PsTally vs Antamedia: which fits a console lounge?
Antamedia was built for the PC-cafe era and bolts console support on through smart-plug power control. PsTally was built inside a PlayStation lounge — it monitors the console itself over WiFi instead of cutting its power, and it speaks the language Kenyan lounges actually run on: M-Pesa, WhatsApp, and a tablet at the counter.
Antamedia is long-established Windows software for internet and gaming cafes. It is powerful for PC cafes and controls consoles by cutting their power through smart plugs (Tuya, TP-Link, Sonoff). It installs on a server PC and is bought as a one-time licence.
| Antamedia | PsTally | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | PC cafes, consoles added on | PS4, PS5 & Xbox console lounges |
| Console monitoring | Smart plugs cut the power | Network detection over WiFi — no hardware |
| Hardware to buy | Smart plugs + a Windows server PC | None — runs on a phone or tablet |
| Risk to consoles | Power-cutting can damage a console; easily bypassed by re-plugging | Never touches power; flags a console live with no session |
| Payments | Card / cash, no M-Pesa | M-Pesa and cash tracked per session |
| Shift reports | On the server dashboard | Sent to your WhatsApp on close |
| Setup | Windows install and configuration | Self-serve in the browser, live in under 30 min |
| Pricing | One-time licence (USD), per device | Ksh 500/mo + Ksh 350 per console |
| Tournaments | Not a focus | Built in and free, for lounges and home gamers |
- —You run a room full of gaming PCs and need deep PC-cafe controls (disk-less boot, game-library management, desktop lockdown).
- —You specifically want hardware that physically cuts power to a screen, and you accept the smart-plug hardware and bypass risk.
- —You prefer a one-time Windows licence over a monthly subscription.
- You run a console lounge (PS4, PS5, Xbox) rather than a PC cafe.
- You don't want to buy, wire, or babysit smart plugs — and you don't want to risk your consoles.
- You operate in Kenya or Africa and need M-Pesa records and WhatsApp shift reports.
- You want to be live tonight from a tablet, not after a Windows server setup.
Is PsTally a good Antamedia alternative for a console lounge?
Yes. Antamedia is built around PC cafes and smart-plug power control. PsTally is built for PS4, PS5 and Xbox lounges and monitors consoles over WiFi without any smart plugs or hardware on the console, with M-Pesa tracking and WhatsApp shift reports designed for Kenyan and African lounges.
Does PsTally need smart plugs like Antamedia?
No. PsTally detects when a console is active over your existing WiFi and flags any console running without an open session. It never cuts power, so there are no smart plugs to buy, nothing to rewire, and no risk of damaging a console.
See PsTally on your own consoles.
No smart plugs, no install. Sign up and go live in under 30 minutes — or try the live demo first.