Print & PDF for handouts
Generate clean charts for lessons — chord scale independent from body text where implemented.
Teach with readable charts, printouts, and practice tools
Teachers need to prepare materials once and adapt them per student. Songbook Buddy lets you author ChordPro songs, transpose for different skill levels, print or export PDFs, and use chord flashcards with difficulty levels for practice drills.
Import student submissions in common formats, keep a structured library with tags, and optionally sync materials across classroom devices.
Why Songbook Buddy fits Teachers
Chord flashcards (Basic)
Practice voicings with Beginner, Advanced, or Expert difficulty; useful for guitar and ukulele students.
Multilingual UI
23 interface languages plus translated help and per-locale PDF manuals — helpful for international schools and studios.
Features that matter for you
Starter, Basic, Pro, and Pro Cloud from our documented product matrix.
| Feature | Starter | Basic | Pro | Pro Cloud | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChordPro editor with live preview | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Custom block viewing is free; inserting custom blocks via the editor menu is Pro |
| Print and PDF export (single songs) | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Basic+ |
| Transpose, capo | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Import ChordPro, text, .gcp, .cpm | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ChordPro export stays free at every tier |
| Chord flashcards with difficulty levels | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Tags with multi-tag filter | — | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| 23 interface languages + translated help + PDF manuals | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChordPro editor depth | Custom ChordPro parser, many directives, custom blocks | Strong iPad performance layout | Established ChordPro editing across its platforms | Established library and chart editing across its platforms | Not a ChordPro authoring tool | Annotation on PDFs, not ChordPro source | No full editor for your song library | Not ChordPro-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 |
| Localization | 23 interface languages + translated help + PDF manuals | Broad on iOS | Multilingual varies by version | Multilingual varies by version | English-first; band markets global | Broad iPad market languages | Very broad | Multilingual |
| 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 |
| 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 |
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
- Full ChordPro editor — adapt arrangements instead of screenshotting static tabs
- Import folders of student files; backup and restore the whole library
- Tags and filters to organize repertoire by class, level, or semester
When another app fits better
- Ultimate Guitar fits quick song lookup from a public catalog. Songbook Buddy fits classroom material you author, transpose, and print.
- iReal Pro fits ear training with backing tracks. Songbook Buddy fits printable chord charts and structured student libraries.
Ready to try it?
Download Songbook Buddy Starter free — no account required for the core editor and library.