Comparison
Lyrcs vs BandLab
Looking at BandLab for writing lyrics? Here is how Lyrcs compares, feature by feature, in plain English.
Also searched as BandLab, Band Lab, BandLab app, BandLab lyrics, BandLab lyrics editor, BandLab songwriting.
BandLab is a full music-creation and social platform: a mobile studio for recording, mixing, and sharing tracks, with a place to jot lyrics alongside. Lyrcs is the opposite focus, a dedicated lyrics editor for Mac, iPhone, and iPad that does one thing well, helping you write the words.
So this is less about which app makes music and more about which one helps you write better lyrics. The table below lists every Lyrcs writing feature, explains what it means, and shows whether BandLab has it. BandLab can hold your lyrics, but it does not count syllables, highlight rhymes, or suggest rhymes while you write.
| Feature | Lyrcs | BandLab |
|---|---|---|
| Apps | ||
| MacAvailable on Mac. BandLab has no dedicated Mac app; Lyrcs is a real Mac app. | ||
| iPhone & iPadAvailable on iPhone and iPad. | ||
| AndroidAvailable on Android phones and tablets. | ||
| Optimized for each platformLyrcs is built for each platform it runs on, so the Mac app feels like a real Mac app and the iPhone and iPad apps feel right at home too, with all the niceties of each platform out of the box. | ||
| Works offlineWrite anywhere with no internet connection; everything you need is on your device. | ||
| No account requiredOpen the app and start writing right away. There is no sign-up, no login, and no account to create. BandLab makes you create an account and sign in before you can use it. Lyrcs opens straight to a blank page. | ||
| Syllable counting | ||
| Counts syllables for youSyllables are counted automatically and update as you type, so you never count on your fingers. | ||
| All counts, always shownEvery line shows its syllable count at all times, so you can see the shape of the whole song at a glance, rather than only the line your cursor is on. | ||
| Custom overridesTeach the counter how you pronounce a word when you disagree with it, and it remembers your choice everywhere. | ||
| Rhyme highlighting | ||
| Perfect rhymesWords that rhyme are given the same color the moment you type them, so rhyme schemes are visible at a glance. | ||
| End of line or any wordChoose whether highlighting only looks at the last word of each line, or considers every word on any line so internal rhymes light up too. | ||
| Group by section or fileDecide whether rhymes are matched within each section or across the whole file, so a chorus and a verse can be colored independently. | ||
| Highlight identical wordsOptionally mark repeated identical words so you can spot when you have leaned on the same word twice. | ||
| 20 distinct colorsTwenty separate rhyme colors mean even dense, multi-rhyme passages stay readable. | ||
| Color-blind friendlyThe rhyme colors are chosen to stay distinguishable for people with color blindness, so the rhyme scheme is still readable no matter how you see color. | ||
| Custom near rhymesTell Lyrcs that any two words rhyme, no matter how different they sound, like "home" and "alone", and it highlights them together from then on. | ||
| Rhyming dictionary | ||
| Search built inLook up rhymes for any word without leaving the editor, so you never open a browser mid-line. Lyrcs has the dictionary on every device, and it works offline. | ||
| Dictionary works offlineThe rhyming dictionary ships inside the app, so lookups work with no internet connection. | ||
| Common-words filterHide obscure entries and show only words people actually use. | ||
| Annotations | ||
| Mark sectionsLabel parts of the song, like [Verse] or [Chorus], and they are ignored by the syllable count and rhyme highlighting. | ||
| Specify chordsWrite chords inline above your words; they sit with the lyric without affecting the counts or colors. | ||
| Leave commentsDrop notes to yourself anywhere in the text that the editor treats as annotations, not lyrics. | ||
| Notes | ||
| Notes with each fileKeep a scratch pad attached to each song for alternate lines, ideas, or anything else, stored right alongside the lyric. | ||
| Real-time rhymes | ||
| Rhymes at your cursorAs you type, suggested rhymes for the whole word at the cursor appear in real time, right where you are writing. | ||
| Rhymes for any selectionHighlight any stretch of text and get live rhymes for exactly that, even part of a single word. Select just one syllable inside a longer word and you get rhymes for that syllable alone, not the whole word. | ||
| Plain text | ||
| Plain .txt filesYour songs are ordinary .txt files you can store locally or in iCloud and open in any other app. Your words stay yours, never trapped in an app's own format that locks you in if it ever stops working. | ||
| Distraction-free | ||
| No ads, everLyrcs has no ads. There is nothing competing with your words for your attention, and there never will be. | ||
Apps
- Mac
Available on Mac. BandLab has no dedicated Mac app; Lyrcs is a real Mac app.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- iPhone & iPad
Available on iPhone and iPad.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Android
Available on Android phones and tablets.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Optimized for each platform
Lyrcs is built for each platform it runs on, so the Mac app feels like a real Mac app and the iPhone and iPad apps feel right at home too, with all the niceties of each platform out of the box.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Works offline
Write anywhere with no internet connection; everything you need is on your device.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- No account required
