Group Generator (Random Team Maker)

What is a free random group generator online?

A free random group generator online is a tool that takes a list of names and splits them into random teams or groups. You paste your participants, choose whether to specify the number of groups or the size of each group, and the tool creates balanced, unbiased teams instantly using the Fisher-Yates shuffle algorithm. The result is a set of group lists you can copy, print or export.

This group generator goes beyond a simple shuffle. It offers a balanced mode that alternates between names from the top and bottom of the list — useful when the list is pre-sorted by gender, ability or any other attribute you want to distribute evenly. It lets you specify either the number of groups or the group size, and it distributes names evenly so group sizes differ by at most one person. It also includes a CSV export and a copy-to-clipboard button. Everything runs in your browser — no sign-up, no account, no upload, no tracking.

How to use this free random team maker

1. Paste your names, one per line, into the text area. You can paste directly from a spreadsheet or Google Doc.
2. Choose "Specify number of groups" and enter how many groups you want, or choose "Specify group size" and enter how many people per group.
3. For balanced groups, change the mode to "Balanced" — this alternates between the top and bottom of your list. Sort your list by the attribute you want to balance first (e.g., gender or ability).
4. Click Generate groups. The teams appear below, ready to copy, print or export.

Pure random vs balanced mode

Pure random mode uses the Fisher-Yates shuffle and assigns names to groups in the shuffled order. Over many runs, this is the fairest approach. But on any single run, it can produce a group that is heavily skewed — for example, all the strongest students in one group.

Balanced mode takes the shuffled list and alternates between the first half and the second half when assigning names. If the list is sorted by ability (top of the list = higher ability), balanced mode distributes the stronger and weaker participants evenly across groups. This is the mode most teachers use for group work, because it produces more evenly matched teams.

Grouping by count vs grouping by size

• By count. You want exactly 4 groups, for example. The tool distributes all names across the 4 groups, so group sizes may differ by one (e.g., 6, 6, 6, 5 for 23 names).
• By size. You want groups of 3, for example. The tool creates as many groups of 3 as possible and distributes the remainder across the groups, again so no group differs by more than one person.

Classroom and workshop use cases

• Group projects. Create balanced teams for a multi-week project.
• Team building. Mix participants at a workshop so they work with people they do not know.
• Debate teams. Randomly assign students to sides.
• Lab groups. Create rotation groups for science practicals.
• Escape rooms and team games. Generate fair teams for competitive activities.
• Networking events. Assign attendees to breakout rooms for structured networking.

Exporting and sharing results

The results are shown as group cards with a copy button for each group and a copy-all button. You can also export the whole result as CSV, which pastes cleanly into Google Sheets or Excel. For workshops and events, you can screenshot the results or use the browser print function to save a PDF.

Frequently asked questions