Band management software, compared
Eight tools a band might use to run its gigs, side by side — what each one’s own website says it does, what it costs as published, and what it does not mention. Checked on 23 September 2026. We make one of them, so the rules are simple: every fact about the others comes from their own site, with the page it came from.
What to look for
Most band apps are built for whoever runs the band: the diary, the setlist, the client. That matters. But the people who most often give up on a band app are the members, and what they want to know is simpler — what am I playing, and what am I owed? These are the five things worth checking from their side first.
Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top
For a member, travel is where a fee stops being fair. The bass player who lives twenty minutes away and the singer who drove a hundred and forty miles should not come out the same. Look for software that works out each player’s round trip from their own postcode to the venue, at a rate the band sets, and pays it back before anything is divided — rather than one travel figure against the whole gig.
An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member
Then the split. What is left should divide equally, to the penny, with the odd pennies handed out rather than rounded away, and every member should get a statement of their own: every gig, the share, the travel back and the expenses. A statement is what lets a member check the figure instead of taking somebody’s word for it.
Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep
When a dep covers, two questions come up months later: whose travel was it, and who paid whom? Look for the dep’s journey worked out from where the dep actually lives, and a record that the band paid its own member and the member settled with the dep. Several tools below help find or seat a dep; none of the other sites checked for this page say how a dep’s travel or pay is worked out.
Expenses filed against a gig
Strings, parking, the hotel somebody said they would sort out. A member wants to photograph the receipt on the night, file it against the gig, see where the claim has got to, and find it on the right statement when the month closes. Most of the tools below track expenses per gig; check whether the claim ends up with the person who paid.
Members use it free
Last, who pays. Every product on this page lets members in without a subscription of their own — the band, the leader or an admin seat pays instead. The real differences are what a band can do for nothing, and what the paid plan is for. Prices below are each company’s own, in their own currency, as published on 23 September 2026.
The comparison table
“Yes” means the product’s own website says so. “Not stated” means we could not find it there — it may still exist, so ask them. The small print under each answer is what their site does say.
| What | Event Band Manager | Band Pencil | BandHelper | Back On Stage | Stage Portal | BandMGT | Muzodo | My Band |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top | YesRound trip from each person’s postcode to the venue, at the band’s rate, before the split | Not statedTravel itineraries per booking (flights, trains, driving) | Not statedTransport can be logged as an expense category | Not stated | Not statedTravel recorded as a gig expense | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
| An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member | YesWhat is left splits equally to the penny; one statement per person each month, as a page and a PDF | Not statedEach member sees their own fee and can submit an invoice | YesA payment share calculator and a report of what each member is due (Pro) | Not statedPays each musician by PayPal payout | Not statedSplits costs between band members | Not statedTracks member balances and per-member payouts (Pro) | Not stated | Not statedTracks fees, deposits and expenses per event (Pro) |
| Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep | YesThe dep’s journey from their own postcode; the band pays the member, who settles with the dep | Not statedLine-up builder assigns musicians to roles | Not statedGives sub players the charts and recordings for a gig | Not statedSubstitutes get the song materials; musicians paid by payout | Not stated | Not stated | Not statedSub prompting: asks a member who cannot attend to pick a sub or dep | Not statedLine-up builder adds external deps and tracks their confirmations; its gig finance example shows a dep costs line |
