Debatekeeper – debate timer
September 23, 2025
More About Debatekeeper – debate timer
You can also write your own debate format (style) in XML for the app to use—see the app wiki at https://github.com/czlee/debatekeeper/wiki for details. Submissions to the online formats repository are welcome: https://github.com/czlee/debatekeeper-formats
Debatekeeper is also highly configurable with things like overtime bells and the preparation timer.
(Debatekeeper does not support the American policy, public forum or Lincoln-Douglas styles, because it doesn't support prep time between speeches distributed at teams' election, sorry.)
Advice for adjudicators: It can pay to make sure your debaters (a) know what the bell sounds like, so they don't think you just got a text message and (b) can hear the bell. It's normally loud enough in classrooms, but not lecture theatres; in those rooms you can use the vibrate/flash screen functions to remind you to clap.
Latest Version
September 23, 2025
Chuan-Zheng Lee
Tools
Android
100,424
Free
net.czlee.debatekeeper
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User Reviews
A Google user
8 years ago
good
A Google user
8 years ago
Very nice I like it
A Google user
8 years ago
Simple, Awesome, Effective.
A Google user
7 years ago
Could you make the bell louder, pls?:)
A Google user
7 years ago
As an exec of my own Canadian debate society, this app is incredible! It contains every style and variation I'd ever need! It's a must have for any serious debater /judge!
A Google user
6 years ago
wasy to use!!!
Kobetji Madike
4 years ago
Can we expect any update on 2021?
Micah Mukhwana Namunyu
1 year ago
Very efficient in BP debates, helpful to judges in judging the motions
A Google user
6 years ago
great app for debaters
A Google user
6 years ago
It helps me so much...
Alowolodu Emmanuel
3 years ago
Absolutely useful in my debates
Adeotan Kemisola
3 years ago
It make work for students easy
A Google user
6 years ago
Very Helpful. Really put me on track and I'm definitely anxious without this
A Google user
6 years ago
Saved a lot of hassle when adjudicating.
A Google user
7 years ago
Perfect for University debaters and judges, allows you to focus on the speech and not set a manual stopwatche
Praise Udeh
2 years ago
It's such a great app. Easy to use, has many features and can accommodate many debating formats.
Matt Reichmann
9 months ago
Works great, would really like to have a galaxy watch app to go with it, so that it buzzes on my wrist. ^-^
A Google user
7 years ago
The biggest problem is the lack of inclusion of all debate forms. I know it has a custom form, but for all you from the US NSDA this does not have the forms that are used: no PF, Policy, LD etc. The UI is overall too complicated and a bit dated. Overall this may be a fine app, but if you are from the NSDA then it is not useful.
A Google user
7 years ago
Great app!!!! This is exactly what I was looking for and used it with great success in class today. Made a custom debate style for my format, it was easy, straight forward and quick. The github site was an excellent reference point for building the custom style. Thanks for developing this.
Mariano Laguzzi
4 years ago
It does what it needs to without any hiccups. The one feature I think would make this app perfect would be having the ability to set a custom format, so that if you're using a format that isn't supported, or maybe you're using reduced timing for an unofficial debate you would still be able to have a good experience with the app. A more pleasant looking UI would also be a nice touch, but it's certainly not something important, unlike what I mentioned above.
