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Geeks Who Drink Alternative: Run Your Own Pub Quiz
Geeks Who Drink runs one of the best-known hosted pub quizzes in the country. If they don't serve your area, your venue isn't eligible, or you'd rather run trivia with your own staff, Pub Quiz Pro gives you a new ready-made game every week, phone answers and a live leaderboard on your TV for a flat monthly price.
Checked November 2026. Geeks Who Drink details come from its own website (links at the bottom). They don't publish venue prices, so ask them for a quote.
The short answer
Book Geeks Who Drink if
You want a trained quizmaster to show up every week, nobody on your staff wants the mic, and you have the budget for a full-service trivia company.
Use Pub Quiz Pro if
You have a bartender, manager or DJ who can run the mic, you want to pick your own night and themes, or a trivia company doesn't cover your town or your type of venue.
Geeks Who Drink vs. Pub Quiz Pro
| Geeks Who Drink (full service) | Pub Quiz Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | A trained quizmaster, the questions, promo material and a client manager. | The software: a ready-made game every week, the TV display, phone answers and scoring. You supply the host. |
| Price | Not published. You ask for a quote. | $45 a month, $35 for a one-week pass, or $250 a year. All 7 NSB games are $79 a month. |
| Who can book it | Weekly service is for public bars and restaurants in the US. Private clubs and nonprofits aren't eligible for it. | Any venue or host: bars, restaurants, clubs, churches, legion halls, nonprofits and DJs. |
| Length | About two hours. | 4 rounds of 15 questions, about 90 to 120 minutes with breaks. |
| Questions | Written by their team, including audio and video rounds. | A new 60-question game every Monday, an AI builder for any theme, or write your own (local questions too). |
| How teams answer | On phones, through their Digital Answer System. | On one phone per team, no app. Typed answers are auto-graded and forgive small typos. Printable answer sheets as a backup. |
| Game twists | Their house format, with theme quizzes for full-service clients. | A speed round with points that drain, a wager question, and Boss and Overdrive modes where teams attack each other. |
| Music rounds | Audio rounds are part of the quiz. | Add Name That Tune Pro (in the $79 Pro Hub): songs play and teams type the title. |
| Commitment | Ask them about terms. They aren't published. | Month to month. One-week passes never renew. |
What Geeks Who Drink does well
- A real quizmaster. Trained hosts run the room, so your staff doesn't have to.
- Polished questions. Two hours of rounds that include audio and video, with theme quizzes for full-service clients.
- Marketing help. Your quiz is listed on their website, and you get promo material and a client manager.
- A name people know. They run 900+ weekly events, so trivia regulars may already know the format.
If those things matter most and the price works for you, a hosted quiz is a good choice. Software can't hand you a seasoned host with a following.
Why venues look for an alternative
Not every venue qualifies
Their weekly service is for public bars and restaurants in the US. Private clubs and nonprofits are pointed to other options.
The bill comes every night
Trivia companies that publish their rates charge about $150 to $175 a night. Every week, that's $7,800 to $9,100 a year before prizes.
The same format every week
With your own software you can mix it up: a pub quiz one week, then a faster game like Quiz Blitz, Survey Showdown or music bingo the next (all in the $79 Pro Hub).
Your night, your themes
Want a round about your town, your team or your regulars? Type your own questions or have the AI builder write a themed game.
A year of weekly trivia
Geeks Who Drink doesn't publish venue prices, so this uses the published rates of another full-service company (Trivia Mafia) as a guide.
| Option | Per year |
|---|---|
| Hosted trivia at $150 a night, every week | $7,800 |
| Hosted trivia at $175 a night, every week | $9,100 |
| Pub Quiz Pro, paid monthly | $540 |
| Pub Quiz Pro, 1-year plan | $250 |
| All 7 NSB games, paid monthly | $948 |
The venue pays for prizes either way. If you run it yourself, add whatever you pay your host. Want to try your own numbers? Use the trivia cost calculator.
What running it yourself takes
- Gear you probably have: a laptop with Google Chrome, a TV (HDMI, Chromecast or AirPlay), your sound system and a microphone.
- Someone on the mic: a bartender, manager or DJ who's comfortable talking to the room. The built-in host script tells them what to say.
- About 10 minutes of setup: download this week's game, open the TV screen and let teams join with the room PIN.
- Prizes: a bar tab or gift card for first place works. You'd buy these with a trivia company too.
How to switch in 3 steps
- 1
Keep your night
If you're replacing a hosted quiz, keep the same night, start time and prizes so your teams keep coming.
- 2
Practice once with your staff
Start the 7-day free trial and run a few questions before opening. Turn on the practice question so everyone learns the buttons.
- 3
Tell people
Make a poster and social post with our free poster maker, and follow the Pub Quiz Pro host guide on the night.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Geeks Who Drink?
Running trivia yourself with software costs far less than a nightly fee. Pub Quiz Pro is $45 a month or $250 a year, and you supply the host and prizes.
Can a bartender host trivia?
Yes. The game runs on the TV, answers are graded automatically, and the built-in Rookie Host Survival Guide gives them a script to read. They just need to be comfortable on the mic.
Do players need to download an app?
No. Teams scan the QR code on the TV and play in their phone browser. Printable answer sheets are there for anyone without a phone.
Where do the questions come from?
A new ready-made 60-question game is added every Monday. You can also have the AI builder write a game on any theme in a couple of minutes, or type your own.
Can a nonprofit or private club use it?
Yes. Pub Quiz Pro works for any venue or event, including fundraisers, churches, legion halls and private clubs.
How long is a Pub Quiz Pro game?
4 rounds of 15 questions. With breaks for food and drink orders, a full night runs about 90 to 120 minutes.
Run your first trivia night this week
7-day free trial, no credit card, no contract. Questions? Text Shane, the DJ who built it.
More comparisons
Trivia company vs. software · Rockstar Bingo alternative · Trivia night software
Sources
- Geeks Who Drink: trivia for pub owners
- Geeks Who Drink: bring Geeks to your venue
- Geeks Who Drink FAQ
- Trivia Mafia: get trivia at your venue ($150 trial and $175 regular rates)
Geeks Who Drink is a trademark of its owner. NSB Games is not affiliated with Geeks Who Drink. All details were checked in November 2026.