WHAT IS CHEDDABOARDS?
CheddaBoards is a free, open-source gaming backend that gives you server-validated leaderboards with anti-cheat controls, cross-game player profiles, and hybrid authentication. With minimal backend maintenance.
Built on the Internet Computer (ICP). A global distributed compute platform that eliminates traditional server infrastructure. CheddaBoards runs on serverless compute, storing leaderboard data in a distributed database.
REST API works with any platform — Godot, Unity, Unreal, GameMaker, native mobile, web, or custom engines. Plus drop-in scripts for even faster integration.
SEE IT IN ACTION
CHEDZ VS THE GRATERS
A retro arcade game built with CheddaBoards. Try the leaderboards, achievements, and player profiles yourself. All powered by the SDK you can use!
🎮 PLAY NOW (FREE) →Real leaderboards • Built with CheddaBoards SDK
💰 PRICING
Start free, upgrade when you need player accounts and cross-game features.
Free
- ✓ 3 games
- ✓ 2 leaderboards per game
- ✓ Auth (web games only)
- ✓ Anti-cheat controls
- – No achievements
- – No player profiles
Plus
- ✓ 10 games
- ✓ Everything in Free
- ✓ Achievements
- ✓ Player profiles
- ✓ Player dashboard
- ✓ Analytics
🧮 WHY CAN WE PROMISE FREE FOREVER?
CheddaBoards runs on the Internet Computer — a global distributed compute network where costs are predictable and absurdly low.
No surprise bills when your game blows up. No "let's talk pricing" conversations.
Just math we can prove.
💸 Traditional Backend Services
- • Monthly costs scale with players
- • Free tiers have strict limits
- • Server maintenance required
- • Complex pricing, surprise bills
🧀 CheddaBoards
- ✓ Predictable pricing - no per-player costs
- ✓ Free tier with real features
- ✓ Zero maintenance
- ✓ No surprise costs
CORE FEATURES
Timed Leaderboards
Daily, weekly, and monthly competitions with automatic resets. Run seasons and events without writing backend code.
Server-Side Validation
Play sessions verify game duration. Per-game score caps reject impossible scores. All validation happens server-side.
Secure Leaderboards
Server-validated scores with configurable limits. Set max score, max streak, and absolute caps per game.
Hybrid Authentication
Internet Identity (passwordless), Google, or Apple. Players choose how to log in.
Cross-Game Profiles
One identity across all CheddaBoards games. Players keep their profile, stats, and reputation everywhere.
REST API First
Simple HTTP endpoints work with any engine. Plus drop-in scripts for Godot and Unity.
Play Session Tokens
Start a session when the game begins, validate duration on submit. Catches impossible speedruns automatically.
No DevOps Required
No servers to manage, no databases to maintain. Serverless infrastructure handles everything.
Achievements (Plus)
Unlock and persist achievements per player across sessions. Available on Plus tier.
Analytics (Alpha)
Track events and view daily summaries. More metrics coming soon.
Open Source
Full source code available. Self-host or contribute. No vendor lock-in.
🛡️ SCORE VALIDATION
Server-side validation. No client trust. Configure per game.
Score Caps
Set maximum score per submission. A puzzle game capped at 10,000? Any higher gets rejected automatically.
Play Sessions
Start a timer when gameplay begins. Server validates minimum duration before accepting scores. 60-second game? Must play at least 60 seconds.
Streak Limits
Cap combo multipliers and streak values. Reject submissions that exceed what's actually possible in your game.
All validation happens server-side. Hackers can't bypass it by modifying your game client.
Configure your limits in the developer dashboard — no code changes needed.
⚡ QUICK START
Register & Get API Key
Create an Internet Identity (~2 min), register your game, and generate your API key.
Get API Key →Make API Calls
Submit scores and fetch leaderboards with simple HTTP requests from any platform.
View Docs →Ship It
Deploy your game with persistent leaderboards. Works on web, desktop, and mobile.
See Example →API EXAMPLES
Submit Score (Any Platform)
POST https://api.cheddaboards.com/scores
// Headers
X-API-Key: your_api_key
Content-Type: application/json
// Body
{
"playerId": "player_001",
"score": 1500,
"streak": 5
}
Get Leaderboard (Any Platform)
GET https://api.cheddaboards.com/leaderboard
// Headers
X-API-Key: your_api_key
// Response
{
"entries": [
{ "rank": 1, "player": "..." },
{ "rank": 2, "player": "..." }
]
}
Works with any language or engine that can make HTTP requests! 🚀
🎮 Want even faster integration? Use our drop-in scripts for popular engines:
PERFECT FOR
Indie Game Developers
Build competitive online features without backend complexity or ongoing costs.
Game Jams & Prototypes
Add leaderboards to your jam game in minutes. Free forever.
Student Projects
Learn online game features without credit cards or infrastructure setup.
MVP Testing
Validate your game concept with real player data before scaling infrastructure.
❓ FAQ
🆓 Is the Free tier really free?
Yes! 3 games with 2 leaderboards each, forever free. Upgrade to Plus when you want achievements, player profiles, and more games.
🤔 What's the difference between Free and Plus?
Free gives you 2 leaderboards per game with auth (3 games max). Plus adds achievements, persistent player profiles, analytics, and up to 10 games.
🌐 How is this different from Firebase or PlayFab?
CheddaBoards has a real free tier, predictable pricing with no per-player costs, and is open source. Plus our cross-game profiles create network effects - something Firebase doesn't offer.
🔐 What is Internet Identity?
Passwordless authentication (like FaceID/TouchID for web). Takes ~2 minutes to create, no passwords to remember.
💻 Can I self-host?
Yes! The entire backend is open source. Deploy your own instance on ICP for full control.
🎮 What engines are supported?
The REST API works with anything that can make HTTP requests — Godot, Unity, Unreal, GameMaker, web, native mobile, custom engines. We also have drop-in scripts for Godot and Unity.
📅 Do you support daily/weekly leaderboards?
Yes! Every leaderboard includes daily, weekly, and monthly views with automatic resets. Perfect for competitions, seasons, and keeping players coming back.
🛡️ How does score validation work?
Three layers: (1) Per-game score caps reject impossible values, (2) Play session tokens verify minimum game duration, (3) Server-side validation — no client trust. Configure all limits in your dashboard.
⏱️ What are play sessions?
Call startPlaySession() when gameplay begins. When submitting a score, the server checks elapsed time. A 60-second game can't submit after 5 seconds. Simple but effective.
PLATFORM SUPPORT
REST API works with everything. Drop-in scripts for faster integration.
REST API
✅ ANY PLATFORM
HTTP requests
Full game template with leaderboards, achievements, and authentication ready to go
WORKS WITH ANY ENGINE
Any engine or platform that can make HTTP requests can use CheddaBoards. One API key, simple REST calls, instant leaderboards.
READY TO BUILD?
Join indie developers building games on serverless infrastructure. Without the complexity or cost.
💳 No credit card • ⚡ 5 minute setup • 🧀 3 free games forever
SUPPORT DEVELOPMENT
No VC. No investors. Just an indie dev building tools for indie devs. Your support goes directly into keeping CheddaBoards free and shipping new features.
☕ BUY ME A COFFEE100% goes to development. No shareholders here. 🙏