League apps come in two types. Stats apps such as Mobalytics, Blitz, OP.GG and U.GG show builds, runes, tier lists and match history, and some add an overlay while you play. Training apps such as MOBA Trainer let you practice the decisions that win games, like when to recall, where to be before dragon and when to fight, on real game situations outside of ranked. Most players who want to improve use one of each: a stats app to set up the game, and a training app to get better at playing it.
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Stats apps and training apps side by side
| Stats apps | Training apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Mobalytics, Blitz, OP.GG, U.GG, Porofessor | MOBA Trainer |
| What they give you | Builds, runes, tier lists, counters, match history, player lookups | Game situations to solve, coach explanations, a step by step campaign |
| When you use them | In champion select, during the game, and after it | Between games, on your computer or phone |
| What they help with | Setting up the game: picks, items, runes | Playing the game: waves, vision, fights, objectives |
| How you learn | You read numbers and work out what to change | You choose a play, then see what strong players would do and why |
What stats apps do well
Stats apps collect data from millions of games. They tell you which champions are strong this patch, which items and runes win most, and which matchups are hard. Many import runes and items for you in champion select, so you never queue with the wrong setup.
They also show your own match history and, in some apps, scores for parts of your play. That makes it easy to see that something is wrong, for example that you die more than others in your role.
What stats apps can't do
A number tells you what happened, not what to do next time. Knowing that you die a lot before 15 minutes does not tell you which wave pulled you forward or where the jungler was.
Most lost games turn on decisions: a recall at the wrong time, a fight taken while a player is missing, a dragon set up too late. Those are skills, and skills improve with practice, not with more data.
What a training app does
A training app puts you in a real game moment and asks for the play. You see the map, pick what to do, and learn what strong players would do and why. Because it is a puzzle and not a live game, you can repeat the same decision many times in a few minutes.
MOBA Trainer is built this way. It covers 51 macro patterns in five groups (economy, vision, map movement, fighting and game state), each with a video explanation by a coach and puzzles to practice it. A campaign takes you through them in order.
What a training app can't do
MOBA Trainer does not import runes, show an overlay in your game or look up other players. It also can't play your games for you: you still need to bring the decisions into ranked.
For builds and counters, our own tier list and matchup pages are a good start, and a stats app adds more detail.
How to use both
Before the game, let a stats app or our tier list set your build and runes. After the game, find one moment that cost you: a death, a lost fight or a lost objective.
Then train that decision. If your deaths come from ganks, practice vision and jungle tracking. If your team throws leads, practice objective set-ups. A few minutes a day on one decision does more than reading another page of stats.
Pick the tool for the problem you have
If you lose champion select or queue with the wrong build, a stats app fixes that in seconds.
If you have the right build and still lose, the problem is decisions. That is what a training app is for.
Try a training app for free
MOBA Trainer has a free daily puzzle and a free first lesson. The full campaign is part of the Season Pass ($9.99 a month or $69.99 a year, no free trial). It runs on Windows and macOS, on iPhone and Android, in the browser, and as the Discord bot Moti, in 12 languages.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best app to improve at League of Legends?
- It depends on what holds you back. For builds, runes and counters, a stats app such as Mobalytics, Blitz, OP.GG or U.GG is the best tool. For decisions like waves, vision, fights and objectives, a training app such as MOBA Trainer lets you practice them outside of ranked. Many players use one of each.
- Do stats apps make you better at League?
- They help you set up each game well and show where you lose, which is useful. They don't train the decisions themselves. You get better at those by practicing them, in games or in a training app.
- Is there an app that teaches League macro?
- Yes. MOBA Trainer teaches macro with 51 patterns, each with a coach video and puzzles made from real game situations. The daily puzzle and the first lesson are free.
- Can I use MOBA Trainer and a stats app together?
- Yes. They do different jobs: the stats app helps you set up each game, and MOBA Trainer helps you practice the decisions between games.
- Is MOBA Trainer free?
- The daily puzzle and the first lesson are free. The full campaign is part of the Season Pass: $9.99 a month or $69.99 a year, with no free trial.