Comparison

Setlists vs BandHelper

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Setlists

This app helps live performers organize their song catalog, prompt lyrics and chords on stage, and keep band members in sync. It includes features like backing tracks, a metronome, and Bluetooth pedal support for seamless performance management.

Highlights
  • Song cataloging with lyrics and chords
  • Live lyric and chord prompting
  • Backing track integration
  • Built-in metronome
  • Multi-device band synchronization
  • Bluetooth foot pedal support
Features
Read full description

New Version 2.1 - Now with backing tracks and metronome! Catalog your repertoire. Prompt your lyrics live on stage. Keep everyone in sync. If you perform live on stage, alone or with a group, Setlists will make you a better professional. Forget carrying around heavy binders of paper and writing up tonight’s set on a napkin with a Sharpie. Setlists puts your entire song catalog into one simple app for your iPad or iPhone. Organize your songs into sets and prompt the lyrics and chords during live performance on multiple devices for everyone in the band. Setlists is a free download, so you can see why so many use Setlists as their song organizer and lyric prompter of choice. With a one-time in-app purchase, you can unlock all of the unlimited and advanced features Setlists has to offer.[1] Song Catalog Store information about every song in your catalog. Artist, title, tempo, duration, key signature, lyrics, and now even chords. Your catalog will store all the information you need to design the perfect set for tonight’s performance. Lyric Prompting Prompt your lyrics like a pro. Full screen and in the font and color of your choice. Advance with a simple swipe or with the touch of a Bluetooth foot pedal or hand switch. Alternatively, if you have your hands full with an instrument, auto-scroll your lyrics at your desired pace. Chord Changes Add chord changes to your lyric sheets in a variety of styles, with fingering charts for guitar, ukulele, baritone ukulele, banjo, 5-string banjo, and mandolin. You’ll never have to worry about forgetting that chord progression again. Backing Tracks (new in 2.1) Select a track from your iTunes Library to play as a backing track for a song! Metronome / Click (new in 2.1) Choose a BPM for a song, turn on the new click feature, and let Setlists keep you on tempo! Bluetooth Foot Pedal Support Control lyric prompting from a variety of Bluetooth foot pedal and hand controlled devices, including those from AirTurn, iRig, Cicada and more. Jam Session Those who perform in a group can keep everyone in sync using the Jam Session feature. Connect an additional iOS device for every member of the group, and each performer can have his or her own view of the lyrics, the upcoming songs in the set, or both.[2] Sync and Backup You spend a lot of time organizing your song catalog and entering all that precious data. Now you can back it all up using iCloud or Dropbox. Have an iPhone and an iPad? Now you can keep your catalog in sync on all of your personal iOS devices.[3] Apple Watch On the watch, you can see current and upcoming song information and advance to the next song with a tap on your wrist. And Much More… *Import songs in .txt, .rtf and .docx formats, from a variety of sources, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, and iTunes. Or search for songs on the web to quickly copy lyrics. *Export songs once they’ve been formatted, to share or keep a backup copy. *Add songs in ChordPro: Setlists is now compatible with the ChordPro format. *Use Rich Text formatting to add bold, underline, and multiple colors to your songs. *Print or email your songs or sets right from your iOS device. (Requires an iOS compatible printer) *Keep notes on any song you like, such as keyboard patches, number of repetitions for a chorus, who starts the song, etc. Download and try Setlists today for free, and see why it’s the professional’s choice. 1. Pro upgrade unlocks unlimited songs and sets, unlimited Jam Sessions, and backup/sync to all your iOS devices. 2. Split view mode available on iPad only. Pro upgrade will unlock unlimited Jam Sessions. Each participating device must be upgraded. 3. Backup and Sync require Pro upgrade. Setlists was made by and for performing musicians. We value your feedback! If you have any feedback or questions about the app please let us know at: support@bombingbrain.com

About

BandHelper

Streamline band operations with this comprehensive organizational suite. Effortlessly share music, manage setlists, and coordinate rehearsals. Enhance live performances with customizable settings and backing tracks, while also managing finances and contacts professionally.

Highlights
  • Automatic song and setlist distribution
  • Gig invitations and confirmations
  • Reference recording playback with speed/loop
  • Chord transposition
  • Customizable performance settings
  • Backing track and video playback
  • Income/expense tracking
Features
Read full description

