moments.WAITN also enables users to integrate their zones with sensor or camera based people counting solutions.

Unlike manual counting, where a human one-by-one counts the people in a space, sensor or camera based counting solutions use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to constantly update the count in real-time. With a sensor-based system in place, a venue can maintain accurate real-time counts without the need for a critical employee to take the time to manually count individuals. This significantly improves labor cost while optimizing host staff for customer service.

With startup and monthly costs similar to or less than wifi enabled counters, app-integrated crowd counters offer far more functionality, including "future proofing" with the ability to customize and modify the application for a venue's needs. If you're operating a complex venue that often has a long wait, especially a long line, using an app-integrated people counter with waitlist functionality can combine two vital functions, effectively saving your staff time while making customer service more efficient. Moreover, the ability to update the count via a web API, thus enabling the app to update its zone count from external sources like people counting cameras or sensors make crowd-management even more efficient. When employees no longer need to perform manual counts of a venue, they are free to return to customer service, ensuring that waits are as short and efficient as possible. 

The Good

The Bad

Value-add, combines functions into one application
Upfront setup costs and monthly fees
Increment, decrement count
Mobile device not included
Fully customizable for  venue
May require agency training and support
Real-time updates / sync across devices
Requires agency for modifications

WAITN saves the only thing money can't buy - time. Start giving your customers their time back, and they will thank you for it.

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