[COMPARISON]
PulseRoster vs FiveRoster
Both tools manage FiveM rosters. The difference comes down to how much flexibility you need, whether you want enterprise features like white-label and an API, and how generous the free tier is for your department setup.
Here's an honest side-by-side so you can pick the right fit.
The short version
Pick PulseRoster if
- • You want to customize everything — rank structures, badge formats, callsign formats, custom fields per member, display name templates, custom community roles, staff permission sets
- • You want roster modes you control: slot-based, member-based, or hybrid per department
- • You want a free tier that covers multiple departments, not just 2 rosters
- • You need white-label, custom domain, or API access eventually
- • You run police + EMS + civilian departments and want real separation
- • You want audit logs that actually retain history (up to unlimited on Pro)
Pick FiveRoster if
- • You specifically want their in-game MDT tablet script inside FiveM
- • You prefer paying through Patreon instead of card/Stripe
- • Enterprise features (API, white-label, custom domain) aren't on your roadmap
- • Saving $1/mo at the entry paid tier matters more than deep customization
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | PulseRoster | FiveRoster |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Free Tier | 3 depts, 25 members | 2 rosters, 3 docs |
| Entry Paid Plan | $6.99/mo (Standard) | $5.99/mo (Premium) |
| Enterprise Tier | $19.99/mo (Professional) | |
| Annual Discount Option | Coming soon | Patreon-based |
| Roster Management | ||
| Multi-Department Support | Up to 10 (Std) / Unlimited (Pro) | Up to 2 (Free) / Unlimited (Paid) |
| Custom Rank Structures | ||
| Subdivisions (SWAT, K9, etc.) | Unlimited on Std/Pro | Limited |
| Certifications System | ||
| Custom Fields Per Department | 5 (Std) / Unlimited (Pro) | Limited |
| Public Roster Page | Themed pages | |
| Discord Integration | ||
| Discord OAuth Login | ||
| Automatic Role Sync | ||
| Webhook Notifications | 5 types (Std) / All (Pro) | |
| Bot Slash Commands | ||
| Activity & Compliance | ||
| Activity Hour Tracking | ||
| Rank-Based Activity Requirements | Partial | |
| LOA Request & Approval Flow | Automated | |
| Auto-Activate / Auto-Complete LOAs | Manual | |
| Disciplinary / Strike System | ||
| Appeals Workflow | Partial | |
| Audit Log Retention | 7d / 90d / Unlimited | 30 days |
| Documentation | ||
| SOP / Knowledge Base | 25 docs (Std) / Unlimited (Pro) | 3 docs (Free) / Unlimited (Paid) |
| .docx Import | Pro tier | |
| View Analytics on Docs | Pro tier | |
| Required Reading Tracking | ||
| Enterprise & Customization | ||
| White-Label Branding | Pro tier | |
| Custom Domain | Pro tier | |
| Full API Access | Pro tier | |
| Priority Support | Pro tier | Paid tier |
| Platform Support | ||
| FiveM (QBCore, ESX, QBox, RedM) | Purpose-built | |
| Roblox | ||
| Arma / DayZ | ||
| Any Discord-based community | Limited | |
How the pricing actually stacks up
PulseRoster
FiveRoster
FiveRoster wins on price by $1/mo. PulseRoster wins on customization — you control the rank structure, badge format, callsign format, custom fields, staff permission sets, and display name templates per department. We also add a Professional tier with white-label branding, custom domain, and full API access — capabilities that typically run $50+/mo in adjacent SaaS categories.
Which free tier covers your server?
This is where most FiveM servers make their choice. If you're running police + EMS + civilian or a single department with a handful of subdivisions, PulseRoster's free tier maps to real FiveM department structures. FiveRoster's 2-roster limit works for small single-department setups but breaks down quickly for multi-agency servers.
- 3 departments on PulseRoster Free means LSPD + BCSO + EMS out of the gate — most state roleplay servers fit here.
- 2 subdivisions per department lets you do SWAT + K9 under LSPD without paying.
- 25 members total — enough to bootstrap a real community before you upgrade.
- Discord OAuth + role sync included on Free — not gated behind a paid tier.
Where PulseRoster pulls ahead: total customization
FiveRoster works out of the box with a fixed structure. PulseRoster lets you shape every piece of your roster to match how your community actually operates.
Rank structures
Define your own rank ladder per department — name, abbreviation, level, color, insignia, command-staff flag, and per-rank activity requirements.
Badge & callsign formats
Set the format string per department or subdivision: prefixes, padding, sequential numbering, or anything you can express as a template. Auto-suggested next values.
Custom fields per member
Add the fields your community actually tracks — phone, training tier, hire date, whatever. Choose who can edit them and whether they show on the roster.
Staff role builder
35 granular permissions across 7 categories. Build a "LOA Coordinator" or "Roster Manager" role with exactly the access they need — nothing more.
Display name templates
Click a preset or write your own template using {rank}, {name}, {callsign}, {badge} — applied everywhere members appear.
Roster modes
Slot-based (named positions with vacancies), member-based (open headcount), or hybrid (slots above a rank threshold) — your choice per department.
Application forms
Build your own application — short text, dropdowns, files, dates, sections — with conditional logic, scoped to community/department/subdivision, with your own review workflow.
Discord role mapping
Map every rank, subdivision, certification, and community role to a Discord role. Auto-match by name, or pick from a live picker. Roles sync automatically on changes.
White-label (Pro)
Custom domain, your own branding, your colors. The roster looks like your community's — not ours.
When FiveRoster is the better pick
We're not going to pretend PulseRoster wins every scenario. FiveRoster ships an in-game MDT tablet script that integrates directly with their rosters inside FiveM — if having roster lookups available on an in-game computer is critical to how your server runs, that's a real differentiator we don't match.
FiveRoster also bills through Patreon, which some communities prefer over card-on-file Stripe billing. And their entry paid tier is $1/mo cheaper than ours — if you don't need the customization or enterprise features we add, that gap is real.
Switching is straightforward
Export your current roster as CSV. Upload it to PulseRoster using the bulk import tool available on Standard and Professional. Reconnect your Discord server. Roles re-sync automatically. Most migrations take under 30 minutes.
Standard is $6.99/mo. Professional is $19.99/mo for unlimited departments, members, white-label, and full API access. Free tier available if you want to try before buying.
Common Questions
What is the main difference between PulseRoster and FiveRoster?
Which has a more generous free tier?
Can I switch from FiveRoster to PulseRoster?
Does PulseRoster support Roblox, Arma, or DayZ communities?
Try PulseRoster free
Free tier covers 3 departments and 25 members. No credit card required. Upgrade only if and when you need Standard or Professional features.