A touchpad timing alternative for club nights.
Touchpad and transponder timing is the standard for sanctioned meets, and it costs accordingly. Most club nights don't need that gear, and that's where EasyMeet fits.
Touchpad timing, in plain terms.
Touchpad and transponder systems, from brands like Colorado Time Systems, Omega, Daktronics and Seiko, put a sensor pad in each lane, wired or linked wirelessly to a console, and run by a trained operator. A single pad alone retails from roughly US$1,279 to US$1,672 at one US retailer, at time of writing, before the console and cabling. In Australia, hiring a full setup (for example through Timing Solutions' ResultsHQ) is quote-only. It suits sanctioned meets that need official qualifying times, where the cost and setup are justified by the result.
Touchpads compared with EasyMeet.
| EasyMeet | Touchpads | |
|---|---|---|
| Equipment to buy or hire | ||
| Per-pad cost | $0, uses the phones you already have | US$1,279 to US$1,672 per pad (one US retailer, at time of writing), before console and cabling |
| Trained operator needed | ||
| Setup time | Minutes | Hours |
| Produces sanctioned qualifying times | ||
| Australian hire pricing | Published, flat | Quote only |
Touchpads remain the right tool for sanctioned, qualifying meets.
This isn't a case against touchpads: for a meet that needs to produce official qualifying times, transponder timing run by trained officials is exactly the right tool, and EasyMeet's hand timing is not a substitute for it.
- A sanctioned meet needing official qualifying times
- Results already built around an electronic timing console
- A meet with a trained touchpad operator rostered on
A meet that needs official qualifying times.
Save the touchpads for the meets that need them.
- Use EasyMeet for club nights, time trials and carnivals
- Hire or borrow touchpads only for sanctioned meets
- Your first meet is free on any plan, with every feature and no card needed.
- No setup time lost packing cables or consoles for a club night
Touchpad alternative questions
How much do swimming touchpads cost?
A single touchpad alone, from a brand like Colorado Time Systems, retails at roughly US$1,279 to US$1,672 at one US retailer, at time of writing. That is one pad, before the console, cabling or wireless gear, and before a trained operator to run it. A full multi-lane system costs considerably more; we have not been able to confirm a reliable full-system figure, so we won't quote one.
What brands make touchpad or electronic timing systems?
Colorado Time Systems, Omega, Daktronics and Seiko all make touchpad or transponder timing systems used at swimming meets.
Can I hire electronic timing in Australia instead of buying it?
Yes, hire exists, for example through Timing Solutions' ResultsHQ, which can include an operator, wireless buttons, an electronic starting gun, live results and an Omega touchpad interface. Pricing is quote-only, so you would need to contact a hire company directly for a figure.
Is EasyMeet as accurate as touchpads?
No, and we would rather say that plainly. EasyMeet is hand timing done properly on synced phones, not transponder timing. It suits club nights, time trials and carnivals well, but a sanctioned meet needing official qualifying times still needs touchpad or transponder timing run under licensed officiating.
When do we actually need touchpads?
When a meet needs to produce official qualifying times under Swimming Australia rules. For the club nights, time trials and carnivals around those meets, a phone-based option like EasyMeet avoids the cost and setup time of touchpad hardware altogether.
See the full swim timing system page, the exact timing accuracy numbers, or browse every alternative side by side.
Colorado Time Systems, Omega, Daktronics and Seiko are trademarks of their respective owners. EasyMeet is not affiliated with any touchpad timing manufacturer.
Sources, checked October 2026
Leave the touchpads for the sanctioned meets.
Free for your first club night, nothing to hire.