| Expenses filed against a gig | YesFiled with a photo of the receipt, approved, and on the right statement | Not statedFinancial reporting listed on Premium | YesLogs income and expenses, and which band members were part of the gig (Pro) | YesExpense data added to bookings | YesTravel, food, gear and payments recorded against each gig | YesFees, expenses and member payments per event (Pro) | Not stated | YesFees, deposits, expenses and payment status per event (Pro) |
| Members use it free | YesEvery member and every dep, on every plan | YesMember Portal access is free | YesOne subscription covers all band members | YesMusicians and crew free; admin seats are paid | YesOnly the band account holder pays | YesPriced per band | YesSubscription per group; its members get the paid features | YesPriced for the whole band, not per person |
| Setlists | YesSongs with keys and tempos; a set per gig built by dragging | Yes | YesWith lyrics, chord charts and on-stage tools | YesWith a music library of sheet music and recordings | Yes | YesWith an AI setlist coach | Not stated | Yes |
| Availability and scheduling | YesDays off and availability, on Free | YesAvailability requests through the Member Portal | YesAvailability requests and reminders (Plus and Pro) | YesBooking calendar and automatic gig offers | YesGigs, rehearsals, load-ins and soundchecks in one calendar | YesShared calendar with blackout dates | YesYes / No / Maybe replies for every event | Yes |
| Enquiry page, quotes or invoices | YesPublic booking page, quotes a client accepts online, invoices (Bookings plan) | YesLead capture form, contracts, invoices and online payments | YesInvoices to clients (Pro) | YesLead forms, contracts, invoices and a client portal | Not stated | Not stated | YesQuotations and client lists | Not stated |
| Published price | YesFree tier; Band Pro and Manager per band | YesFrom £24 a month | YesBy band size, in US dollars | YesFrom $29 a month (monthly) | Yes£10 a month per band | YesFree, or $8 a month per band | YesFree, or from $7 a month per group | YesFree, or from £8 a month |
| On a phone | YesInstalls from the browser on iPhone and Android; a Google Play listing is on its way | YesMember Portal on desktop, tablet or mobile | YesiOS, Android and Mac apps | YesA web app saved to the home screen (their how-to of 18 July 2020) | Not stated | YesResponsive web app | YesiOS and Android app, mainly for members | Not statediOS and Android apps listed as coming soon |
Checked on 23 September 2026, each product’s own website. Prices are as published on that day, in the currency they were published in; nothing here is a rating or a review.
The tools, one by one
What each company says its product is for, what it lists, and — before anything about ours — what it does that Event Band Manager does not.
Band Pencil
Management CRM software for bands, musicians, artists, DJs and entertainment businesses — enquiries, bookings, musicians, clients, contracts and invoices in one place. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Standard £24 a month, Premium £39 a month, Ultimate £79 a month (or £240, £360 and £720 a year); excluding VAT; 14-day free trial. Web; the Member Portal opens on desktop, tablet or mobile. App-store apps not stated.
What its site says it does
- Enquiries from a lead capture form, and a gig pipeline
- A line-up builder: roles, templates, who is available and which roles are empty
- A free Member Portal: gig details, availability, each member’s own fee, performer invoices
- A Client Portal: contracts signed online, invoices and online card payments
- A setlist builder
- Travel and accommodation itineraries for a booking
What it does that we do not
- Contracts a client signs online, and performer contracts
- A client portal for event details, files, invoices and payments
- Card payments on invoices through Stripe
- Travel itineraries — flights, trains, accommodation — attached to a booking
- Reusable line-up templates by instrument or role
- REST API access on the Ultimate plan
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top — what its site does say: travel itineraries per booking (flights, trains, driving)
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member — what its site does say: each member sees their own fee and can submit an invoice
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep — what its site does say: line-up builder assigns musicians to roles
- Expenses filed against a gig — what its site does say: financial reporting listed on Premium
BandHelper
A cloud-based service with companion mobile apps to take the organising out of playing in a band: repertoire, schedule, contacts and finances, shared with the band. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: By level and band size, in US dollars. For 2–5 users: Basic $4, Plus $6, Pro $8 a month. For 6–20 users: Basic $6, Plus $9, Pro $12 a month. 30-day free trial. Website plus iOS, Android and Mac apps.
