You want early access
You want a chance to try it before it becomes available to the general public and you're excited to discover its potential before others.
Prototype, playtest, and perfect your board game.
Board Game Lab is the prototyping and playtesting tool built for board game designers, by the team behind Ticket to Ride and Small World.
By the team behind
Ticket to Ride
Small WorldAdvised by
Bruno Cathala
Award-winning board game designer
From idea to table-ready prototype.
Four steps. Just the parts of game design you actually want to do.
Lay out cards, type, and art, with your game's logic baked in.
Your game keeps up with your ideas.
Change one value, fix the whole deck
Cards reference named values, not typed-in numbers. Retune one and every card carrying it updates.
Test tonight, not next weekend
Deal the deck and play it in the browser with your group. No printing or cutting between iterations.
The export is not a second project
Bleeds, cut marks and backs come out right the first time. What you playtest is what you print.
Reality Check: Early Access Edition.
Early Access is NOT for everyone. If you decide to purchase our software in early access, it's because:
A
You accept bugs
You understand that it's an early version, subject to bugs and are willing to accept the inevitable frustrations that come with it.
You shape what's next
You want a direct line to the team and a real say in where the tool goes.
One year of Board Game Lab.
Everything below is included for a year, in any browser on PC or Mac.
$36/ year
Yearly subscription — cancel in one click, no questions asked.
Secure checkout by Stripe — Instant access, nothing to install
What the year includes
Web app
Any browser, on PC or Mac.
Weekly updates
Every build we ship, for twelve months.
Online playtesting
Play with your group in the click of a button.
Print-ready exports
Bleeds, cut marks and proper card backs.
A direct line to the team
Dedicated Discord server, with the people building it.
Early access means bugs, and rough edges you will find before we do. You are buying into the adventure, not a finished tool.
Read the early-access termsThe fine print, in plain language.
Bugs happen. We fix them fast.
Early access means occasional issues, but our team is committed to rapid fixes.
The roadmap is public.
Accepted requests move through Suggested, Building and Shipped, in public.
Ask for what you need.
Post a request, watch it gather votes, and get a real answer either way.
$36/year. Cancel in one click.
No questions asked, no hidden fees, and no email to write.
Get started
Take a seat at the table.
Early access means rough edges, weekly updates, and a direct line to the people building it.
The things designers ask first.
If your question isn't here, the team answers directly on Discord.
What is Board Game Lab?
Board Game Lab is a browser-based tool for designing and playtesting board games. You build your cards, boards and tokens, deal them onto a virtual table, and play a real session with your group online — then export print-ready files when the design is settled.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Board Game Lab runs entirely in your browser on a PC or Mac, so there is nothing to download, no plugin, and no setup. You sign in and your projects are there.
Can I use Board Game Lab on a tablet or phone?
It is designed for a computer — PC or Mac — in any modern browser. Tablets and phones are not supported. You can still buy on a phone; you will need a computer to use it.
How much does it cost, and can I cancel?
Early Access is $36 USD or €36 EUR for one year, billed once at checkout. You can cancel in one click at any time, with no questions asked. There is no monthly plan and no free tier.
Can I playtest with other people? Do they need to pay?
Yes, and no. You can invite playtesters into a private playtest room for free — they do not need their own Board Game Lab subscription. Only the designer running the session needs one.
Who owns the games I create?
You do. Your designs, prototypes, card layouts, rules and artwork remain entirely your property. Board Game Lab takes only the limited licence needed to host and display your work so the platform can function — nothing more.
Can I print the prototype I tested?
Yes. Exports come print-ready with bleeds, cut marks and proper card backs, so the physical copy matches the version you playtested online rather than needing to be rebuilt by hand.
What does Early Access actually mean?
The tool is being built in the open and ships a new build every week. That means real bugs and rough edges you will find before we do. You are buying into the product as it develops, not a finished one.