BandHQ vs. Planning Center
Band organization vs. worship planning
Planning Center Services is the standard for worship service planning and volunteer scheduling. BandHQ is the tool for bands, ensembles and music schools — not primarily church-focused.
Feature Comparison
| Area | Feature / Detail | BandHQ | Planning Center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target audience | Primary audience | Bands, cover bands, music schools, ensembles | Churches, worship teams, volunteers |
| Structure | Workspaces with bands | Yes | Organizations with services/plans |
| Songs | Song data, status, notes, links | Yes | Yes, with arrangements & attachments |
| Leadsheets/Files | Lyrics, PDF upload, audio, text extraction | Yes | Chart/PDF upload, media |
| Setlists/Plans | Setlists with duration, notes, event link | Yes | Service plans with elements |
| Setlists/Plans | Transitions (announcements, drum solos, breaks) | Yes — freely definable transitions between songs | No |
| Live | Gig Mode (full-screen with transpose) | Yes | No |
| Rehearsals | Rehearsal agenda (auto-generated from setlist) | Yes | No |
| Rehearsals | Gig checklist + post-event surveys | Yes | No |
| Practice | Personal practice planner | Yes | No |
| Events | Rehearsals & gigs with status, fee, times | Yes | Services with schedule |
| Volunteers/Teams | Members + attendance (RSVP) | Yes | Volunteers, team assignments, requests |
| Scheduling | Scheduling / roster planning | Simple RSVP | Full scheduling |
| Platforms | Available platforms | Web app | Web + iOS/Android apps |
Pricing & Plans
| Product | Plan | Price | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| BandHQ | Free | €0/month | For small bands, getting started |
| BandHQ | Pro | €4.99/month | For professional bands |
| BandHQ | Community | €14.99/month | For schools / large ensembles |
| Planning Center | Services (small) | Low entry prices | Price per active team members |
| Planning Center | Services (large) | Increasing monthly fees | Scales with volunteers |
Screenshots
BandHQ
Event detail with setlist & RSVP
Dashboard
Song list
Planning Center
Services plan
Team schedule
Song detail
Conclusion
BandHQ is the right choice for bands, cover projects and music schools. Planning Center is for churches that need complex worship service and volunteer planning.
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