FTC Scouting Apps Compared: FTCScout vs Statbotics vs Spreadsheets
The teams that make deep playoff runs almost always share one habit: they scout with data, not gut feeling. Here's how the three tools most FTC teams actually use stack up, and how to combine them without drowning in tabs.
Why this comparison matters
Search interest for "FTC scout" and "FTCScout" has surged as competitive teams move away from paper pick lists. The tools are complementary, not competitive — each one covers a gap the others leave open.
FTCScout
Strengths — Free, region-aware match and team database with OPR, auto/teleop/endgame splits, and event browsing. Perfect for pre-event research on teams you'll actually meet.
Limits — Read-only — you can't add your own qualitative scouting notes, and there's no built-in pick-list workflow. Coverage depends on official match data being posted.
Best for — Pre-event research and quick match lookups from any phone in the pit.
Statbotics
Strengths — Strong Elo and EPA-style predictive metrics that estimate how much a team contributes above average. Great for spotting under-ranked partners before selection.
Limits — Numbers are aggregated across events, so a team that just made a big fix looks the same as one that peaked in October. Pair it with fresh in-person observations.
Best for — Sharpening your first- and second-round pick list with predictive scoring.
Custom spreadsheet
Strengths — Every field is yours: cycle times, penalties per match, endgame reliability, whatever wins your season's game. Shared Google Sheets keep the whole team in sync.
Limits — You maintain it. Broken formulas, inconsistent scouts, and messy data can quietly poison your picks. Standardize inputs and lock the sheet before finals.
Best for — Capturing the qualitative details that public databases miss.
A stack that actually works
Start pre-event on FTCScout to know who's at your event. Layer Statbotics on top to rank potential partners by predictive performance. Then use a shared spreadsheet on Saturday to capture the details neither database sees: driver consistency, endgame reliability, and how a team responds to a bad match.
Train the mindset on MECH
Data-driven scouting rewards the same thinking MECH's Arena and Elo system are built around — measure, iterate, climb. If you want to practice reading matches and making calls under pressure, the Arena is a low-stakes place to sharpen the instinct.
Related reading: The Complete FTC Scouting Guide.