Theater mode
Performance-oriented layout with keep-awake, floating zoom, and horizontal swipe to step setlist entries on touch devices.
Your set, your files, your stage — no band required
Solo gigs and home practice share the same need: a dependable songbook that belongs to you. Songbook Buddy keeps your song files local, lets you transpose on the fly, and gives you a distraction-free theater layout for performance.
Optional tools layer on when you need them: Basic for setlists and metronome, Pro for footswitch and stage control. During beta, Pro is unlocked so you can try everything.
Why Songbook Buddy fits Solo musicians
Transpose & capo
Shift keys in semitone steps; capo and ChordPro directives stay coherent with your song settings.
Print & PDF
Generate readable charts for gigs where paper backup still matters — with independent chord-chart scaling in the PDF dialog.
Features that matter for you
Starter, Basic, Pro, and Pro Cloud from our documented product matrix.
| Feature | Starter | Basic | Pro | Pro Cloud | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Song library, search, filters, sorting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Starter capped at 100 songs (archived count; trash does not). Basic+ unlimited. Arrival paths (shares, .sbbl import) are exempt from the cap |
| Transpose, capo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Autoscroll | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Included in Starter alongside song viewing and performance basics |
| Print and PDF export (single songs) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Basic+ |
| 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 |
| Footswitch (USB foot pedals) | — | — | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Backup and restore | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Full library at every tier |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Complete ChordPro workflow — import, edit, publish, perform, collaborate | iPad setlist and chord-sheet performance | ChordPro songbook — editing and display (Android, iOS, Windows) | Sheet-music / ChordPro library and performance (Android, iOS, Windows, macOS) | Band calendar, setlists, and gig logistics | PDF sheet music library and performance on iPad | Online tab catalog and play-along | Chord charts + backing tracks, jazz/standards |
| Offline-first | Yes — local database; sync optional | Strong offline on device | Yes, local library | Yes, local library | Offline with sync for band data | Yes — PDFs stored on device | Offline often limited without downloads/premium | Offline possible; playback-centric |
| 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 |
| Platforms (typical) | Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, Linux (one codebase) | iOS/iPadOS (macOS Catalyst varies) | Android, iOS, Windows | Android, iOS, Windows, macOS | iOS/iPadOS + web companion | iPadOS (iPhone companion varies) | Strong mobile + web; desktop varies | iOS/Android; desktop more limited |
| 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 |
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
- Offline-first — no streaming or catalog subscription required
- One library across Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux
- Hands-free control via footswitch and MIDI when you perform solo with backing tracks or a click
When another app fits better
- SongBook Pro fits Android-only ChordPro users with an established workflow. Songbook Buddy fits the same library model across all your devices.
- Ultimate Guitar fits finding tabs online. Songbook Buddy fits curating charts you own and take to the stage.
Ready to try it?
Download Songbook Buddy Starter free — no account required for the core editor and library.