A Simpler Alternative to BandHelper
You don’t need a band management platform. You need your chord sheets organized. That’s what Fretlist does.
BandHelper does everything — setlists, scheduling, stage plots, finances, MIDI automation, document storage. It’s impressive software. But if you’re here, it probably feels like overkill.
Fretlist is for musicians who just want their chord sheets and setlists in one place, without wading through features they’ll never use. Built by a gigging musician who got tired of the bloat.
At a Glance
| Fretlist | BandHelper | |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Chord sheets & setlists | Full band management |
| Platform | Web (any device) | iOS, Android, Mac + Web |
| Starting price | Free forever | 30-day trial, then $25–50/year |
| Learning curve | Minimal | Significant |
| MIDI/automation | No | Yes |
| Scheduling/calendar | No | Yes |
| Finances/invoicing | No | Yes |
| Stage plots | No | Yes |
| Best for | Musicians who want organized chord sheets | Bands managing everything in one place |
Credit Where It's Due
If you actually use BandHelper’s full feature set, it’s genuinely impressive:
- Band scheduling — Gig calendar, availability requests, reminders
- MIDI/DMX automation — Trigger patches, lighting, and effects per song
- Stage plots — Create and share professional stage layouts
- Finances — Track income, expenses, and generate invoices
- Multi-band support — Manage multiple projects from one account
- Backing tracks — Attach and play audio with your setlist
- Document storage — PDFs, contracts, reference recordings
Why Musicians Are Switching
You just want your chord sheets
BandHelper can store chord sheets, sure. 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 for the gig.
Up and running in minutes, not days
“The app takes time to learn and implement...”
“There is a bit of a learning curve with this app...”
That’s a common theme with BandHelper. It’s powerful, but that power comes with complexity you have to learn before you can use it.
Fretlist is designed to be obvious. Add a song, make a setlist, play. No manual needed.
Same experience on every device
BandHelper works best when you set it up on a computer first, then use companion apps on mobile. It’s a cloud service with apps bolted on.
Fretlist is just a web app. Open a browser, log in, you’re there. Same experience on your laptop, your phone, your tablet at the gig. No “set it up on desktop first” requirement.
Pricing you can understand in 5 seconds
BandHelper pricing varies by feature tier (Basic, Plus, Pro) and number of bandmates. It takes a minute to figure out what you actually need to pay.
Fretlist: Free, Pro (€1,99/mo), or Band (€4,99/mo). That’s it.
Feature by Feature
Both Apps
- Store chord sheets and lyrics
- Organize setlists
- Transpose chords
- Cloud sync across devices
- Work on mobile and desktop
BandHelper Only
- Gig scheduling and calendar
- MIDI/DMX automation
- Backing tracks
- Stage plots
- Finance tracking
- Document storage (PDFs, contracts)
- Multi-band management
- Bluetooth pedal support
Fretlist Only
- Generous free tier (20 songs, forever)
- Simpler, faster interface
- Lower price for core features
- Per-player settings for capo/tuning (coming soon)
Pricing Breakdown
BandHelper
- 30-day free trial (full features)
- Basic: ~$25/year — songs, setlists, basic features
- Plus: ~$37/year — adds scheduling, sharing, documents
- Pro: ~$50/year — adds MIDI, automation, stage plots, finances
- Price increases with number of band members
Fretlist
- Free: €0 forever — 20 songs, 5 setlists
- Pro: €1,99/month (~€24/year) — unlimited everything
- Band: €4,99/month — shared library, per-player settings (coming soon)
Is Fretlist Right for You?
Stick with BandHelper if you…
- Run a working band doing 100+ gigs a year
- Need MIDI/lighting automation for your show
- Want scheduling, finances, and logistics centralized
- Use stage plots and backing tracks every gig
- Don’t mind a learning curve for long-term payoff
Switch to Fretlist if you…
- Mainly need organized chord sheets — not full band management
- Are a solo artist, duo, or casual gigging band
- Want to get started immediately without a manual
- Prefer simplicity over features you’ll never touch
- Want a free tier that’s actually useful
The Bottom Line
BandHelper is a serious tool for bands with serious logistics. If you’ll use the scheduling, MIDI, and finances, it earns its complexity.
But if you opened BandHelper and thought “I just want my chord sheets” — that’s exactly the feeling that made us build Fretlist. Simple, modern, and focused on what matters. Try it free.
Ready to Switch?
Start with 20 songs and 5 setlists. No credit card, no commitment. See if simple is what you’ve been looking for.