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The BandHelper alternative
for chord sheets

You don’t need a band management platform. You need your chord sheets organized and ready for the stage.

Set up your bandCompare with BandHelper

Free for up to 50 songs. No app store, no card.

of musicians
Hundreds
songs added
40,000+
imported
94%

One library for the whole band. Your own layer on top.

For bands, weekly jams, worship teams and uke clubs. Everyone plays from the same songs and setlists. Each member reads them their own way: their own instrument, capo and key.

A working song in a band workspace. The band key is C; you start in D, transposed up two. Click a bandmate on the Band panel and the chart shows their chords: ukulele with a capo, bass, or vocals. Change the transpose or the capo and the chords, the badges and that row on the Band panel follow.

Encore

Transpose +2
Guitar
My notesStart soft, harmony on the 2nd chorus
Edit 
Chords
D
A
Bm
3
G
Chorus
DSing it Aout and the Bmnight feels Gyoung
DHold the Aline till the Gmorning Dcomes
BmEvery word we Gnever said
DRings out Aloud when the Dcurtain falls

Band

  • Jordan

    Not on this song

One band key, your own key

The song keeps the band's key. Transpose or put a capo on for yourself, and only your view changes.

See who plays what

See at a glance who plays which instrument on every song, and who sits one out. Set it up for the whole band before rehearsal.

My notes, just for you

Cues and reminders per song that your bandmates never see. They show in your Play Mode too. Up to 15 people per band, and members pay nothing.

“Very cool to have the personal notes option in a band. This is something I always missed on SongbookPro.”
Micha, plays in a band
“I love how Fretlist handles sharing songs. Providing a link is great. The ability to email from within the app is also pretty awesome.”
Nate (guitar, baritone ukulele), North Carolina
Get started freeSet up your band
See the Bands plan

Follow Me. The whole band on the same page.

Whoever presses Play leads. Every other phone, tablet and laptop follows: same song, same spot, scrolling together. Each one still reads in its own key, capo and text size.

Try it: press Next on Ben's laptop, or flip ahead on Kai's phone.

fretlist.com
1/4
Leading

Amazing Grace

GKeys3/4
Intro
G
G7
C
G
Refrain
AGmazing G7Grace, how Csweet the Gsound
That saved a Awretch like Dme!
I Gonce was G7lost, but Cnow am Gfound,
Was Emblind, but Dnow I Gsee.
Verse 1
'Twas Ggrace that G7taught my Cheart to Gfear,
And grace my Afears reDlieved.
How Gprecious G7did that Cgrace aGppear,
The Emhour I Dfirst beGlieved.
Verse 2
ThrougGh many G7dangers, Ctoils and sGnares
We have alrAeady Dcome
'Twas gGrace hath G7brought us Csafe thus fGar
And gEmrace will Dlead us Ghome
Verse 3
The GLord has G7promised Cgood to Gme,
His word my Ahope seDcures;
He Gwill my G7shield and Cportion Gbe
as Emlong as Dlife enGdures.
Verse 4
When Gwe've been G7there ten Cthousand Gyears,
Bright shining Aas the Dsun,
We've Gno less G7days to Csing God's Gpraise
Than Emwhen we'd Dfirst beGgun.
Refrain
AGmazing G7Grace, how Csweet the Gsound
That saved a Awretch like Dme!
I Gonce was G7lost, but Cnow am Gfound,
Was Emblind, but Dnow I Gsee.
Next: Read Between The LinesKeys
D

Ben's laptop

Keys

12:30
Following
1/4

Amazing Grace

GHalf step down3/4
Intro
G#
G#7
C#
G#
Refrain
AG#mazing G#7Grace, how C#sweet the G#sound
That saved a A#wretch like D#me!
I G#once was G#7lost, but C#now am G#found,
Was Fmblind, but D#now I G#see.
Verse 1
'Twas G#grace that G#7taught my C#heart to G#fear,
And grace my A#fears reD#lieved.
How G#precious G#7did that C#grace aG#ppear,
The Fmhour I D#first beG#lieved.
Verse 2
ThrougG#h many G#7dangers, C#toils and sG#nares
We have alrA#eady D#come
'Twas gG#race hath G#7brought us C#safe thus fG#ar
And gFmrace will D#lead us G#home
Verse 3
The G#Lord has G#7promised C#good to G#me,
His word my A#hope seD#cures;
He G#will my G#7shield and C#portion G#be
as Fmlong as D#life enG#dures.
Verse 4
When G#we've been G#7there ten C#thousand G#years,
Bright shining A#as the D#sun,
We've G#no less G#7days to C#sing God's G#praise
Than Fmwhen we'd D#first beG#gun.
Refrain
AG#mazing G#7Grace, how C#sweet the G#sound
That saved a A#wretch like D#me!
I G#once was G#7lost, but C#now am G#found,
Was Fmblind, but D#now I G#see.

Kai's phone

Guitar

Ben's laptop leads. Kai's phone follows.

Follow Me works on any mix of devices: iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows. Each one needs internet: no venue WiFi? Use a hotspot.

