Poker Hawk vs The Tournament Director
One Windows setup. Or a connected room.
Compare a configurable Windows tournament program with Poker Hawk’s native apps, player accounts and club tools. Start with the way you want to run your games.
Free single-table hosting · Players join free · Paid tools by plan
The short version
Choose around your setup.
The Tournament Director runs on Windows and offers extensive tournament configuration, local player and league data, and a one-time version 3 personal license. Its $49.99 personal license excludes commercial use; a commercial license costs $299.99 per year. Offline tournaments are supported after online activation, with periodic online license validation still required.
Poker Hawk brings native Mac, Windows, mobile and TV apps together with a shared club roster, player accounts and cloud-backed results. Basic hosts one table for free. Pro and Elite add more tables and advanced tools through a subscription.
A dedicated Windows setup and a one-time personal purchase may suit your game. If you want players to follow along in their own app and keep club activity together between events, explore Poker Hawk’s workflow below.
Explore Poker Hawk
See how it fits your game.
Open a feature for more detail. The full comparison below includes capabilities shared by both products.
A free player app
Follow the live clock, your assigned seat and the tournament payouts. Your account keeps your results and personal statistics between games.
Apps for the room display
Install Poker Hawk on Fire TV or Google TV, or use the browser display. Join the live tournament so the room follows the same blinds, breaks and payouts.
A club between game nights
Keep a member roster, schedule tournaments, collect RSVPs and share updates in the club feed. Give staff the permissions they need to help.
Leagues and seasons
Organize tournaments into seasons, choose a scoring preset or custom formula, and follow standings. Advanced hosting and scoring tools depend on your plan.
A clock that handles a dropped connection
The host clock keeps counting during a connection loss. Remote screens need connectivity for updates and resync after the connection returns; Poker Hawk is not a fully offline platform.
Results to keep and share
Review finished results and share a public tournament results link. Pro and Elite add results PDF, payout sheet and CSV exports for your records.
Select a feature to explore it. See which plan includes it.
Feature by feature
Poker Hawk and The Tournament Director.
The same comparison used on our homepage. The Tournament Director column checked 7 October 2026. Features and prices can change; use the sources below to check your requirements.
| Feature | Poker Hawk | The Tournament DirectorWindows desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Native Mac + Windows app | Included | Windows only |
| Native iOS + Android apps | Included | Not available |
| Installable TV app (Fire TV / Google TV) | Included | Not available |
| Offline tournament play | Partial | After license validation |
| Live clock on every player’s phone | Included | Not available |
| Real-time sync across every device | Included | Not available |
| Public results page, no account needed | Included | HTML export |
| Table balancing | Included | Included |
| Rebuys, re-entries, add-ons, bounties | Included | Included |
| Persistent club roster with roles | Included | Local database |
| League standings & points formulas | Included | Included |
| Club members self-register | Included | Not available |
| What a host pays | Free · from $14.99/mo | $49.99 once · $299.99/yr commercial |
| Free tier for hosts | Included | 30-day trial |
| Players never pay | Included | n/a |
Partial means that limits or conditions apply. Poker Hawk features vary by plan; compare plans.
Sources & comparison notes
We make Poker Hawk. This comparison uses published product information, not a claim to have tested every competing product. “Not listed” means we could not confirm a feature in the cited documentation.
- The Tournament Director: official website
- Tournament Director: personal and commercial pricing
- Tournament Director: activation and offline license requirements
Found something out of date? Tell us so we can correct it.
Questions
Details that help you decide.
Pricing, setup and practical differences.
Does The Tournament Director work offline?
Yes, after license validation. Its official FAQ requires internet for initial activation and periodic validation, typically every 30–120 days. Validate before traveling to a venue without internet. Poker Hawk keeps its host clock running through a drop, but its connected features need a network.
How do the prices compare?
The Tournament Director lists $49.99 for a version 3 personal license and $299.99 per year for commercial use. Check its licensing terms for your event. Poker Hawk Basic provides free single-table hosting; paid hosting starts at $14.99 per month. Compare the table capacity and tools you need, as well as the license price.
Can I import a Tournament Director event?
There is no automated Tournament Director file import. Recreate your blind levels, breaks and payout rules in Poker Hawk, then check them before your first event. Saving reusable blind structures and cloning tournament setups are available on Pro and Elite.
Can I keep my existing setup while evaluating Poker Hawk?
Yes. Use Poker Hawk’s sandbox to learn the controls, or test a separate practice tournament before changing the setup your group already knows. Basic does not require a paid subscription.
How does Founder pricing work?
Founder pricing belongs to your account. Every Poker Hawk account created during the founder era keeps founder prices on Pro and Elite for good — when you change plans, and even if you cancel and come back later. Playing is always free.
Keep exploring
Choose your next step.
Try your workflow
See how your next game could run.
Start with free Basic, use the sandbox, and explore the controls before bringing your group along.