What its site says it does
- Songs, set lists, lyrics and chord charts synced to every device
- On-stage tools: auto-scrolling, backing and click tracks, MIDI and footswitches
- Event scheduling with availability requests and reminders (Plus)
- Booking contacts with follow-up reminders (Plus)
- Income and expense tracking, invoices and a payment share calculator (Pro)
- Stage plots, checklists and a practice log (Pro)
What it does that we do not
- Native iOS, Android and Mac apps that work without a connection
- Lyrics and chord charts, with transposing for other singers or horn keys
- Backing tracks, click tracks, MIDI and lighting control on stage
- Reference recordings with speed and loop controls for rehearsal
- Stage plots to send to venues
- A practice log
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top — what its site does say: transport can be logged as an expense category
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep — what its site does say: gives sub players the charts and recordings for a gig
Back On Stage
An all-in-one system for running a band as a business: client portal, contracts, invoicing, automatic booking of musicians and paying the team. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Starter $29, Pro $49, Agency $79 a month billed monthly (or $19, $40 and $63 a month billed annually); USD, or CAD for Canadian customers; 30-day free trial. Described as a web app with nothing to download, saved to the phone’s home screen (their how-to, dated 18 July 2020).
What its site says it does
- CRM, lead forms and automatic follow-up emails
- Contracts with e-signature, invoices and a client portal
- Auto-Book: gig offers sent to musicians in order until every role is filled
- Payouts and auto-pay to musicians through PayPal
- Set lists and a music library with unlimited storage
- Income and expense tracking per booking
What it does that we do not
- Gig offers sent to musicians automatically by email or text
- Musicians paid through PayPal payouts, with an invoice made for each payout
- Lead forms with automatic follow-up email sequences
- Contracts with e-signature and client questionnaires
- Sheet music handed to each musician by role
- Several band brands under one subscription on the Agency plan
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member — what its site does say: pays each musician by PayPal payout
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep — what its site does say: substitutes get the song materials; musicians paid by payout
Stage Portal
Gig management software for bands, independent artists, event organisers and grassroots music venues: bookings, riders, setlists, crew and communication. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Artist and band plans £10 a month, or £5 a month billed annually; venue plans from £50 a month; 14-day free trial. Web. App-store apps not stated.
What its site says it does
- A booking manager: gigs, rehearsals, load-ins and soundchecks in one calendar
- A rider builder and stage plot
- A setlist creator shared with the band
- Band and crew communication attached to each gig
- An expenses tracker per gig, with reports for a show, a tour or a year
- Tools for venues and artist managers on the same platform
What it does that we do not
- Tech and hospitality riders and stage plots
- Venue-side tools: advancing artists, crew scheduling, run sheets
- Gig communication with the venue and sound engineer
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top — what its site does say: travel recorded as a gig expense
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member — what its site does say: splits costs between band members
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep
BandMGT
A single source of truth for a band’s gigs, setlists, payments and availability. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Free ($0), or BandMGT Pro $8 a month per band. Web, described as fully responsive on mobile. App-store apps not stated.
What its site says it does
- A shared calendar with blackout dates and external calendar feeds
- Drag-and-drop setlists with PDF printing
- An AI setlist coach and song analysis (BPM, key, genre)
- Spotify search for the song library
- Venue management
- Fees, expenses and member payments per event (Pro)
What it does that we do not
- An AI setlist coach
- Spotify integration and song analytics
- AI venue insights (Pro)
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member — what its site does say: tracks member balances and per-member payouts (Pro)
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep
Muzodo
An online member scheduling system for music groups: who is available to play at every event. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Basic free; Concert $7 a month, Encore $11 a month (or $70 and $110 a year); Pro on request. US dollars, per group. Web, and a free iOS and Android app mainly for group members.
What its site says it does
- Event invitations answered Yes, No or Maybe in one click
- Reminders to members who have not replied
- Sub prompting when a member cannot attend
- A shared calendar, group email and announcements
- Attendance records and section counts
- Quotations and client lists
What it does that we do not
- Built for large ensembles: brass bands, orchestras, choirs, concert bands
- Section counts — so many violins, so many trumpets — for an event
- A group email address and call lists
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep — what its site does say: sub prompting: asks a member who cannot attend to pick a sub or dep
- Expenses filed against a gig
My Band
Events, availability, setlists, line-ups and member management in one place. Price, as published on 23 September 2026: Free (5 events, 10 members); Standard £8, Pro £12, Platinum £25 a month (or £79, £119 and £250 a year); for the whole band, not per person; 30-day free trial. Web. iOS and Android apps are listed as coming soon, needing a paid plan.
