Tifolab vs Understat: six leagues of depth, or sixty of breadth.
Understat has great xG models but covers only 6 leagues. Tifolab covers 60+ competitions with xG/xA across 10 seasons, plus scouting tools Understat does not offer.
Practical answer
Keep Understat for shot-level research. Use Tifolab when the scope goes beyond 6 leagues.
Understat
- You are doing shot-level xG analysis for one of the 6 supported leagues.
- You need granular shot maps with per-shot xG values.
- You want the most transparent xG model documentation available.
Tifolab
- You need xG/xA data across 60+ competitions, not just 6 leagues.
- You want percentile radars, AI summaries, and scouting workflows built around the data.
- You need exportable visuals for reports, presentations, and social content.
Understat and Tifolab overlap on xG but diverge on scope and workflow. Understat goes deep on shot-level data for 6 leagues. Tifolab goes wide with scouting tools across 60+ competitions.
Understat pioneered accessible xG data. Tifolab builds a scouting workflow on top.
This page is for people who love Understat but need broader coverage or a more complete scouting surface.
Understat made xG data accessible to everyone before most platforms took it seriously. Shot maps, player xG timelines, and transparent model documentation set the standard for open football analytics.
The limitation is scope. Six leagues is enough for top-flight research but not for scouting across the Eredivisie, Liga Portugal, the Belgian Pro League, or any other competition outside the big five plus Russia. Tifolab covers those gaps with a scouting workflow Understat was never designed to provide.
xG model transparency
Tifolab
Public methodology page. Transparent about data sources and metric definitions.
Understat
Detailed xG model documentation. One of the most transparent xG implementations available.
Practical read
Understat has a slight edge on xG model documentation specifically.
League coverage
Tifolab
74+ competitions with xG/xA and per-90 metrics across all of them.
Understat
6 leagues only: Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, and RFPL.
Practical read
Tifolab covers 10x more competitions. For anything outside the top 6, Understat cannot help.
Shot maps
Tifolab
No shot maps in the current product. Focused on player-level statistical profiles.
Understat
Excellent interactive shot maps with xG values per shot for matches and players.
Practical read
Understat wins for granular shot-level analysis and shot map visualisation.
Scouting workflow
Tifolab
Search, filter by role presets, compare, shortlist, and export — one connected path.
Understat
Player and team pages. No scouting workflow, shortlisting, or comparison tools.
Practical read
Tifolab is designed for scouting decisions; Understat is designed for xG research.
Visual exports
Tifolab
Radar charts, scatter plots, and percentile cards — dark-theme, social-ready exports.
Understat
Interactive charts on-site. No built-in export layer for shareable graphics.
Practical read
Tifolab wins when output needs to be shared in reports or on social media.
Historical depth
Tifolab
10 seasons of historical data (2016/17 to 2025/26) across 60+ competitions.
Understat
Data from 2014/15 onward for supported leagues. Strong historical depth within its scope.
Practical read
Comparable depth in time, but Tifolab covers far more competitions per season.
Player profiles
Tifolab
Rich player profiles with per-90 metrics, percentile rankings, role presets, and AI summaries.
Understat
Player pages with season xG/xA totals and shot data. No percentile context or role analysis.
Practical read
Tifolab provides a much richer player assessment surface for scouting.
Price
Tifolab
Free tier with powerful tools. Pro at EUR 4.99/month.
Understat
Completely free. No paid tier.
Practical read
Both are free at the base level. Tifolab Pro adds workflow features at a low price.
Keep Understat if you need
- You are doing shot-level xG analysis for one of the 6 supported leagues.
- You need granular shot maps with per-shot xG values.
- You want the most transparent xG model documentation available.
Choose Tifolab if you need
- You need xG/xA data across 60+ competitions, not just 6 leagues.
- You want percentile radars, AI summaries, and scouting workflows built around the data.
- You need exportable visuals for reports, presentations, and social content.
Editorial CTA
Read the broader guide or move straight into the product.
The best pages here should earn the click instead of demanding it. If this comparison fits your job, the tools and methodology pages give you the next step without adding noise.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Tifolab an Understat alternative for xG?
- Tifolab reports expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA) per 90 alongside a broader scouting toolkit — percentile radars, comparison, and 51+ leagues — beyond Understat's xG-focused scope.
- Does Tifolab have xG data?
- Yes. Tifolab shows xG and xA per 90 with percentile context for each player's position and league, plus shot maps where available.
- Which competitions does Tifolab cover?
- Tifolab covers 74 competitions including 51 domestic leagues and the FIFA World Cup 2026, with seasons from 2022/23 to 2025/26.