Auction Budget Calculator
Work out the most you can bid right now without stranding yourself with roster slots you cannot fill.
Auction Budget Calculator
Your situation
The most you can bid
$186
15 slots still to fill, so $14 is held back for the other 14.
About the auction draft budget calculator
The rule that governs every auction draft is that you must keep at least the minimum bid in reserve for every roster slot you have not filled yet. With $200, a 15-man roster and a $1 minimum, your maximum bid on the very first player is not $200 — it is $186, because the other fourteen slots each need a dollar held back.
That single constraint is what stops an auction turning into a race to spend. It also means your maximum bid rises as your roster fills: the same $50 remaining is a $50 maximum bid if you have one slot left, but only a $36 maximum if you have fifteen. Most managers underestimate how much this changes late in a draft.
The live auction enforces this automatically — a bid above your affordable maximum is rejected before it reaches the board, so you cannot accidentally strand yourself. This calculator is the same function, exposed so you can plan before draft day.
Auction Budget Calculator questions
How much can I bid in an auction draft?
Your remaining budget minus the minimum bid for every roster slot you still have to fill after this one. With $100 left, 5 slots to fill and a $1 minimum, you can bid up to $96 on the current player — $1 each is held back for the other four.
What happens if I run out of money?
In a well-run auction you cannot, because the reserve is enforced on every bid. LiveDraft-It rejects a bid that would leave you unable to fill your roster, so the worst case is that you finish with minimum-price players rather than an illegal roster.
Is an auction better than a snake draft?
It is fairer and slower. Every manager can bid on every player, so nobody is locked out of the best name by draft position — but a twelve-team auction takes roughly twice as long as the equivalent snake draft. Hybrid formats auction the top names and snake the rest as a compromise.
How much does it cost?
$49, once. That is a LiveDraft Lifetime license: unlimited drafts, unlimited participants, every feature, forever. It is not a subscription and there are no per-draft or per-seat fees.
Do the people I invite have to pay?
No, and they never will. Everyone you invite plays free, forever. No seats, no per-player fees, no account upsell. Only the person running the draft needs a license, so a twelve-person league costs $49 in total.
Is it a subscription? Does it expire?
Neither. You pay once and the license is yours permanently — no renewals, no expiry, no card kept on file for later.
What features does the license include?
All of them. Every format (snake, standard, auction, hybrid), custom CSV datasets with unlimited rating columns, photos on the board, anonymous auction bidding, live chat, spectating, auto-pick, the template library, and priority support. There is no higher tier to buy.
Do I need to know how to code or use a spreadsheet?
No. Start from a ready-made template in one click, or upload a simple CSV. We provide a downloadable template with the columns already set up for you.
How many people can join a draft?
As many as your format needs. Invite friends by username, set the draft order, and everyone joins the live room from any device — no installs required.
What draft formats are supported?
Standard and snake drafts, budget auctions with anti-snipe and max bids, and a hybrid mode that auctions the top of your board before drafting the rest.
What happens if someone loses connection?
The clock is server-authoritative, so the draft stays in sync for everyone. Anyone who drops can reconnect and resume exactly where they left off, and optional auto-pick keeps things moving on the clock.
Can other people watch our draft?
Yes — flip on public spectating and anyone with the link can follow along pick by pick, live.
Other free tools
Then run the draft itself
These tools are the same maths the live engine runs. $49 once covers every draft you host, and everyone you invite plays free.