CuePad: A Modern StageWrite Alternative
A digital prompt book built for the way most theatre actually works — browser-first, team-friendly, and priced for productions of any size.
Start FreeWhy stage managers look for a StageWrite alternative
Stage Write is a respected name in stage management software. It has been featured by Apple, used on Broadway productions, and has a strong following among stage managers and choreographers who work primarily on iPad with an Apple Pencil.
But it isn't built for every workflow. Stage managers across every scale of theatre — Broadway, regional, college, community, educational, touring — often need something different:
- A tool that works in a browser on any device, not just on iPad
- Real-time collaboration that doesn't punish you for adding teammates
- A workflow that centers the prompt book — not just blocking charts
- Pricing that scales with productions, not seats
If any of that sounds familiar, CuePad is worth a look.
How CuePad and StageWrite compare
| CuePadRecommended | StageWrite | |
|---|---|---|
| Primary platform | Web browser (any device) | iPad-first |
| Core workflow | Digital prompt book — script, blocking, cues, ground plans in one place | Digital blocking charts linked to script |
| Real-time collaboration | Included — share with your full team | Available in higher tiers |
| Team pricing | One subscription per production owner. Collaborators are free. | Tiered, typically per-user or per-bundle |
| Free tier | Yes — full feature access, 1 script | Limited free version |
| Best fit for | Teams that want one shared prompt book across every device, with collaboration built in | Stage managers and choreographers who prefer iPad-and-stylus blocking chart workflows |
What's different about CuePad
A browser-first workflow
CuePad runs in any modern browser. No iPad required, no app to install, no syncing between devices. Open the same prompt book on a laptop in the production office, a desktop at home, and a tablet in the rehearsal room. It is the same live document everywhere.
Built around the prompt book, not just blocking
StageWrite's strongest feature is its blocking chart system — tracking the movement of performers and scenery on a digital stage. That is a genuinely useful tool, especially for choreography-heavy productions. CuePad takes a different center of gravity: the prompt book itself. The script is the spine. Blocking, cues, ground plans, and notes attach to it the way a working stage manager already thinks. If your day-to-day work is the book — running rehearsals, calling shows, handing off to ASMs — CuePad's structure will feel familiar.
Team collaboration without per-seat math
CuePad's Pro plan is $19/month for the production owner, and it includes sharing the script with up to five collaborators (the owner plus four others). No additional cost for those teammates. For larger teams, the Theatre tier removes the cap entirely. That pricing model matters because theatre is a team sport. A typical production has a director, a stage manager, one or two ASMs, sometimes a TD or lighting designer who wants visibility. Tools that charge per user turn a $20 decision into a $100 decision before anyone has even started working. CuePad charges the production owner once.
A free tier you can actually use
CuePad's free Core plan includes the full blocking tools, ground plan editor, script annotations, and cue management — not a trial that times out, not a teaser. The limit is one script. If you are stage managing a single show and want to learn the tool before committing, you can run an entire production on Core for free.
When StageWrite might fit you better
We are not going to pretend this is a one-sided comparison.
StageWrite is built around a specific workflow: drawing detailed blocking charts on iPad with an Apple Pencil. If that is how you already work — if the stylus-driven chart is the daily core of your job — StageWrite is purpose-built for it and has spent years refining that experience.
CuePad takes a different center of gravity. The prompt book is the spine. Blocking, cues, ground plans, and notes attach to the script the way a working stage manager already thinks. It works in any browser on any device, with real-time collaboration built in from the start.
Neither approach is tied to show size. CuePad works equally well for a community theatre play, a college mainstage, a regional production, and a Broadway show — the question is workflow preference, not scale. Pick the tool that matches how you actually want to work.
What CuePad users say
“This program is amazing — thanks for making a damn fine piece of software!”
“I love CuePad so much.”
“It seems to have the best of all of the other apps that I have used in the past.”
Try CuePad for your next production
The free Core plan gives you full access to the blocking tools, ground plan editor, script annotation, and cue management. No credit card. One script. If it fits how you work, upgrade to Pro for unlimited scripts, PDF export, version history, and team collaboration — all for $19/month or $199/year.
CuePad is independent software with no affiliation to Stage Write or Stage Write Software, LLC. Product names mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners. Feature comparisons reflect publicly available information as of 2026 and may change.