How to use the tally counter
Each card is one counter. Tap the large + to add, − to subtract, and click the number itself to type a value directly — useful when you are picking up a count from paper. The name at the top is editable: call it Adults, Row 14 or Cars northbound. Add counter gives you another card, up to 24, each with its own colour and a number key so you can switch between them without the mouse.
Under each counter, Step sets how much each tap adds (1 by default; 2, 10 or 0.5 work too) and Target adds a progress bar with a chime and vibration when you get there. Reset asks before zeroing a counter, Reset all in the toolbar zeroes every counter at once, and every reset, edit and deletion can be reversed with Undo — a single Undo brings back all the counters a Reset all cleared. On a phone with several counters, the step, target and reset controls fold away behind Step, target & more so more counters fit on the screen. Counts are saved to this browser as you go, so closing the tab or losing signal never loses your total.
Two switches in the toolbar change how counting behaves. Turn off Minus button for a pure clicker that only goes up — handy on a phone in a pocket where stray taps are likely. Allow below zero is off by default, so a counter stops at 0; turn it on for running balances such as people entering and leaving a room.
Keyboard shortcuts and full-screen counting
With the page focused you can count without looking at the screen:
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Space, +, ↑, Page Up | Add one step to the selected counter |
| −, ↓, Page Down | Subtract one step |
| Z or Ctrl+Z | Undo the last change |
| 1–9 | Select a counter |
| ← / → | Previous / next counter (reaches all 24) |
| R | Reset the selected counter (asks first) |
| F | Full screen on / off |
| N | New counter |
Clicking a toolbar button or tick-box with the mouse hands focus straight back to the counter, so Space keeps counting rather than pressing Undo or unticking an option again. Page Up and Page Down also add and subtract, so an ordinary wireless presentation clicker works as a tally button you can hold in your hand. Full screen shows one counter as large as the screen allows, with a huge plus pad and a smaller minus: tap anywhere on the number to add. On phones the screen is kept awake while it is open. iPhones don't let web pages go truly full screen, so there it becomes a full-window overlay that behaves the same way; add the page to your Home Screen to hide the browser bars too.
What people use a tally counter for
- Headcounts and capacity. Count people in and out on two counters, or allow below zero on one and use + for in and − for out. Set the target to your fire-safety limit and you'll be warned as you reach it.
- Traffic and wildlife surveys. One counter per vehicle class or species, colour-coded, with number keys to switch. The CSV log records the time of every tap, so you can later break the count into 15-minute intervals in a spreadsheet — the standard format for a manual traffic count.
- Knitting, crochet and exercise. Rows, rounds, reps and laps. Set a target for the pattern or the set and let the chime tell you when to stop.
- Classrooms and meetings. Tally votes, questions or filler words during a talk — pair it with the speech timer when you are the timekeeper and the ah-counter.
- Quality checks and stock. Count defects and good units on separate counters; the total across counters is always shown underneath.
If you need to count in timed blocks, run a stopwatch in another tab; for picking winners from a counted list, the random number generator is one click away.
Saving, exporting and the limits of a browser counter
Counts, names, steps, targets and the change log are stored in your browser's local storage on this device. They survive reloads, restarts and going offline, and nothing is sent to a server. The flip side is that they don't sync between devices, and clearing your browser's site data (or using a private window) removes them — export before you do.
Export CSV produces a file that opens directly in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets: first a summary with each counter's value, step and target, then every change with a UTC timestamp, your local time, the counter, the action, the change and the new value. Counter names that start with =, +, − or @ are prefixed with an apostrophe so a spreadsheet can't run them as formulas. Import CSV reads a file exported here, so you can carry on a count on another device. Copy totals puts a plain-text summary on your clipboard for a message or report.
The history keeps the most recent 100,000 changes individually for undo and export — enough for a full day's junction count. You are warned at 95,000; beyond 100,000 the oldest changes are rolled into a per-counter summary line in the CSV rather than silently dropped. Values are exact to nine decimal places, so a step of 0.1 tapped ten times shows 1, not 0.9999999, and the largest value is one quadrillion. Vibration works only in Chromium-based browsers on Android (Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet, Opera); Firefox removed web vibration in 2024 and iOS Safari has never allowed it, so there turn on Click sound for confirmation of each tap. Web pages can't read a phone's volume buttons, so the volume-key counting some apps offer isn't possible in a browser.
Frequently asked questions
Does the tally counter save my count if I close the page?
Yes. Every change is saved to your browser's local storage immediately, so closing the tab, restarting the browser or losing your connection keeps the count. It is stored on this device only; it won't appear on your phone if you counted on your laptop, and clearing site data or browsing privately will remove it. Use Export CSV for a permanent copy.
How do I undo a mistake?
Press Undo in the toolbar, or the Z key (Ctrl+Z also works when you're not typing in a box). Each press reverses one change — a tap, a typed value, a reset or even deleting a counter — working backwards through the history. The history panel shows every change with the time it happened, so you can see exactly what you are undoing.
Can I count in steps other than one?
Yes. Change the Step box under any counter to the amount each tap should add or subtract — 2 for pairs, 10 for bundles, 0.5 for half-units. Decimal steps are rounded carefully so repeated taps never produce values like 2.9999999. Each counter has its own step, and typing a value into the number itself ignores the step.
Can I use a keyboard or a clicker instead of tapping?
Yes. Space, plus and the up arrow add; minus, the down arrow and Backspace subtract; keys 1 to 9 or the left and right arrows pick a counter, and R resets it. Page Up and Page Down work too, so most wireless presentation remotes double as a handheld tally button. Phone volume buttons can't be read by web pages. Shortcuts are ignored while you type in a name or number field.
How do I stop the counter going below zero?
That is the default. With Allow below zero off, subtracting stops at 0 and a counter can never show a negative number. Turn it on when you need a running balance, such as people entering and leaving. If you never want to subtract at all, turn off Minus button and the minus buttons and shortcuts are disabled.
Why doesn't my phone vibrate when I tap?
Web vibration only works in Chromium-based browsers on Android — Chrome, Edge, Samsung Internet and Opera. Firefox removed it in 2024, and Safari and every other browser on iPhone and iPad block it for web pages. Also check that Vibrate is ticked and that your phone isn't in a battery-saving or do-not-disturb mode that disables haptics. Click sound gives audible feedback on any device.
How many taps does the history keep?
The last 100,000 changes are kept individually, with their times, for undo and CSV export. You get a warning at 95,000. After 100,000 the oldest changes are not thrown away silently: they are rolled into a per-counter summary that appears in the history and as summary rows in the CSV. For very long surveys, export every few hours and start a fresh history.