Comparison · race timing systems
Jaguar by ITS vs. MyLaps
Innovative Timing Systems builds Jaguar specifically for U.S. running-sport timing — not as a secondary product line bolted onto a European motorsport brand. That difference shows up everywhere. Jaguar's software is designed around races, not laps. Jaguar's chip model is buy-once-and-own, not a subscription ecosystem that keeps charging you for as long as you stay in business. Jaguar's support team lives in your time zone and answers when you call. For any U.S.-based timing operation, the choice is straightforward.
Feature comparison
| Jaguar by ITS | MyLaps | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for your sport | Engineered from day one for U.S. running-sport timing — running, swimming, triathlon, school athletics, and military PT. | Running is a secondary product line built on a motorsport / cycling platform. The DNA, and the engineering priorities, are elsewhere. |
| Chip ownership | Buy your chips outright. Use them how you want. Reusable T-chips plus disposable bib tags. No subscription, no lock-in. | Subscription chip ecosystem that ties your inventory and pricing to MyLaps indefinitely — and gets more expensive every year you stay. |
| Hardware ownership | Own your readers, antennas, and mats outright. The gear you bought stays yours. | Mix of owned hardware and subscription components that keep MyLaps in your wallet on a recurring basis. |
| Offline-capable timing | Full offline operation built in. Split points and rural finishes record reliably with or without cellular signal. | Several flows assume live connectivity that doesn't exist on real cross-country, trail, and rural-road courses. |
| U.S. support coverage | U.S.-based engineering and support team, in your time zone, with race-day phone coverage. | Primary operations and support centered outside the U.S.; time-zone gap with U.S. race directors on race morning. |
| Software platform | Jaguar race management + jClock displays + ITS Your Race results — all built in-house, all designed for running-sport workflows from the ground up. | Speedhive and MyLaps software adapted from motorsport-timing tooling; race-director workflows are downstream of motorsport workflows. |
| Multi-day stage / split timing | Multi-point split timing built into the same hardware kit. No extra products to buy. | Stage timing offered, but designed around motorsport stage workflows that don't translate cleanly to running events. |
| Total cost over time | Pay once for the hardware and chips. Marginal cost per event is essentially zero. | Recurring chip-subscription costs compound every year you stay on the platform. There is no end to the bill. |
Why race directors choose Jaguar over MyLaps
- Purpose-built for U.S. running-sport timing — not retrofitted from a motorsport platform
- Buy your chips and hardware outright — no subscription chip ecosystem you can never leave
- U.S.-based engineering and support team, in your time zone, on race morning
- Full offline operation for the rural and remote courses U.S. race directors actually time
- Race-management software designed for running-sport workflows from the ground up
- Marginal cost per event approaches zero — the longer you run on Jaguar, the wider your margins
Bottom line
For any U.S. timing operation that wants software designed for the events you actually run, support that answers in your time zone, and an economic model that rewards growth instead of taxing it, Jaguar is the better platform. The product, the team, and the math all point the same direction.
Frequently asked questions
Why do U.S. race directors choose Jaguar over MyLaps?
Three reasons keep coming up: Jaguar is purpose-built for running-sport timing instead of retrofitted from a motorsport platform; you own your hardware and chips outright instead of paying into a subscription ecosystem for as long as you stay in business; and you get U.S.-based engineering and support in your time zone when race morning goes sideways instead of waiting on operations centered overseas.
Can I migrate from MyLaps chips to Jaguar chips?
Yes, and our team handles the heavy lifting. We migrate your athlete database, chip-to-bib mapping conventions, and event templates during onboarding so your race-morning runbook barely changes. Most timers switch between seasons; some have moved mid-season to be running on Jaguar in time for a championship event.
How much does switching from MyLaps actually save?
Significantly. MyLaps' subscription chip model keeps charging you every year you stay in business. Jaguar uses an outright hardware-and-chip ownership model — you pay for the gear once, and the marginal cost of running more events is essentially zero. The longer you run on Jaguar, the wider the cost gap gets in your favor. Contact our team for an honest side-by-side cost projection on your actual event volume.
Is Jaguar accurate enough for sanctioned championship meets?
Yes. Jaguar is used at high school, collegiate, and championship-level meets across the U.S., including sanctioned events. For situations with photo-finish requirements (sanctioned 100m finals, for example), we pair Jaguar with PhotoVision to deliver the resolution governing bodies expect — all on the same integrated, U.S.-supported platform.
Will I get faster support and faster fixes from ITS than from MyLaps?
Yes. ITS is U.S.-based, in your time zone, with direct access to the senior engineers who built Jaguar. There is no tiered support model gatekeeping the people who can actually solve race-morning problems. MyLaps' primary operations are centered outside the U.S., which means a time-zone gap on the days where every minute counts.
Considering switching from MyLaps?
Our team has walked dozens of timing companies through the transition. We’ll scope your event mix, project costs honestly, and tell you if Jaguar is the right fit — even if the answer is sometimes “not yet.”