What its site says it does
- Events and availability, with reminders
- A drag-and-drop setlist builder with timings and breaks
- A line-up builder with roles and deps
- A song library with keys, tempos and play history
- Gig finance: fees, deposits, expenses and payment status per event (Pro)
- Band messaging and announcements, and PDF export
What it does that we do not
- Band chat and announcements with read tracking
- Custom roles, member response stats and band analytics
- Print-ready PDF event sheets for the music stand
- Made for big bands, orchestras, choirs and brass bands as well as function bands
Not mentioned on its site
- Each player’s travel from their own postcode, taken off the top
- An equal split to the penny, with a statement for each member — what its site does say: tracks fees, deposits and expenses per event (Pro)
- Deps: travel from where the dep lives, and the member settles with the dep — what its site does say: line-up builder adds external deps and tracks their confirmations; its gig finance example shows a dep costs line
Where Event Band Manager fits
Event Band Manager starts at the money. A gig’s fee goes in; if a manager or an agency takes a cut, that comes off first; every player’s round trip from their own postcode is paid back off the top; what is left splits equally, to the penny; and at the end of the month each person gets a statement of their own, as a page and as a PDF. A dep is a person with their own postcode, so the travel follows whoever actually drove, and the statement says who owes whom.
It is built for bands where that arithmetic is the argument: function and wedding bands, with a changing line-up, deps most weekends and players who live a long way apart. Members and deps use it free, see their own gigs, travel, expenses and statement, and keep one diary for every band they play in. The diary, songs and sets, days off and to-do lists are there too, and with Bookings the band gets its own enquiry page, quotes a client accepts online, and invoices.
It is not the right first choice for everyone. If what you need first is lyrics, chord charts and backing tracks on stage, BandHelper describes far more of that. If it is riders and stage plots, Stage Portal. If you book a roster of hired musicians at a fee each and want contracts signed online and a client portal, Band Pencil and Back On Stage are built around it. There is no App Store app: Event Band Manager installs from the browser on an iPhone or an Android phone, and a Google Play listing is on its way.
Questions
Is Event Band Manager free?
Every member uses it free, and so does every dep. A band running itself can stay on Free for good — the pay split, travel, expenses, statements and deps are all in it. Band Pro is £12 a month per band; Manager is £15 a month per band you manage (£12 from the third); Bookings is £9 a month per person. Every new band gets a month of Band Pro to try, and you need no card to start.
Do I need the whole band on it?
No. Your account is yours, not your band’s. Start a band of your own for the gigs you play, put the fee and your postcode in, and you get your own travel, your own expenses and your own statements straight away — whether or not anybody else signs up. Most people do end up asking the rest of the band, because the maths is the argument.
Can I import my gigs from a spreadsheet?
On Band Pro you connect the shared sheet your gigs already live in — the one your agency keeps, for example — and gigs arrive on their own, synced daily, with a conflict shown rather than a silent overwrite. On Free you add gigs yourself.
Is it only for UK bands?
No. It was built around UK function bands, but a band can be in the UK, Ireland, the US, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. The band’s country sets its currency, miles or kilometres, the word for a postcode and the date format. The arithmetic is the same everywhere: travel off the top, then the equal split.
Is there an iPhone app?
Not in the App Store. Event Band Manager installs as an app on an iPhone or an Android phone straight from the browser — add it to your home screen and it opens full screen, and your gig list still opens at a venue with no signal. A Google Play listing is on its way. If a native iPhone app is what matters most, BandHelper’s site lists iOS, Android and Mac apps.
Put your next gig in and see the split
Members are free. Every new band gets a month of Band Pro, and it drops to Free on its own afterwards.
Band Pencil, BandHelper, Back On Stage, Stage Portal, BandMGT, Muzodo and My Band are trademarks of their owners; this page is Event Band Manager’s own comparison, checked on 23 September 2026.