RundownStudio ($0 solo / $25 per event / $600/yr for a 2-person team) is a hosted rundown tool built for show callers, producers, and broadcast teams. It's straightforward, fairly priced compared to the broadcast-tier tools, and it works. If you're reading this, you already know what it is; you're checking whether something else fits better.
The honest reasons people go looking: the per-event fee adds up if you run more than a couple of events a month, both paid plans cap out at 2 team members regardless of price, some producers prefer to self-host rather than pay a recurring fee at all, and some want a different live-execution model than RundownStudio's. None of that makes RundownStudio a bad tool, it just means the fit isn't universal. Here's what else is out there.
| Tool | Price | Setup | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RundownStudio | $0 solo / $25 per event / $600/yr team (2 members) | Hosted | Solo producers, occasional-event use |
| OnTime | Free, open-source. Optional cloud $20-80/mo | Self-hosted (Docker/GitHub), or hosted cloud | Technical AV crews comfortable self-hosting |
| Lasso (formerly Shoflo) | $1,045-6,950/yr + add-ons | Hosted, enterprise onboarding | Broadcast TV, large-scale live production |
| StageTimer | Free (3 rooms, 3 timers/room) / paid tiers unlock more rooms and connections | Hosted or self-hosted desktop | Synced countdown timers, not a full rundown builder |
| Overture | $399/yr (1 event) / $1,299/yr (5 events) / $3,999/yr (50 events) | Hosted | Corporate producers running large general sessions |
| Rundown Creator | $40/mo Basic / $90/mo Pro / $660/yr Educational | Hosted (browser-based) | TV/radio/broadcast production teams |
| Showcaller.io | $399/yr single license (3 machine activations) | Self-hosted (local server, works offline) | Teams that want it running on their own network, no internet dependency |
| Runsheet | Free (1 rundown, 3 screens) / Pro $19/mo unlimited | Hosted, zero setup | Building the rundown and running it live, together |
1. OnTime
OnTime (getontime.no) is free and open-source: rundown building, synced timers, cue management, and operator views, with Excel/Sheets import, no cost at all if you self-host it via Docker, GitHub, or their NPM CLI. It also offers its own hosted cloud tier ($20/mo Pro for 3 simultaneous stages, $80/mo Studio for 10 stages and project archiving) if you'd rather not run it yourself. Self-hosting is a real skill, not a checkbox, so this fits technical AV crews best, not a producer who wants to sign up and go.
2. Lasso (formerly Shoflo)
Lasso is priced and built for broadcast television and large-scale live production: $1,045/yr for a single user up to $6,950/yr for 15 users, with add-on modules (a prompter add-on and an elements manager, each $1,250/yr) on top. It targets sports, corporate, and broadcast/media production. This is the option if RundownStudio's team cap is the problem and your budget is built for enterprise software, not the option if you're trying to spend less.
3. StageTimer
StageTimer answers a narrower question than a rundown tool does: synced countdown timers across every device in the room. Its free tier covers 3 rooms with 3 timers and messages each; paid tiers unlock more rooms and live connections. It's hybrid, hosted or a self-hosted desktop app that works offline. Worth naming because it comes up in the same conversations, but it doesn't build or hold the rundown itself, so it's an alternative only if timing is genuinely all you need.
4. Overture
Overture ($399/yr for 1 event up to $3,999/yr for 50 events/yr, plus a custom Enterprise tier) is pitched at corporate producers running large general sessions, in the 700-7,000 attendee range. It's hosted only, with a 7-day free trial and no card required to start. This is a step up from RundownStudio in price and event volume, positioned for teams producing corporate conferences at scale rather than a solo AV freelancer.
5. Rundown Creator
Rundown Creator is browser-based broadcast rundown software: $40/mo for the Basic plan, $90/mo for Pro (which adds TriCaster, XPression, Chyron, and Autoscript integration), or $660/yr for an educational discount aimed at schools. It's built for TV, radio, and internet show production teams that need those specific broadcast-graphics integrations, a narrower audience than a general event rundown tool.
6. Showcaller.io
Showcaller.io is $399/yr for a single license with 3 machine activations, 14-day free trial, no free tier. The distinguishing feature: it runs as a self-hosted local server on a machine in the production environment, so the show doesn't depend on an internet connection once it's set up. That's a genuinely different model from every hosted tool on this list, worth considering specifically if venue wifi or a hard internet dependency is a real risk for your show.
7. Runsheet
Runsheetis hosted with no setup: build the rundown in an editable table, then run the show from it live, synced current-item view and countdowns on every connected screen (control, crew, stage), and start times that reflow automatically when a segment runs long. Screens are shared by link, no viewer accounts needed for crew to see their screen. Free covers 1 active rundown and 3 connected screens; Pro is $19/mo for unlimited rundowns and screens. It's not free like OnTime, and it's not broadcast-scale like Lasso or Rundown Creator; it's aimed at freelancers and small event-production teams who want the build side and the live side in the same hosted tool.
Other tools you'll see mentioned
A few more names come up in these searches: Cuer, Cuez, and ProductionPlanner. None of them publish pricing on their sites as of this writing, so if a specific number matters to your decision, check with them directly rather than trusting a quoted figure anywhere online, including here. Cuer and Cuez both pitch themselves as broadcast rundown/live production software; ProductionPlanner reads more like general event-production planning (crew, gear, vendors) than a rundown tool specifically.
FAQ
- Is there a free alternative to RundownStudio?
- Yes. OnTime (getontime.no) is free and fully featured if you self-host it (Docker/GitHub/NPM). Runsheet also has a free tier (1 active rundown, 3 connected screens) that's hosted with no setup. RundownStudio itself has a free Solo plan too, so "free" isn't unique to leaving it, but OnTime's free tier has no usage limits the way a free plan usually does.
- What's cheaper than RundownStudio?
- Depends on your usage. RundownStudio is $0 solo, $25 per event, or $600/yr for a 2-person team. If you run more than ~2 events a month, Runsheet's Pro plan ($19/mo, unlimited rundowns and screens) undercuts the per-event fee. If you're technical and don't need support, OnTime self-hosted is free. Nothing broadcast-grade (Lasso, Overture, Rundown Creator) is cheaper; those are priced for a different budget tier entirely.
- Is RundownStudio worth it?
- For a solo producer or a small team running events occasionally, yes, it's a fair, sensibly priced tool. The limitation worth knowing before you commit: both the Event and Team plans cap out at 2 team members, so it's not built for a crew bigger than that. If your team is bigger, or you want a different live-execution model, that's when alternatives make sense, not because RundownStudio is bad.
- What do broadcast teams use instead?
- Lasso (formerly Shoflo, $1,045-6,950/yr) and Rundown Creator ($40-90/mo, with TriCaster/XPression/Chyron/Autoscript integration) are both built for broadcast and TV production workflows. Overture ($399-3,999/yr) targets corporate producers running large general sessions (700-7,000 attendees) rather than broadcast specifically. These are priced and scoped for production companies, not solo freelancers.
- Best RundownStudio alternative for freelancers?
- If you're comfortable self-hosting, OnTime is free and capable. If you want hosted with zero setup and need to build the rundown and run the show live from the same place, that's what Runsheet is built for: free for 1 rundown and 3 screens, Pro is $19/mo. Both are priced for an individual freelancer's budget, unlike the broadcast-tier tools.
Build the rundown. Run the show. Every screen in sync.
Runsheet is the hosted place to build a run of show and then run it live, no setup, share links for control, crew, and stage screens. Free for 1 rundown, 3 connected screens.
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