Setlists (Basic)
Drag-and-drop ordering, date and location, per-entry key override, archive, and status-bar navigation with footswitch mapping.
Lead the setlist, the tempo, and the room
Leading a band means controlling the set, the tempo, and what everyone sees. Songbook Buddy lets owners and admins publish encrypted songs, build setlists with per-song key overrides, and run Live Sessions where followers stay locked to your scroll, playback, and metronome.
Invite members with links, assign roles, and rotate band keys without long gaps where followers see unavailable songs.
Why Songbook Buddy fits Band leaders
Live Session leader
Drive song selection, theater view, transpose, scroll, playback phase, setlist cursor, count-in, and metronome for the whole band.
Band administration
Manage band songs, remove content from the shared library, and choose what happens to songs when a member leaves.
Features that matter for you
Starter, Basic, Pro, and Pro Cloud from our documented product matrix.
| Feature | Starter | Basic | Pro | Pro Cloud | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band Mode — shared library, roles, invites | — | — | — | ✓ | Unlimited bands and members; per-band end-to-end encryption |
| Band Live Sessions — leader/follower sync | — | — | — | ✓ | Part of Band Mode |
| Create and edit personal setlists | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Drag-and-drop, per-entry key. Setlist filter is free once you have setlists (Starter after import) |
| Metronome & tempo tap | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Sample-accurate |
| MIDI control (learn, duplicate, panic; network MIDI on macOS) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | Network MIDI on macOS |
| Footswitch (USB foot pedals) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Tags with multi-tag filter | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
How Songbook Buddy compares
Conditional positioning against well-known apps. Choose another product when its focus matches your workflow; choose Songbook Buddy when you need the full ChordPro journey on your platforms.
| Aspect | SBB | OnSong | SBP | MS | BH | fScore | UG | iReal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band sharing & end-to-end encryption | Band Mode + per-band key, roles, invites | Sharing/collaboration depends on ecosystem | Sharing varies by version/ecosystem | Sharing varies; not band-centric end-to-end encryption | Strong band/setlist sharing; different security model | Setlist sharing; not encrypted band libraries | Social/sharing around catalog | Set sharing possible; different emphasis |
| Live session leader/follower | Yes — scroll, playback, setlist, metronome sync | Live/link features vary by version | Not comparable as a core feature | Not comparable as a core feature | Real-time setlist sync for bands | Not comparable — PDF page turning differs | Not comparable | Different use case (playback) |
| Metronome / meter | Sample-accurate click; live sync; time signatures | Strong metronome/performance tools | Metronome varies by version | Metronome varies by version | Not the primary focus | Not the primary focus | Play-along; metronome secondary | Playback rather than metronome-only |
| MIDI & footswitch control | MIDI & USB foot pedals; network MIDI on macOS | Established MIDI/footswitch on iPad | Foot-pedal support varies by device | Foot-pedal support varies | Limited compared to performance apps | Page-turn pedals; Bluetooth MIDI varies | Mostly play-along | MIDI/export varies by platform |
| Print / PDF | Print pipeline, PDF-oriented options | Strong setlist export/layout | Print/export commonly available | Print/export commonly available | Setlist print/export for gigs | PDF-native performance on iPad | Export secondary | PDF/export workflow-dependent |
Competing products change continuously. This table describes typical positioning — choose another app when its focus matches your workflow; choose Songbook Buddy when you need the full ChordPro journey on your platforms.
Where Songbook Buddy fits best
- Leader/follower sync covers scroll, playback, setlist, and metronome — not just static PDF sharing
- Cross-platform leadership from a laptop or tablet on the same codebase
- Encrypted per-band keys with role-based publishing controls
When another app fits better
- OnSong fits iPad-centric bands with existing licenses and workflows. Songbook Buddy fits leading mixed-platform teams from one song library.
- BandHelper fits gig logistics when charts are secondary. Songbook Buddy fits when the songbook and stage workflow are central.
Ready to try it?
Download Songbook Buddy Starter free — no account required for the core editor and library.