Trivia Host Software for Quizmasters and Trivia Hosts
Hosting trivia is a performance, and scoring answer sheets, tracking the clock and tallying rounds get in the way of it. TVivia is free trivia host software that runs on the venue's TV while players answer on their phones, so you can focus on the crowd.
Tools that put the host in charge
| Feature | How hosts use it |
|---|---|
| Manual advance | Turn off Automatic host to move to the next question only when you press Next (N or →), so you can riff, read fun facts and build suspense. |
| Pause | Press Space to freeze the timer for announcements, sponsor shout-outs or a food run. |
| Host-only control | Only your screen can start, skip or restart the game. Players can't interfere from their phones. |
| Lock when time's up | Teams can discuss and change answers until the buzzer, just like paper answer sheets, but scored automatically. |
| Custom game length | Choose 1–10 rounds, 3–20 questions per round and 5–120 seconds per question. |
| Difficulty and categories | Choose Easy, Medium, Hard, Mixed or Easy → Hard, and pick which of the 33 categories to use, or let the room vote. |
| Scoring rules | Turn points by difficulty, speed bonuses, streak bonuses, a wrong-answer penalty and a double-points finale on or off. |
| Your own questions | Write custom rounds in the question builder or import them from a spreadsheet, then load them on the TV with a set code. |
| Tie-breakers | Closest number or sudden death for first place, run and displayed automatically. |
| Player management | Remove inappropriate team names from the lobby, and allow or block late joiners. |
| Announcer voice and sound | Optional text-to-speech reads each question, and sound effects play through the venue's speakers. |
A typical hosted night
- Before doors open, put TVivia on the main screen with the room code showing, and walk the tables through joining.
- Choose your format. Bar Night (6 × 10, 30 seconds) is a good default, and a fandom theme round makes a good closer.
- Run each round with manual advance: read the question aloud, let the clock run, then add colour during the reveal with the fun fact on screen.
- Use the between-round leaderboard to build rivalries and plug the bar's specials.
- Let the double-points finale and tie-breaker deliver a dramatic finish, then hand out prizes at the podium.
Why hosts like TVivia
- No scoring errors or disputes. Every answer is timestamped and scored instantly.
- A bigger crowd with no paper. Up to about 100 players or team phones in one game.
- Production value. Spotlights, a marquee board, animated scoreboards and a winner's podium make a small bar feel like a TV studio.
- Free to use, so there's no software fee to pass on to your venues.
Trivia host FAQ
Can I read the questions myself instead of the announcer voice?
Yes. The announcer voice is off by default. Leave it off and read each question yourself, using manual advance to control the pace.
Can I run multiple venues?
Yes. Each host screen creates its own game with its own room code.
Can I add my own questions?
Yes. Build your own rounds in the question builder. You can type them in, or paste them from Excel, Google Sheets or a CSV. Publish the set, enter its code on the TV, and choose the 📝 My Questions preset. Questions can play in the order you wrote them, and you can mix your sets with TVivia's built-in categories.
Does it work without a keyboard?
Yes. Use the on-screen controls, or set Host + VIP phone so a phone can start and advance the game.