Open the app and start writing right away. There is no sign-up, no login, and no account to create. BandLab makes you create an account and sign in before you can use it. Lyrcs opens straight to a blank page.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Syllable counting
- Counts syllables for you
Syllables are counted automatically and update as you type, so you never count on your fingers.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- All counts, always shown
Every line shows its syllable count at all times, so you can see the shape of the whole song at a glance, rather than only the line your cursor is on.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Custom overrides
Teach the counter how you pronounce a word when you disagree with it, and it remembers your choice everywhere.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Rhyme highlighting
- Perfect rhymes
Words that rhyme are given the same color the moment you type them, so rhyme schemes are visible at a glance.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- End of line or any word
Choose whether highlighting only looks at the last word of each line, or considers every word on any line so internal rhymes light up too.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Group by section or file
Decide whether rhymes are matched within each section or across the whole file, so a chorus and a verse can be colored independently.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Highlight identical words
Optionally mark repeated identical words so you can spot when you have leaned on the same word twice.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- 20 distinct colors
Twenty separate rhyme colors mean even dense, multi-rhyme passages stay readable.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Color-blind friendly
The rhyme colors are chosen to stay distinguishable for people with color blindness, so the rhyme scheme is still readable no matter how you see color.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Custom near rhymes
Tell Lyrcs that any two words rhyme, no matter how different they sound, like "home" and "alone", and it highlights them together from then on.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Rhyming dictionary
- Search built in
Look up rhymes for any word without leaving the editor, so you never open a browser mid-line. Lyrcs has the dictionary on every device, and it works offline.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Dictionary works offline
The rhyming dictionary ships inside the app, so lookups work with no internet connection.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Common-words filter
Hide obscure entries and show only words people actually use.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Annotations
- Mark sections
Label parts of the song, like [Verse] or [Chorus], and they are ignored by the syllable count and rhyme highlighting.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Specify chords
Write chords inline above your words; they sit with the lyric without affecting the counts or colors.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Leave comments
Drop notes to yourself anywhere in the text that the editor treats as annotations, not lyrics.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Notes
- Notes with each file
Keep a scratch pad attached to each song for alternate lines, ideas, or anything else, stored right alongside the lyric.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Real-time rhymes
- Rhymes at your cursor
As you type, suggested rhymes for the whole word at the cursor appear in real time, right where you are writing.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
- Rhymes for any selection
Highlight any stretch of text and get live rhymes for exactly that, even part of a single word. Select just one syllable inside a longer word and you get rhymes for that syllable alone, not the whole word.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Plain text
- Plain .txt files
Your songs are ordinary .txt files you can store locally or in iCloud and open in any other app. Your words stay yours, never trapped in an app's own format that locks you in if it ever stops working.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Distraction-free
- No ads, ever
Lyrcs has no ads. There is nothing competing with your words for your attention, and there never will be.
- Lyrcs
- BandLab
Looking for a BandLab alternative?
If you love making tracks in BandLab but want real help with the words, Lyrcs is the lyrics editor to pair with it. Where BandLab just stores your lyrics, Lyrcs counts the syllables on every line at all times and highlights every rhyme as you type, so the rhythm and rhyme scheme of a verse are visible at a glance.
Lyrcs also gives you a choice of how rhymes are matched, custom near rhymes, a built-in offline rhyming dictionary, real-time rhymes for any word or part of a word you select, annotations for sections and chords, and notes attached to each song. It has a real Mac app, works with no internet connection, and shows no ads. Every song is a plain .txt file you can open anywhere, so when your words are finished you can drop them straight into BandLab or any other app, never locked in.
The easiest way to compare Lyrcs and BandLab for lyrics is to open Lyrcs on iPhone, iPad, or Mac and watch the syllables count and the rhymes light up as you type.
What Lyrcs adds
The features below are in Lyrcs but not in BandLab. Here is what each one does.
Mac
Available on Mac. BandLab has no dedicated Mac app; Lyrcs is a real Mac app.
Works offline
Write anywhere with no internet connection; everything you need is on your device.
No account required
Open the app and start writing right away. There is no sign-up, no login, and no account to create. BandLab makes you create an account and sign in before you can use it. Lyrcs opens straight to a blank page.
