What to Look for in a Setlist App
A setlist app is only useful if it actually helps you perform better. Here's what separates the tools worth using from the ones that create more friction than they remove.
Key features to evaluate in any setlist app
| Feature | What to check |
|---|---|
| Song library | Is it shared across the band, or per-user? |
| Runtime calculation | Automatic, or do you calculate manually? |
| Stage view | Is there a dedicated Gig Mode? |
| Real-time sync | Do changes push to all members instantly? |
| Readiness tracking | Can you mark songs as unready and prevent them from appearing in sets? |
| Show history | Are past setlists saved automatically? |
| Mobile-first | Is it designed for use on stage on a phone or tablet? |
The most important thing in a setlist app
Real-time sync.
Everything else matters, but this is the feature that determines whether a setlist app actually works for a band. If one member updates the set and other members don't see it immediately — without having to refresh, download, or get a screenshot — the system breaks down exactly when it's most important (the hour before you go on stage).
Any setlist app you evaluate should have instant, automatic sync across all devices as a core feature, not an afterthought.
A song library, not just a list
There's a difference between a setlist tool and a setlist system. A setlist tool lets you type song names in order. A setlist system connects those songs to a catalog with real data: keys, tempos, durations, ratings, lyrics, chord notes, and readiness status.
The library matters because:
- Key and tempo display saves time at soundcheck and helps members who need the reminder
- Readiness status prevents in-development songs from sneaking into a live set
- Duration data is what enables automatic runtime calculation
- Ratings and play history make every future setlist smarter
When you're evaluating a setlist app, ask: is this just a list, or is it connected to actual song data?
Automatic runtime calculation
This sounds obvious, but a surprising number of setlist tools don't do it automatically. You enter your show's start and end time, and as you add songs, the app should show you exactly where you stand.
Features to look for:
- Running total as you build
- Visual indicator when you're over or under your target time
- Support for breaks (intermissions, set breaks) in the total
- Song-level duration pulled from your library automatically
A stage-ready Gig Mode
Your setlist app needs to work where you actually use it: on stage, in the dark, possibly from 6 feet away, while you're playing.
Look for:
- Full-screen mode with no navigation, notifications, or UI clutter
- High contrast, large text
- Easy forward/backward navigation without accidental taps
- Works offline (cellular signal in some venues is terrible)
If you're putting a tablet on a mic stand or a phone on the floor in front of you, the app needs to be readable and stable without any babysitting.
Readiness tracking and flagging
Not every song in your catalog is performance-ready at any given moment. A good setlist app should let you mark songs as Solid, Learning, or Needs Practice — and ideally flag when you've added an unready song to a live set.
This is especially important for:
- Bands constantly developing new material
- Cover bands adding songs from the request list before they're rehearsed
- Any band with a large rotating catalog where some songs haven't been played in months
Show history and performance analytics
After every gig, you know a little more about what's working. That knowledge is worthless if it's not recorded somewhere.
A setlist app worth using should:
- Archive every setlist you perform with date and venue
- Let you rate songs after a show
- Track how recently each song has been played
- Surface overplayed songs and underused crowd-pleasers
- Let you see what you played at a specific venue (useful for tour routing)
This data doesn't need to be a full analytics dashboard. Even basic show history turns passive experience into something you can actually learn from.
Band coordination features
If you're in a band (rather than performing solo), your setlist app needs to handle:
- Shared song library — one catalog for the whole band, not per-user copies
- Role-appropriate permissions — ideally, who can edit vs. view
- Member onboarding — easy enough that every band member actually uses it
- Multiple device types — works on iOS, Android, and desktop
The band coordination layer is where most simple setlist tools fall short. They're designed for an individual user, not for a 4-piece band where different people have different devices and different levels of technical patience.
What Setlistly gets right
Setlistly is built specifically around the gigging band workflow. It checks every box above:
- Shared song library with per-song keys, tempos, ratings, and readiness status
- Automatic runtime calculation from your show's start and end time
- Real-time sync across all band members — instant push, no manual refresh
- Gig Mode — dedicated full-screen stage view, high contrast, touch-optimized
- Readiness tracking — flag in-development songs and prevent surprises on stage
- Show history — every setlist archived automatically with date and venue
- Analytics — song-level performance data over time
- Build For Me — auto-generates a setlist from your catalog based on ratings and history
- Crowd voting — let fans vote before the show
Free plan includes unlimited songs, 3 members, and 5 shows. No credit card required.
Related: Setlist App · How to Make a Setlist · Best Setlist App for Bands