The Card System is the simplest of the three services. Two timers are used, one as the primary, the other as a back up. Either the Seiko timers or TimeTech timers are typically used.

The Computer System uses computer scoring software. There are several different scoring software packages available on the market.

The Chip Timing System uses electronic tags that the runner wears during the race. Each tag contains an electronic chip that is encoded with a unique tag number. Special timing mats are placed at the finish line of the race. The timing mats contain sensors which detect the tag number when the runner crosses the finish line.