Best Tour Planning Tools for Bands 2025
Best Tour Planning Tools for Bands 2025
Planning a successful tour requires organization, logistics management, and the right tools. This guide covers the best software and resources for tour planning and management.
All-in-One Tour Management
1. Bandsintown for Artists
Price: Free Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Tour date management
- Fan notifications
- Venue database
- Analytics and insights
- Ticket tracking
- Social media integration
- Fan engagement tools
- Event promotion
Best For: Promoting tours and engaging fans
Pros:
- Free to use
- Large fan base
- Automatic fan notifications
- Good analytics
- Easy integration
- Venue discovery
Cons:
- Limited logistics features
- Focused on promotion
- Not comprehensive for planning
- Basic tour management
Website: artists.bandsintown.com
2. Gigwell
Price: $29-99/month Platform: Web
Key Features:
- Tour routing
- Booking management
- Contract management
- Financial tracking
- Team collaboration
- Calendar management
- Venue database
- Reporting tools
Best For: Professional touring bands and booking agents
Pros:
- Comprehensive features
- Professional grade
- Good for agencies
- Team collaboration
- Financial tracking
- Contract management
Cons:
- Expensive
- Overkill for small tours
- Learning curve
- Subscription required
Website: gigwell.com
3. Indie on the Move
Price: $12.95/month or $119/year Platform: Web
Key Features:
- Venue database (20,000+)
- Booking contacts
- Tour routing
- Email templates
- Submission tracking
- Resource library
- Educational content
- Community forum
Best For: DIY bands booking their own tours
Pros:
- Extensive venue database
- Affordable
- Great for DIY booking
- Educational resources
- Active community
- Email templates
Cons:
- Subscription required
- Database quality varies
- Not comprehensive management
- Focused on booking
Website: indieonthemove.com
4. Tourbox
Price: Free tier, Pro $9.99/month Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Tour itinerary
- Expense tracking
- Mileage logging
- Document storage
- Team communication
- Calendar sync
- Offline access
- Reporting
Best For: Managing tour logistics and expenses
Pros:
- Affordable
- Good for logistics
- Expense tracking
- Mobile apps
- Offline access
- Team features
Cons:
- Limited booking features
- Basic free tier
- Smaller user base
- Fewer integrations
Website: tourbox.com
5. Bandmate
Price: Free tier, Pro features coming Platform: Web
Key Features:
- Gig management
- Financial tracking
- Band organization
- Schedule management
- Member communication
- Document storage
- Analytics
- Tour planning
Best For: Overall band management including tours
Pros:
- Comprehensive band management
- Free tier available
- Modern interface
- All-in-one solution
- Tour and gig tracking
Cons:
- Newer platform
- Some features in development
- Smaller user base
- Limited integrations currently
Website: bandmate.co
Route Planning
6. Roadtrippers
Price: Free tier, Plus $29.99/year Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Route planning
- Point of interest discovery
- Trip collaboration
- Offline maps
- Fuel cost calculator
- Accommodation finder
- Restaurant discovery
- Attraction database
Best For: Planning tour routes and finding stops
Pros:
- Great for route planning
- Discover attractions
- Fuel cost estimates
- Accommodation finder
- User-friendly
- Mobile apps
Cons:
- Not music-specific
- Limited tour management
- Subscription for full features
- Focused on travel, not touring
Website: roadtrippers.com
7. Google Maps
Price: Free Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Route planning
- Multiple stops
- Traffic updates
- ETA calculations
- Offline maps
- Street view
- Business information
- Reviews
Best For: Basic route planning and navigation
Pros:
- Free
- Reliable
- Comprehensive
- Real-time traffic
- Offline capability
- Universal access
Cons:
- Not tour-specific
- Limited to 10 stops
- No tour management
- Basic features only
Website: google.com/maps
