Random Team Generator for Balanced Groups
By the DrawSage team · Updated · About
A random team generator splits a list you paste into groups whose sizes differ by at most one person. Use it for a class, a workshop, a game, or a club, in any month. It is not a random name picker, which reads one public name or an order. It is not a volunteer picker, which chooses who does a task. It is not a private name draw, which pairs each person with one partner.
How to split a list into teams
- Paste one person per line. A comma inside a name stays on that line. Exact duplicate lines are counted and removed.
- Choose a number of teams, or a target number of people per team. The preview shows the sizes before you draw.
- Add optional pairs who should not share a team. Write one pair per line, with one comma between the two names.
- Make teams. Every person is placed once. If the rules cannot fit, or the search stops, the page shows no teams.
- Copy the teams or download teams.txt. Both use the same text. Making teams does not upload the roster.
Team generator, name picker, volunteer picker, or name draw
| The job | Use | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Groups of nearly equal size | This page. A team count, or a target size per group. | Teams whose sizes differ by at most one |
| One public name, or an order | Random name picker. One shuffle. | The first name, or the full order |
| Who does a task | Volunteer picker. An opt-in list and a pass. | The next person, in the open |
| Who is matched with whom | Name draw. Private pairs. | One partner each, on a private link |
Balanced here means the headcount. It does not rank skill, and it does not create a public audit log.
What the sizes mean
If you ask for a number of teams, the list is split so the team sizes differ by at most one. Eight people into three teams becomes 3, 3, and 2. If you ask for a target size, the tool picks the nearest legal team count and then balances the same way. Ten people with a target of four becomes three teams of 4, 3, and 3.
A team of one person can happen when the count does not divide evenly, for example five people into four teams. The preview says so before you draw. The draw is still allowed. This is a headcount rule only. It does not balance skill, experience, or any other quality.
Separation rules, and what a failure means
A separation line keeps two named people off the same team. Names must match the list exactly, including capitals. A line with no comma, a name that is not on the list, a person paired with themselves, or a repeated pair is skipped and counted. More than 30 usable pairs is rejected. Extra pairs are not dropped in silence.
Some rule sets cannot fit the sizes. A triangle of three people who must all stay apart cannot fit two teams, and the page says that directly. Other rule sets are not proved either way before the search stops. That message is not a proof that the rules are impossible. In both cases the previous teams are cleared. You do not get a partial grouping.
Related guides
FAQ
Does this upload the names?
No. The list and the last teams stay in this browser so a refresh can restore them. There is no account, and another device does not receive the list. Clear saved data removes that copy from this browser.
Can two people be kept apart?
Yes. Add one pair per line, with a comma between the two names. If the rules cannot fit the team sizes, you get an explanation and no teams. If the search stops first, the page says the rules may be impossible. It does not present a guess as a finished grouping.
Will one team have a single person?
Sometimes. The sizes differ by at most one, so a remainder of one leaves a team of one. The line above the button says so before you draw.
Is this the same as a Secret Santa draw?
No. Secret Santa gives each person one private partner. This page only groups a list you already have. It does not create a draw, send a link, or store names on a server.
Can I copy the result?
Yes. Copy teams and Download teams.txt use the same text. If the browser blocks the clipboard, the text is shown on the page so you can select it.