Set up your bandGet started free

BandHelper does everything, setlists, scheduling, stage plots, finances, MIDI, documents. If you use all of that, great. But if you’re here, it probably feels like overkill.

Fretlist is for musicians who want their chord sheets and setlists in one place, with a proper stage mode, offline access, and bulk import, without the features they’ll never use.

At a Glance

FretlistBandHelper
FocusChord sheets & setlistsFull band management
PlatformWeb (any device)iOS, Android, Mac + Web
Starting priceFree (50 songs), then €24/year30-day trial, then $16–32/year solo, $40–80/year for up to 5 users
Offline modeYes (installable PWA)Yes (native app)
Play ModeYes: auto-scroll, wake lock, metronome, section navBasic song display
Bulk importYes: ChordPro, PDF, ZIPText/ChordPro paste
MIDI/automationNoYes
Scheduling/financesNoYes
Best forMusicians who want organized chord sheetsBands managing everything in one place

Credit Where It's Due

If you use BandHelper’s full feature set, it’s genuinely impressive:

  • Band scheduling, gig calendar, availability, reminders
  • MIDI/DMX automation per song
  • Stage plots and professional layouts
  • Finance tracking and invoicing
  • Backing tracks with setlist
  • Document storage (PDFs, contracts)

Why Musicians Are Switching

You just want your chord sheets

BandHelper can store chord sheets. But if that’s the main thing you need, it’s like buying a tour bus when you need a bicycle.

Fretlist does one thing: chord sheets and setlists. No scheduling tabs, no finance modules, no stage plot builders. Just your songs, organized and ready.

Play Mode built for the stage

Full-screen chord sheets with auto-scroll, adjustable speed, built-in metronome, wake lock, section navigation, keyboard shortcuts, and swipe navigation through setlists. Install as an app for offline access. Dark mode included.

Up and running in minutes

BandHelper’s power comes with complexity. Fretlist is designed to be obvious: import your songs, make a setlist, play. Bulk import handles ChordPro, PDF, DOCX, and ZIP archives.

Simple pricing

BandHelper pricing varies by tier and number of bandmates. Fretlist: Free, Pro (€24/year), or Bands (€58/year for the whole band, up to 15 members, and members pay nothing). That’s it.

Feature by Feature

Both Apps

  • Store chord sheets and lyrics
  • Organize setlists
  • Transpose chords
  • Cloud sync across devices
  • Offline access
  • Dark mode
  • Bluetooth page turner support
  • Shared band library
  • Multiple bands in one account

BandHelper Only

  • Gig scheduling and calendar
  • MIDI/DMX automation
  • Backing tracks
  • Stage plots
  • Finance tracking and invoicing
  • Document storage

Fretlist Only

  • Every feature on the free plan, including Play Mode and offline
  • Play Mode with auto-scroll, metronome, wake lock, section nav
  • Bulk import (ChordPro, PDF, DOCX, ZIP)
  • Export to PDF, DOCX, ChordPro, JSON
  • Share songs via link, WhatsApp, or email
  • Install as app (PWA) for offline use

Pricing Breakdown

BandHelper

  • 30-day free trial, no card
  • Solo: $16, $24 or $32/year (Basic, Plus, Pro)
  • 2 to 5 users: $40, $60 or $80/year
  • 6 to 20 users: $60, $90 or $120/year
  • Basic is repertoire only; Plus adds scheduling and contacts; Pro adds finances, stage plots and checklists

Fretlist

  • Free: 50 songs and 3 setlists, every feature included
  • Pro: €24/year or €3/month, no limits
  • Bands: €58/year or €7/month for the whole band, up to 15 members

The free plan has every feature, up to 50 songs and 3 setlists, with no card and no time limit. A plan only changes how much more you can add.

Is Fretlist Right for You?

Stick with BandHelper if you…

  • Run a working band doing 100+ gigs a year
  • Need MIDI/lighting automation
  • Want scheduling, finances, and logistics in one place
  • Use stage plots and backing tracks every gig

Switch to Fretlist if you…

  • Mainly need organized chord sheets with a proper stage mode
  • Are a solo artist, duo, or casual gigging band
  • Want to get started immediately, import and play
  • Want offline access without the complexity
  • Prefer simplicity over features you’ll never touch

The Bottom Line

BandHelper is a serious tool for bands with serious logistics. If you use the scheduling, MIDI, and finances, it earns its complexity.

If you just want your chord sheets organized and ready for the stage, that’s exactly what Fretlist does. Import your library and try it free.

Ready to Switch?

Import your songs, build a setlist, take it to the gig. Free to start.

Get Started

Further reading

Blog

Why I built a chord sheet app after 15 years of gigging

After 15 years of gigging and organizing chord charts across too many apps, I decided to build something better.

19 February 2026 · 3 min read

Blog

How to organize your chord charts and setlists for gigs

A practical system for gigging musicians who want their chord charts, lyrics, and setlists organized and accessible on stage.

22 February 2026 · 3 min read

Frequently Asked Questions