8. Furkot
Price: Free Platform: Web
Key Features:
- Multi-day trip planning
- Unlimited stops
- Accommodation planning
- Attraction discovery
- Time management
- Fuel cost estimates
- Export to GPS
- Collaborative planning
Best For: Detailed multi-day tour routing
Pros:
- Free
- Unlimited stops
- Detailed planning
- Time-based routing
- Accommodation integration
- Export options
Cons:
- Interface dated
- Not music-specific
- Learning curve
- No mobile app
Website: furkot.com
Financial Management
9. QuickBooks Self-Employed
Price: $15/month Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Expense tracking
- Mileage logging
- Invoice creation
- Tax estimation
- Receipt capture
- Profit/loss reports
- Bank integration
- Tax preparation
Best For: Tour expense and tax management
Pros:
- Comprehensive financial tracking
- Tax preparation
- Professional grade
- Mobile apps
- Receipt scanning
- Mileage tracking
Cons:
- Monthly cost
- Not tour-specific
- Overkill for simple needs
- Learning curve
Website: quickbooks.intuit.com
10. Expensify
Price: Free tier, $4.99/month per user Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Receipt scanning
- Expense reports
- Mileage tracking
- Reimbursement management
- Multi-currency support
- Credit card integration
- Approval workflows
- Export options
Best For: Tour expense tracking and reimbursement
Pros:
- Easy receipt scanning
- Good for teams
- Reimbursement features
- Multi-currency
- Mobile-friendly
- Affordable
Cons:
- Per-user pricing
- Some features require paid tier
- Not tour-specific
- Can be complex
Website: expensify.com
Communication and Collaboration
11. Slack
Price: Free tier, $7.25/month per user Platform: Web, iOS, Android, Desktop
Key Features:
- Team messaging
- Channel organization
- File sharing
- Integrations
- Video calls
- Search functionality
- Mobile apps
- Notifications
Best For: Team communication on tour
Pros:
- Excellent for team communication
- Many integrations
- Organized channels
- Search functionality
- Mobile apps
- Free tier sufficient
Cons:
- Can be overwhelming
- Requires team adoption
- Notification overload possible
- Not tour-specific
Website: slack.com
12. Google Workspace
Price: $6-18/month per user Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Email (Gmail)
- Calendar
- Drive (storage)
- Docs/Sheets/Slides
- Meet (video calls)
- Shared calendars
- Collaboration tools
- Mobile apps
Best For: Overall tour organization and collaboration
Pros:
- Comprehensive suite
- Excellent collaboration
- Shared calendars
- Document storage
- Video calls
- Reliable
Cons:
- Monthly cost per user
- Requires Google account
- Can be overkill
- Learning curve for full features
Website: workspace.google.com
Specialized Tour Tools
13. Setlist.fm
Price: Free Platform: Web, mobile-friendly
Key Features:
- Setlist database
- Tour history
- Venue information
- Artist statistics
- Community contributions
- API access
- Mobile-friendly
- Search functionality
Best For: Researching venues and planning setlists
Pros:
- Free
- Extensive database
- Community-driven
- Historical data
- Venue insights
- Artist research
Cons:
- Not a planning tool
- Data quality varies
- Community-dependent
- Limited features
Website: setlist.fm
14. Songkick for Artists
Price: Free Platform: Web
Key Features:
- Tour date management
- Fan notifications
- Ticket tracking
- Analytics
- Social media integration
- Fan engagement
- Event promotion
- Venue database
Best For: Tour promotion and fan engagement
Pros:
- Free
- Large fan base
- Good analytics
- Fan notifications
- Easy to use
- Ticket integration
Cons:
- Limited planning features
- Focused on promotion
- Not comprehensive
- Basic tour management
Website: artists.songkick.com
15. MileIQ
Price: $5.99/month or $59.99/year Platform: iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Automatic mileage tracking
- Trip classification
- IRS-compliant reports
- Expense tracking
- Multiple vehicles
- Cloud backup
- Export options
- Tax preparation
Best For: Tracking tour mileage for taxes