Counts syllables for you
Syllables are counted automatically and update as you type, so you never count on your fingers.
All counts, always shown
Every line shows its syllable count at all times, so you can see the shape of the whole song at a glance, rather than only the line your cursor is on.
Custom overrides
Teach the counter how you pronounce a word when you disagree with it, and it remembers your choice everywhere.
Perfect rhymes
Words that rhyme are given the same color the moment you type them, so rhyme schemes are visible at a glance.
End of line or any word
Choose whether highlighting only looks at the last word of each line, or considers every word on any line so internal rhymes light up too.
Group by section or file
Decide whether rhymes are matched within each section or across the whole file, so a chorus and a verse can be colored independently.
Highlight identical words
Optionally mark repeated identical words so you can spot when you have leaned on the same word twice.
20 distinct colors
Twenty separate rhyme colors mean even dense, multi-rhyme passages stay readable.
Color-blind friendly
The rhyme colors are chosen to stay distinguishable for people with color blindness, so the rhyme scheme is still readable no matter how you see color.
Custom near rhymes
Tell Lyrcs that any two words rhyme, no matter how different they sound, like "home" and "alone", and it highlights them together from then on.
Search built in
Look up rhymes for any word without leaving the editor, so you never open a browser mid-line. Lyrcs has the dictionary on every device, and it works offline.
Dictionary works offline
The rhyming dictionary ships inside the app, so lookups work with no internet connection.
Common-words filter
Hide obscure entries and show only words people actually use.
Mark sections
Label parts of the song, like [Verse] or [Chorus], and they are ignored by the syllable count and rhyme highlighting.
Specify chords
Write chords inline above your words; they sit with the lyric without affecting the counts or colors.
Leave comments
Drop notes to yourself anywhere in the text that the editor treats as annotations, not lyrics.
Notes with each file
Keep a scratch pad attached to each song for alternate lines, ideas, or anything else, stored right alongside the lyric.
Rhymes at your cursor
As you type, suggested rhymes for the whole word at the cursor appear in real time, right where you are writing.
Rhymes for any selection
Highlight any stretch of text and get live rhymes for exactly that, even part of a single word. Select just one syllable inside a longer word and you get rhymes for that syllable alone, not the whole word.
Plain .txt files
Your songs are ordinary .txt files you can store locally or in iCloud and open in any other app. Your words stay yours, never trapped in an app's own format that locks you in if it ever stops working.
No ads, ever
Lyrcs has no ads. There is nothing competing with your words for your attention, and there never will be.
No ads, ever
BandLab shows ads. Lyrcs does not, and never will. When you are writing, the last thing you need is a banner or a video pulling your attention away from the line you are working on.
Lyrcs stays a quiet, focused place to write, with nothing between you and the page, every time you open it.
Your files stay yours
Every Lyrcs song is an ordinary .txt file. You can keep it in iCloud or on your device, back it up, email it, and open it in any other text editor on any platform. Nothing about your words is trapped inside the app.
BandLab stores your lyrics in its own format, so they can only be opened in BandLab. If it ever shuts down, stops being updated, or you simply want to move on, getting your own words out is a problem. With plain text, that can never happen to you.
Lyrcs vs BandLab: frequently asked questions
Is BandLab good for writing lyrics?
BandLab can store lyrics alongside your tracks, but it is built for making music, not writing words. It does not count syllables, highlight rhymes, or suggest rhymes as you type. For the writing itself, a dedicated lyrics editor like Lyrcs does far more.
What is the best BandLab alternative for writing lyrics?
Lyrcs is the best companion or alternative to BandLab for the lyrics themselves. It counts syllables on every line, highlights rhymes as you type, and adds custom near rhymes, a rhyming dictionary, real-time rhymes, annotations, and notes. It runs on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, works offline, has no ads, and stores your lyrics as plain text files you can move into BandLab.
Does BandLab count syllables or highlight rhymes?
No. BandLab does not count syllables or highlight rhymes. Lyrcs shows the syllable count for every line at all times and colors every rhyme the moment you type it.
Can I move my lyrics out of BandLab into another app?
BandLab keeps your lyrics inside the platform. Lyrcs saves every song as an ordinary .txt file you can open, back up, and paste into BandLab or any other app on any platform, so you are never locked in.
Does Lyrcs work on Mac, iPhone, and iPad?
Yes. Lyrcs runs on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, with the same features across all of them, and it works offline. BandLab has no dedicated Mac app and needs an internet connection.
Try Lyrcs
Counts every syllable and lights up every rhyme, so you can create your best lines. On iPhone, iPad, and Mac.