BIG Tray Comparison with All Counter Sizes

We keep expanding our tray lineup, and with new ideas constantly coming in, we decided it’s time to create a comprehensive tray comparison to help identify the best tray for each counter size. This will be a long and evolving guide, which we plan to update regularly as new trays and concepts are introduced.

Choosing the Right Tray

When evaluating trays, consider two key factors:

1. Usability during gameplay – how easy it is to access and organize counters.
2. Storage compatibility – how well the trays fit inside your game box without causing lid lift.

The goal is to find a solution that perfectly fits your game box while maximizing sorting efficiency. In ideal cases, the box will have enough space for any tray. In others, compromises may be needed between usability and available space.

We’ll begin by presenting our trays with photos, sorted as they appear in our shop:

Standard Trays

12 compartments, 15mm Depth, Small Tray

Pros:

• Can be stacked with others of the same type (without lids; bottom tray must be half-filled). This connection is secure and stable.
• Optimizes cost and capacity, since each lid adds expense and takes up space.
• Popular in games like Fields of Fire.

Notes:

• Available with two base types: Standard and Thicker. The Thicker version is made of heavier foil and is more rigid. It joins 1mm lower with lidless trays.

12 compartments, 8mm Depth, Small Low Tray

 Pros:

• Ideal for smaller boxes or games with large components (cards, terrain hexes).
• Can be used as the bottom tray in stacked setups (must be full to ensure stability).

15 compartments, 9mm Depth, Big Comp. Low Tray

Notes:

• Not available in other sizes.
• Originally designed for 18xx game tiles but works well for larger counters.

30 compartments, 9mm Depth, Standard Tray

Notes:

• It has the same size as Tray No. 3 with 15 large compartments, but each compartment is split in half.

Pros:

• It is perfect for the smallest counters (13–14 mm) or the largest ones (23 mm) when you need to sort them into more categories.

Cons:

• Too much space is wasted for medium-sized counters (15 mm and larger). We have other, better solutions for those.

20 compartments, 15mm Depth, Standard Tray

Pros:

• Can be stacked with others of the same type (without lids; bottom tray must be half-filled). This connection is secure and stable.
• Optimizes cost and capacity, since each lid adds expense and takes up space.
• Common in games like Pacific War.

Notes:

• Available with two base types: Standard and Thicker. The Thicker version is made of heavier foil and is more rigid. It joins 1mm lower with lidless trays.
• Also available in a version with a smaller rim for better fit in smaller boxes (e.g. Avalon Hill games), link: https://cube4me.com/product/20-compartments-slimfit-trays-avalon-hill-edition/

20 compartments, 8mm Depth, Standard Low Tray

 Pros:

• Good for compact storage needs.
• Can be bottom tray in a stack (must be full to maintain stability).

25 compartments, 12mm Depth, Small Tiles Tray

Notes:

• Not available in other depths.
• Designed specifically for small 18xx game tiles.
  

Counters Display Trays (for Wargamers)

These trays are built to organize wargame counters efficiently and securely, with shallow, space-efficient designs that prevent counter shifting—even in transport. Trays are compatible with one another and protected by X-Bands, with one lid covering the full set.

13mm Counters Tray

17mm Counters Tray

21mm Counters Tray

26mm Counters Tray 

13mm Counters Small Tray

Photo coming soon

17mm Counters Small Tray

Photo coming soon

Trays Comparysion

Counters per Compartment

Below, we show the average number of counters that fit per compartment for each tray type. If your game has many unique counter types, smaller compartments are better. If you sort by faction or unit type, larger compartments may be preferable.

Total Tray Capacity

Total counter capacity varies by tray type.

Our recommendations:

• Games with card stacks or terrain hexes: use 12-compartment trays or Small Counters Trays.
• Very limited tray space in box: choose options with higher total capacity.
• For games with many similar counters: choose deeper trays (e.g., 15mm instead of 8mm).

Capacity by Tray Height

We’ve broken down total capacity by tray height. Higher values indicate greater storage efficiency.

Final Thoughts

This article will be updated over time. We plan to add dedicated sections for each counter size and game type.

We welcome your suggestions and feedback — let us know what else you’d like to see!