IEM Rig vs SoundRack
A clean, minimal rack layout tool with a small shared device library.
Measured against the live product on 22 August 2026
SoundRack is the most pared-back tool in this category: drag devices into rack units, then export a PNG or a PDF. The interface is clean and the free tier gets you one project and ten devices. Its device library is shared — users upload their own gear and can publish it for everyone.
That shared library is also the main thing to check before you commit. On 22 August 2026 the public library held 51 entries, several of them duplicates of one another, with manufacturers spelled inconsistently and roughly half filed as "Other". It is a useful pool of community gear rather than a curated catalogue.
What each one costs
IEM Rig
- Free tier
- The whole planner, no account
- Paid tier
- None
- PDF export
- Included
SoundRack
- Free tier
- Free — 1 project, 10 devices
- Entry
- $9 / month
- Top tier
- $27 / month, 6 seats
Feature by feature
IEM Rig leads 12 of 16 rows; SoundRack leads 1.
| IEM Rig | SoundRack | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Whole planner, unmetered | 1 project, 10 devices |
| Try without signing up | Yes | No |
| Device library | 329 curated devices | 51 shared, user-uploaded |
| Consistent gear data | Curated and reviewed | Uneven — duplicates, mixed spellings |
| Add your own gear | Yes | Yes, and can publish it |
| Build from a photo | Yes | Yes |
| Cable-level wiring | Yes, port to port | No |
| Signal-flow diagram | Yes | No |
| Patch list / I-O schedule | Yes | No |
| Weight and power totals | Yes | No |
| Priced bill of materials | Yes, cables included | No |
| CSV / spreadsheet export | Gear, patch and rack sheets | No |
| PDF export | Free | Pro only |
| PNG export | Yes | Yes, free |
| Team accounts | No | Yes, 6 seats on Enterprise |
| Off-rack stage elements | Mics, wedges, FOH, truss | Rack units only |
Where SoundRack is stronger
No tool wins everything, and pretending otherwise would waste your time.
A genuinely clean interface
SoundRack does one thing and does not clutter the screen doing it. If all you want is a tidy elevation to send to a client, it gets there with very little in the way.
Cheap team access
Their Enterprise tier is $27 a month for six accounts and a shared workspace. We have no team accounts at all, so if several people need to work in the same library they have something we do not.
Where IEM Rig is stronger
A curated catalogue instead of a shared folder
Their public library is user-uploaded and unmoderated. On 22 August 2026 it held 51 entries including duplicate LA12X, LA4X and Spectera records, three spellings of Behringer, connector types filed as manufacturers, and about half of everything categorised as "Other". IEM Rig carries 329 curated devices from 96 manufacturers, each with its own reference page.
Wiring, signal flow and a patch list
SoundRack places devices in rack units. It does not model connections, so there is no signal flow and no patch list. IEM Rig wires port to port, proposes the patch, checks it and exports the schedule.
Weight, power, cost and a free PDF
We total weight, power and cost as you build — cables included — and PDF export is free. SoundRack shows no totals at all and puts PDF behind the $9 Pro tier.
Pick SoundRack
Choose SoundRack if you want the simplest possible elevation tool, or if six cheap seats for a shared workspace is the deciding factor.
Pick IEM Rig
Choose IEM Rig if you want a catalogue you can trust, wiring and a patch sheet, and a PDF without paying.
Common questions
How big is SoundRack’s device library?
The public library held 51 entries on 22 August 2026, and several are duplicates of one another. It is user-uploaded, so it grows with the community rather than being curated. IEM Rig carries 329 devices from 96 manufacturers.
Does SoundRack show cable connections?
No. SoundRack positions devices in rack units and exports images. It does not model connections between devices, so it produces no signal-flow diagram and no patch list.
Is SoundRack free?
There is a free tier limited to one project and ten devices, with PNG export. PDF export starts at $9 a month. IEM Rig is free with no project or device cap, and PDF export is included.
Try it against your own rig
Build the rack, wire it, and export the patch sheet. No account, no trial clock, nothing to cancel.
Open the plannerOther comparisons
Figures on this page were observed directly on 22 August 2026 on each product’s live site and, where an account was available, inside the product on the tier named. Competitors ship changes; if something here is out of date, tell us and we will correct it. Product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used here for identification only.