Cue Master vs Show Cues Lite
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Cue Master
This app allows performers to create and manage custom cue playlists for backing tracks. It offers flexible playback options like looping, stopping, or continuing to the next song, with per-song volume control. A full-screen mode provides easy stage access.
- Create cue playlists
- Import from Music Library, Dropbox, Google Drive
- Custom playback control (loop, stop, continue, skip)
- Per-song volume adjustment
- Full-screen mode for stage view
- Central cue button for track control
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Cue Master is a elegantly simple track player for iPad targeted towards theatrical productions, talent shows, choreographers, dancers or other performers using backing tracks by allowing you to create Cue Playlists from your music library, Dropbox™ or Google Drive folder. Unlike many cueing apps available, Cue Master is designed to be extremely easy to use and understand with the familiar layout of a standard music app. Unlike a music app, Cue Master allows for custom control over how songs are played back. Songs can be set to loop (repeat), stop at end, continue to the next song, or be skipped. Volume levels can also be easily set on a per song basis to fine tune your performance. Create multiple Cue Playlists from albums or playlists downloaded in your music library on your iPad, from Dropbox™ or Google Drive, add, delete and reorder your cues. For performers that need easy access from the stage, Cue Master provides a full screen mode to easily see the currently playing track and time, show run time as well as the next cued track. A central cue button also allows you to easily start your next track.
Show Cues Lite
This application allows entertainers to seamlessly integrate music into their live performances. It functions as a dedicated music player, enabling control via touchscreen or remote, and syncs directly with playlists created in Apple Music.
- Music playback for live shows
- Touchscreen and remote control
- Syncs with Apple Music playlists
- Professional, user-friendly interface
- Designed for entertainers
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Show Cues Lite is the latest version of the popular Show Cues App. This App is used by entertainers worldwide to add music to their performances using the touch screen or Bluetooth remote control. Show Cues is not a music editor; it is a music player. Use the Apple Music app to create playlists, rearrange tracks, and delete or add tracks. Once you are done creating or editing in Apple Music, sync your playlist with your iPhone/iPad. Your created playlist will instantly be ready to load into Show Cues and play. "Perfect for magicians, jugglers, musicians—anybody who wants to run an entire show from an iPad or iPhone! By far THE BEST on the market." — Paul Romhany, Vanish International Magic Magazine Carl Andrews is not only a designer and programmer of iDevice apps, but he is also a professional magician. When his friend Shawn Popp suggested that he create an app to play music cues, he went at it with passion. The result is the most professional program I have ever seen called "Show Cues". There are so many features to this app I won't have enough time to go through them all. A wonderfully written manual and a professionally thought-out program make this a must for all performers. — Bruce Kalver, Tech Tricks column in MUM magazine "Designed as a simple, visual, user-friendly interface for the performer or the most experienced sound tech. It would be a challenge to make this program more convenient. Show Cues is music to my "i"s." — Francis Menotti, Magic Magazine "This app gives you or your sound technician quick, simple, and reliable control over the music and sound effects that support your show. It exceeded expectations, meaning it worked perfectly right out of the box. This is a professional tool designed by a professional, for professionals. But we part-time pros can like it, too." — Curtis Kam, MUM Magazine
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is monetization model: Cue Master at free against Show Cues Lite's paid. Cue Master also leads on ratings volume (61 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months). Show Cues Lite's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.8) and review sentiment (100% vs 91%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Cue Master costs $19.99 and Show Cues Lite $19.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Show Cues Lite holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Cue Master has 61 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 91% of Cue Master's written reviews are positive against 100% of Show Cues Lite's.
Cue Master ships an update every 2 months, Show Cues Lite every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Cue Master | Show Cues Lite |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $19.99 | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (61 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 91.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 61 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 7 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.4 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 7 MB | 19 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Kevin Arnold | Carl Andrews18795964936 |
Customer experience
Cue Master
Show Cues Lite
In-app purchases
Cue Master
No in-app purchases
Show Cues Lite
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Cue Master free?
Is Show Cues Lite free?
Which has better reviews, Cue Master or Show Cues Lite?
Do Cue Master or Show Cues Lite have ads?
Which is updated more often, Cue Master or Show Cues Lite?
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