If you're tired of that same old player list in the top-right corner, coding a custom roblox leaderboard gui script is the easiest way to make your game look professional. Let's be honest, the default Roblox leaderboard is fine for basic stuff, but it doesn't always fit the vibe of a stylized simulator or a competitive fighting game. When you want your players to see who's at the top of the pack in a way that actually matches your UI, you've got to take things into your own hands.
Building your own leaderboard isn't just about making things look pretty, though. It's about control. You get to decide how players are sorted, what stats are highlighted, and even how many people show up on the screen at once. It sounds a bit intimidating if you're new to scripting, but once you break it down into the UI design and the backend logic, it's actually a fun project to tackle.
Why Step Away from the Default?
The standard "Leaderstats" system is great because it's built-in and works out of the box. But the biggest downside is the lack of customization. You can't change the font, you can't add icons easily, and you certainly can't animate it. By using a custom roblox leaderboard gui script, you can create a scrolling list that feels like a natural part of your game's world.
Imagine a pirate-themed game where the leaderboard looks like an old parchment scroll, or a sci-fi game where the rankings hover in a holographic blue window. That kind of polish is what separates a "front-page" game from something that looks like it was thrown together in ten minutes. Plus, it gives you the chance to highlight more than just numbers—you could show player avatars, clan tags, or even custom badges.
Setting Up the Visuals
Before you even touch a script, you need to have your GUI elements ready. In Roblox Studio, you'll generally want to start with a ScreenGui in StarterGui. Inside that, you'll need a Frame to act as your main container.
A common mistake I see people make is trying to hardcode every single player's slot. Don't do that! Instead, create a "Template" frame. This is a single row that represents one player's data (like their name, rank, and score). Keep this template hidden or stored inside the script, and you'll use your roblox leaderboard gui script to clone it for every player who joins the game.
Using a UIListLayout inside your main container is also a lifesaver. It automatically stacks your player rows on top of each other, so you don't have to manually calculate the Y-position for every single person on the list. Just make sure you set the sort order to "LayoutOrder" so you can move the top players to the top of the list by changing a single property.
The Core Logic of the Script
Now, let's talk about the actual scripting part. A good roblox leaderboard gui script usually operates on two fronts: the server-side to handle the data and the client-side to update the display.
On the server, you're still going to use the classic leaderstats folder because it's a reliable way to keep track of player values. However, the "magic" happens when the client (the player's computer) listens for changes in those values. You have a few choices here: you can either have the script refresh every few seconds, or you can use "Events" to update the board only when someone's score actually changes. The latter is much better for performance, especially if you have a full server of 30+ people.
Sorting the Players
The trickiest part for most people is the sorting. You don't want the list to just be a random jumble of names; you want the person with the most gold or the most kills at the very top. In Luau (Roblox's version of Lua), you can use table.sort.
You'll essentially grab all the players in the game, throw them into a table, and then run a sorting function that compares their stats. Once the table is sorted from highest to lowest, your roblox leaderboard gui script will loop through that table and update the LayoutOrder of the corresponding GUI frames. It's a bit like shuffling a deck of cards and then laying them out in order.
Making It Dynamic
A static leaderboard is okay, but a dynamic one is way better. You want the board to update in real-time. If "PlayerA" overtakes "PlayerB," you want to see their names swap positions right before your eyes.
To do this, your script needs to constantly monitor the player list. When someone joins, you add a new row. When someone leaves, you destroy their row. If you don't handle the "PlayerRemoving" event properly, you'll end up with "ghost" players stuck on your leaderboard, which is a really common bug that makes a game look unpolished.
Handling Large Servers
If you're making a game with huge server sizes, like a 100-player battle royale, you probably don't want a leaderboard that shows every single person. It would take up the whole screen! In this case, your roblox leaderboard gui script should probably only show the top 10 or 15 players.
You can achieve this by limiting the loop that creates the GUI frames. Or, you can add a "Local Player" row at the very bottom that stays fixed, showing the player's personal rank even if they aren't in the top 10. This keeps players motivated because they can see exactly how far they are from the leaders.
Adding Some Extra Polish
Once you've got the basic functionality down, it's time to make it look fancy. Since you're using a custom GUI, you have access to all the cool properties Roblox offers.
- Tweening: Don't just have the numbers jump from 100 to 110. Use
TweenServiceto make the numbers "roll" up or down. It feels much more satisfying. - Viewports: You can actually put a
ViewportFramein your leaderboard template to show a tiny 3D headshot of the player. It's a small detail, but it looks amazing. - Color Coding: Maybe the top three players get gold, silver, and bronze backgrounds for their rows. This immediately draws the eye and makes the competition feel more important.
Keeping Performance in Mind
One thing to watch out for is "lag." If your roblox leaderboard gui script is running a heavy sorting algorithm every single second, it might cause some frame drops on lower-end devices (like mobile phones).
The best way to optimize this is to only trigger a refresh when it's absolutely necessary. For example, if it's a game where points are earned slowly, refreshing every 5 or 10 seconds is plenty. If it's a fast-paced game, maybe refresh only when a player's score changes by a certain amount. Always remember that UI scripts run on the client, so if you're doing too much work there, it directly affects the player's FPS.
Wrapping Things Up
Creating a custom roblox leaderboard gui script is one of those projects that feels like a rite of passage for Roblox developers. It moves you away from the "cookie-cutter" look and gives you a chance to really show off your style.
It might take a few tries to get the sorting logic exactly right, and you'll probably run into a few bugs where the names don't update correctly at first. But don't let that discourage you. Once you see that leaderboard perfectly sorting players and updating in real-time with your custom animations, you'll realize it was worth the effort. It's these kinds of details that make players stick around and keep coming back to see their name at the top of the list.