Much more than a "songbook" app, BandHelper can organize your band and power your live show. COMMUNICATE EFFORTLESSLY • Distribute songs and set lists automatically to your bandmates • Send standardized gig invitations and confirmations • Maintain one organized source for gig details • Give sub players all the charts and recordings they need for a gig REHEARSE EFFICIENTLY • Sync set list, lyric and chord updates as you work • Play reference recordings instantly, with speed and loop controls • Transpose chords for different singers, capo positions or horn keys • Review notes and voice memos from previous rehearsals PERFORM SEAMLESSLY • Configure keyboards, effects and lighting as you change songs • Play backing tracks, click tracks and video presentations • Customize the interface or use foot switches for hands-free control • Add custom fields for personal notes and reminders MANAGE YOUR BAND PROFESSIONALLY • Track income/expenses and let band members view their earnings • Organize your booking and industry contacts • Build stage plots to send to venues • Generate invoices to send to clients *** If you have a problem or a suggestion, please contact me before writing a review. I can't troubleshoot problems through the review system, but I respond promptly to all help tickets and posts in my support forum. ***

Screenshots

Setlists4 screens
BandHelper4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: BandHelper at 78% against Setlists's 16%. BandHelper also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.1) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). Setlists's advantage is iOS requirement (9.2 vs 15.6). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Setlists sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and BandHelper sells 18 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BandHelper holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 183 and 113 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of Setlists's written reviews are positive against 78% of BandHelper's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Setlists ships an update every 6 weeks, BandHelper fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Setlists versus BandHelper: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSetlistsBandHelper
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.1 (183 ratings)4.3 (113 ratings) — better
Positive reviews16.0% of reviews78.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings183 — better113
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch
Requires iOS9.2 — better15.6
Further details — not scored
Size88 MB77 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBombing Brain InteractiveArlo Leach

Customer experience

Setlists

All ratings183 ratings
Positive21.3%
Neutral7.7%
Negative71.0%
Written reviews238 reviews
Positive16.0%
Neutral9.7%
Negative74.4%

BandHelper

All ratings113 ratings
Positive82.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative17.7%
Written reviews152 reviews
Positive78.3%
Neutral0.7%
Negative21.1%

User reviews

Setlists

From 183 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful and flexible
  • 📚 Great for organizing lyrics and setlists
  • 🎨 User-friendly interface
  • 🔍 Convenient search and import features
  • 💻 Works well with Bluetooth devices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔧 Unreliable syncing and backup
  • 🕰 Scrolling issues and page jumping
  • 🚫 Lack of customer support
  • 💰 Expensive for the issues experienced

BandHelper

From 113 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Powerful features
  • 👍 Customizable and flexible
  • 🤖 Seamless MIDI integration
  • 💻 Convenient web interface
  • 🔄 Effective sync across devices

Room to improve

  • 🤯 Steep learning curve
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate at times
  • 💲 Subscription model may be a turnoff
  • 🙅‍♀️ Not very intuitive for beginners

Bugs and requests

Setlists

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Crashes when opening songs
  • Lyrics disappearing or displaying incorrectly
  • Syncing issues causing data loss
  • Compatibility problems with newer iOS versions
  • Inability to delete or edit certain songs

Requested features

5 requests
  • Improved syncing and backup options
  • Customizable scrolling and page turning
  • Support for more file formats (PDF, Word, etc.)
  • Better organization and management of large song libraries
  • Regular updates and bug fixes

BandHelper

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Sync issues between devices
  • Compatibility problems with older hardware
  • Crashes when switching between documents

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to add handwritten notes
  • Improved scrolling and page turning
  • More customization options for layouts
  • Integrated metronome with visual cues

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Setlists

One-time1
  • Setlists Pro Edition$19.99
18 purchases

BandHelper

One-time18
  • Basic - Solo Artist (month)$3.00
  • Plus - Solo Artist (month)$3.49
  • Pro - Solo Artist (month)$4.00
Show 15 more
  • Basic - 2-5 Users (month)$5.00
  • Basic - 6-20 Users (month)$7.00
  • Plus - 2-5 Users (month)$7.00
  • Pro - 2-5 Users (month)$9.00
  • Plus - 6-20 Users (month)$10.49
  • Pro - 6-20 Users (month)$14.00
  • Basic - Solo Artist (year)$18.00
  • Plus - Solo Artist (year)$28.00
  • Pro - Solo Artist (year)$38.00
  • Basic - 2-5 Users (year)$46.00
  • Plus - 2-5 Users (year)$70.00
  • Basic - 6-20 Users (year)$70.00
  • Pro - 2-5 Users (year)$94.00
  • Plus - 6-20 Users (year)$104.99
  • Pro - 6-20 Users (year)$139.99

Questions

Is Setlists free?
Setlists is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is BandHelper free?
BandHelper is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Setlists or BandHelper?
BandHelper is rated higher. Setlists averages 2.1 out of 5 from 183 ratings, while BandHelper averages 4.3 from 113 ratings.
Do Setlists or BandHelper have ads?
Neither Setlists nor BandHelper shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Setlists or BandHelper?
Setlists ships an update every 6 weeks, and BandHelper fortnightly. Most recently, Setlists was updated on September 23, 2026 and BandHelper on October 15, 2026.

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