Comparison

Onset vs Stage

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

Head to head
About

Onset

Features
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Onset โ€” the stage prompter for singers. On stage your hands are on the mic. You can't hold sheets, and between one line and the next there's no time to scroll with a finger. Onset does one thing, and does it well: your lyrics scroll on their own, in time with the song, while you sing hands-free. How it works: you bring the lyrics โ€” type them, paste them, or import them from a PDF you already have. Then calibrate once by tapping the lines to the beat, and from then on the prompter runs itself. No more marks on paper, no more "where was I". WHAT YOU GET โ€ข Setlists for every night: build them, reorder them on the fly. โ€ข Chords above the words, with a few semitones of transpose when you change key. โ€ข Lead and backing-vocal lines kept separate, so you always know your part. โ€ข Backing tracks to follow while you read. โ€ข Song timings looked up online and attached to your own lyrics: the grid of minutes and seconds comes back, never the words. โ€ข PDF charts, if you already have them. ON IPHONE AND IPAD โ€ข Apple Music: start the song from your own library and Onset follows it. โ€ข iCloud sync: songs and setlists follow you from iPhone to iPad, no account to create. Made for singers, songwriters and anyone who plays live โ€” not to fill the screen with features you'll never touch. Onset is small, finished and cared-for: open it and you're ready, no endless tutorials. Screen stays on, no notifications while you play, true black on OLED. Your songs stay on your phone. Onset is brand new and grows with the musicians who use it. If you try it and something's missing, write me: support@onsetlyrics.app. Onset Pro is available as an auto-renewable monthly subscription, or as a one-time purchase (Founder). Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the period, and can be managed in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy: https://onsetlyrics.app/privacy

About

Stage

Features
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Stage Performer is built for musicians, bands, worship teams, DJs and live performers who need reliable show control on stage. Create song libraries, organise setlists and books, add scrolling lyrics, attach backing tracks and prepare MIDI cues for foot pedals and connected gear. In performance mode, Stage Performer keeps the live screen focused on the current song so you can move through a show without digging through menus. For bands and crews, Live Beam lets another device join a performance session and follow the current song and lyrics. Lighting tools support DMX scene and timeline preparation for performers who want their show cues in the same place as their music. Stage Performer Pro is available as an auto-renewable subscription with a free trial where offered. Subscriptions are managed through your App Store account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Onset3 screens
Stage4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Stage at every 6 days against Onset's fortnightly. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Onset sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Stage sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Onset ships an update fortnightly, Stage every 6 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Onset versus Stage: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOnsetStage
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 6 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac โ€” better
Requires iOS15.115.0 โ€” better
Further details โ€” not scored
Size39 MB130 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperAndrea LibuttiNathan Gribble

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Onset

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • Founder Lifetime$12.99
1 purchases

Stage

Subscriptions1
  • Stage Performer Pro$4.991 Month

Questions

Is Onset free?
Onset is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Stage free?
Stage is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Onset or Stage have ads?
Neither Onset nor Stage shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Onset or Stage?
Onset ships an update fortnightly, and Stage every 6 days. Most recently, Onset was updated on October 31, 2026 and Stage on October 31, 2026.

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