SongbookPro is a solid app with a loyal following. But if you're looking for something that works across all your devices — not just your iPad — and want a cleaner, more modern experience for managing chord charts and setlists, Fretlist might be the move.
The good news: you don't lose anything in the switch. Fretlist reads SongbookPro backups natively. Your songs, setlists, keys, capo positions, tempos — it all comes across.
What gets imported
A SongbookPro backup (.sbpbackup file) contains everything in a structured JSON format. Fretlist extracts:
- All your songs — lyrics and chords, exactly as you had them
- Metadata — title, artist, key, capo, tempo, time signature
- Setlists — recreated with the same songs in the same order
- Deleted songs are skipped — anything you trashed in SongbookPro stays trashed
ChordPro formatting is preserved throughout. Your chord charts render as chords above lyrics, just like you're used to.
Step 1: Export your SongbookPro backup
- Open SongbookPro on your device
- Go to Settings → Backup / Restore
- Tap Create Backup
- Save the
.sbpbackupfile — AirDrop it to your Mac, save it to iCloud/Google Drive, or email it to yourself. On Windows, use a cloud drive or email to get the file onto your computer
That's the only file you need.
Step 2: Import into Fretlist
- Log in to Fretlist and open the Import dialog (the upload icon in the sidebar)
- Drop your
.sbpbackupfile onto the dropzone - Fretlist parses the backup and shows you a review screen with all your songs and setlists
The parser reads the JSON structure directly — no conversion needed, no intermediary format. It's fast.
Step 3: Review and confirm
The review screen shows:
- All songs with their titles and artists
- Duplicates — any songs that already exist in your Fretlist library
- Setlists — with song counts, ready to be recreated
Deselect anything you don't want, then hit Import. Songs are saved in batches, and setlists are linked to the newly imported songs automatically.
How metadata maps across
SongbookPro stores metadata as numeric values internally. Fretlist converts them:
| SongbookPro | Fretlist | |-------------|----------| | Key (0-11) | Letter name (C, C#, D, Eb, ...) | | Capo (number) | Capo position | | Tempo (BPM) | Tempo | | Time signature | Time signature | | Artist | Original artist |
Everything maps cleanly. You won't need to re-enter any of this.
After the import
Once your library is in Fretlist, here's what you gain:
- Any device, any browser — phone, tablet, laptop. No app store dependency.
- One-click transpose — change the key instantly, see the chords update in real time
- Play Mode — full-screen performing view with auto-scroll, wake lock, and swipe navigation
- Offline mode — your songs are cached locally for gigs without reliable Wi-Fi
- Sharing — share songs or setlists via link, WhatsApp, or email with your bandmates
Tips
- One backup, entire library — the
.sbpbackupfile contains everything. No need to export songs individually. - Duplicate detection works across imports — if you import the same backup twice, Fretlist flags the duplicates so you don't end up with doubles.
- ChordPro stays ChordPro — if your songs use ChordPro formatting in SongbookPro, they'll render identically in Fretlist. Section headers, chord brackets, annotations — all preserved.
- Title cleanup is automatic — ALL CAPS titles are converted to Title Case, and common artifacts are cleaned up during import.
Ready to switch?
Export your backup from SongbookPro, drop it into Fretlist, review, and import. The whole thing takes a couple of minutes.
Try Fretlist for free — your chord charts and setlists, accessible everywhere.