Honest Comparison

CueSync vs ShowKontrol

ShowKontrol is a show control platform built around timecode. CueSync adds phrase-aware automation — beat detection, phrase analysis, and reactive automation that adapts to live performance.

See Editions Open the 3D Virtual Stage

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

CueSync

1.0Connect
2.0Cue
3.0Fire
4.0Coordinate
5.0Recover

ShowKontrol

1.0Connect
2.0Cue
3.0Fire
4.0Coordinate
5.0Recover

Feature	CueSync	ShowKontrol
Real-Time Beat Detection
Timecode Support	LTC, MTC, Art-Net, TCNet	LTC, MTC
Lighting Console Integration	GrandMA2/3, Avolites Titan	GrandMA2/3
Visual Software	Resolume, Disguise, TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine 5	Limited
Audio-Reactive Automation	Beat, phrase, energy, hot cue triggers
Pioneer DJ Link
Cue Stack / Timeline	Theatre & Production editions
OSC Output
Operating Systems	macOS (Windows coming)	macOS, Windows
Pricing	Theatre Edition $32/mo, $299/yr, or $999 once (lifetime, yours to keep)	Contact for pricing

Where CueSync is different

Phrase-Aware Automation

ShowKontrol follows timecode — it doesn't hear the music. CueSync analyzes audio in real time and reacts to beat drops, energy shifts, and transitions that timecode can't predict.

Reactive + Scripted

CueSync's Production edition combines timecode-driven cue stacks with real-time audio-reactive automation. Use both workflows in a single show.

Deeper Visual Integration

Native OSC output for Resolume, Disguise, TouchDesigner, and Unreal Engine 5 — not just lighting, but full visual system automation.

DJ-Ready

ShowKontrol doesn't support DJ workflows. CueSync's DJ Edition is built for club and festival performance with Pioneer DJ Link, AutoPilot, and beat triggers.

Where ShowKontrol Wins

Years of shows behind it, a Windows build, and an established install base with the support relationships that come with it. CueSync shipped v1.0 in May 2026 and is macOS-only. If your objection is "has this run a hundred shows?", ShowKontrol is the honest answer — you are trading a track record for a lower price and phrase-aware automation.

Common Questions

For timecode-driven shows, CueSync's Theatre Edition offers cue stacks, timeline automation, and multi-protocol timecode. For audio-reactive shows, CueSync goes beyond what ShowKontrol can do.

Yes. CueSync integrates with GrandMA2/3 via OSC — triggering cues, executors, and macros from both audio events and timecode.

For a show-control workflow the tier to compare is Theatre: $32/month, $299/year, or $999 once as a lifetime licence you keep. ShowKontrol publishes pricing on request. The honest caveat runs the other way — ShowKontrol has years of shows behind it and CueSync shipped v1.0 in May 2026, so you are trading a track record for a lower price. CueSync is free to download and evaluate in read-only mode first.

Have more questions? Contact us

Last reviewed 7 August 2026. Competitor pricing and features change — tell us at contact@cuesync.live if anything here is out of date and we will correct it.

Ready to Automate Your Stage?

Download CueSync free and run the built-in demo show — press Space and its cues fire against simulated outputs, no hardware required. Subscribe when you're ready to drive a real rig.

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Feature

CueSync

ShowKontrol

Real-Time Beat Detection

Timecode Support

LTC, MTC, Art-Net, TCNet

LTC, MTC

Lighting Console Integration

GrandMA2/3, Avolites Titan

GrandMA2/3

Visual Software

Resolume, Disguise, TouchDesigner, Unreal Engine 5

Limited

Audio-Reactive Automation

Beat, phrase, energy, hot cue triggers

Pioneer DJ Link

Cue Stack / Timeline

Theatre & Production editions

OSC Output

Operating Systems

macOS (Windows coming)

macOS, Windows

Pricing

Theatre Edition $32/mo, $299/yr, or $999 once (lifetime, yours to keep)

Contact for pricing