Pros:
- Automatic tracking
- IRS-compliant
- Easy to use
- Tax-ready reports
- Multiple vehicles
- Reliable
Cons:
- Subscription required
- Battery drain
- Single-purpose tool
- Requires phone
Website: mileiq.com
Budget-Friendly Solutions
16. Google Sheets
Price: Free Platform: Web, iOS, Android
Key Features:
- Spreadsheet creation
- Real-time collaboration
- Templates available
- Formulas and calculations
- Charts and graphs
- Mobile access
- Offline mode
- Free storage
Best For: Custom tour planning and budgeting
Pros:
- Free
- Highly customizable
- Real-time collaboration
- Accessible anywhere
- No learning curve
- Templates available
Cons:
- Manual setup required
- No specialized features
- Requires internet for collaboration
- Not optimized for touring
Website: sheets.google.com
17. Trello
Price: Free tier, $5-10/month per user Platform: Web, iOS, Android, Desktop
Key Features:
- Kanban boards
- Task management
- Checklists
- File attachments
- Team collaboration
- Due dates
- Labels and tags
- Mobile apps
Best For: Visual tour task management
Pros:
- Free tier sufficient
- Visual organization
- Easy to use
- Team collaboration
- Mobile apps
- Flexible
Cons:
- Not tour-specific
- Can get messy
- Limited reporting
- Requires setup
Website: trello.com
18. Notion
Price: Free tier, $8-15/month per user Platform: Web, iOS, Android, Desktop
Key Features:
- All-in-one workspace
- Databases
- Documents
- Task management
- Calendars
- Templates
- Collaboration
- Mobile apps
Best For: Comprehensive tour planning and documentation
Pros:
- Highly customizable
- All-in-one solution
- Free tier generous
- Templates available
- Collaboration features
- Modern interface
Cons:
- Learning curve
- Can be overwhelming
- Requires setup
- Not tour-specific
Website: notion.so
Essential Tour Planning Checklist
Pre-Tour Planning
Routing:
- Map out tour route
- Calculate drive times
- Plan rest days
- Identify fuel stops
- Book accommodations
Logistics:
- Confirm all shows
- Collect venue contacts
- Gather technical riders
- Plan load-in times
- Arrange parking
Financial:
- Create tour budget
- Track deposits
- Plan per diems
- Set up expense tracking
- Arrange payment methods
Equipment:
- Inventory all gear
- Plan backline needs
- Arrange rentals
- Pack spare parts
- Organize merch
Communication:
- Create tour itinerary
- Share with team
- Set up group chat
- Establish check-in protocol
- Emergency contacts
During Tour
Daily:
- Check route and traffic
- Confirm show details
- Track expenses
- Update social media
- Communicate with team
Weekly:
- Review budget
- Reconcile expenses
- Plan ahead for next week
- Check equipment
- Rest and recover
Post-Tour
Wrap-Up:
- Final expense reconciliation
- Collect all payments
- Return rentals
- Inventory equipment
- Thank venues and promoters
Analysis:
- Review financials
- Analyze attendance
- Evaluate venues
- Document lessons learned
- Plan improvements
Conclusion
Successful tour planning requires the right combination of tools for routing, financial management, communication, and promotion. Start with free tools and upgrade as your touring needs grow.
Quick Recommendations:
- Best All-in-One: Gigwell (professional) or Bandmate (budget-friendly)
- Best for DIY Booking: Indie on the Move
- Best for Routing: Roadtrippers or Furkot
- Best for Expenses: Expensify or QuickBooks
- Best for Promotion: Bandsintown or Songkick
- Best Budget Solution: Google Sheets + Google Maps + Trello
Getting Started:
- Choose route planning tool
- Set up expense tracking
- Create tour itinerary
- Establish team communication
- Plan promotion strategy
- Build in flexibility
Remember: The best tools are the ones your whole team will actually use. Start simple and add complexity as needed.
Stay Up To Date
Stay up to date with our latest news and product announcements.
Bandmate is the complete platform for musicians, bands, and venues to connect, collaborate, and grow. Find bandmates, discover venues, and build your music career with tools designed by musicians, for musicians.