Sport Scoring SolutionsVolleyball scoring: the rules and free apps to keep score
Volleyball uses rally scoring, so a point is won on every rally, whichever team served. That makes the score easy to follow. Tracking rotations, the serving player and the sets is harder, especially when you are also refereeing. This guide covers the scoring rules for indoor and beach volleyball and shows which of our free apps fits your match.
Open the simple scorer Open the beach scorer
Watch: how to play volleyball
Indoor volleyball scoring
- A set is won by the first team to 25 points with a lead of at least two points. There is no cap, so 26–24 or 31–29 are possible.
- A match is usually best of five sets (first to three). Social leagues often play best of three.
- The deciding set (the 5th, or the 3rd in best of three) is played to 15 points, still with a two-point lead.
- Teams change ends after each set. In the deciding set they also change ends when the leading team reaches 8 points.
Serving and rotation
The team that wins a rally scores a point and serves next. When the receiving team wins a rally, this is called a side-out. They gain the serve and their players rotate one position clockwise. The player who moves from right-front to right-back becomes the new server. Getting the rotation wrong is the most common scoring mistake in social volleyball. The Advanced Volleyball Scorer keeps track of the six players on each side, including substitutions, so you can always check who should be serving.
Beach volleyball scoring
- Two players per team and rally scoring, as indoors.
- Matches are best of three sets. Sets 1 and 2 are played to 21 points, and a deciding third set to 15 points, all with a two-point lead.
- Teams switch sides every 7 points in sets 1 and 2 (for example at 4–3, 7–7 and 12–9) and every 5 points in the third set. This evens out wind and sun.
- There is no rotation of positions, but the two players must serve alternately. When a team wins back the serve, the partner of the player who served last serves next.
The Beach Volleyball Scorer uses 21 and 15 point sets by default (you can change both). It shows which player is due to serve and swaps the teams on screen between sets.
King of the Beach
King of the Beach (or Queen of the Beach) is a popular format for four players who want to play together but not in fixed pairs. Over three sets every player partners every other player once. Each player keeps the points their team scores, and the highest individual total wins. The King of the Beach app sets up the pairings, keeps the running totals and handles a play-off if there is a tie.
Which volleyball app should I use?
| App | Best for |
|---|---|
| Simple Volleyball Scorer | Fast set-up when you only need the score and the sets, for example in school matches or practice games. |
| Advanced Volleyball Scorer | League matches where you want named players, rotation tracking, substitutions and an optional match timer. |
| Beach Volleyball Scorer | Two-a-side beach or grass volleyball with alternating servers. |
| King of the Beach | Four players rotating partners in social sessions and mini-tournaments. |
Tips for scoring a volleyball match
- Agree on the format before the first serve: number of sets, points per set and whether the last set is shorter.
- Call the score out loud before each serve, serving team first, so both teams can spot a mistake straight away.
- If a point is added to the wrong team, use Undo straight away rather than correcting it later.
- Keep the phone or tablet in a sleeve or out of direct sun at the beach. The screen is easier to read and the battery lasts longer.
These notes summarise the commonly used FIVB rules for club and social play. For sanctioned competitions, follow the current official rules of your federation and event.