The free CuePoints alternative for grandMA3
CuePoints helped define the marker-driven, export-to-console workflow, and it inspired QTracks. If you want the same idea — free, on any platform, with audio stems and timecode routing built in — here is how QTracks compares, honestly.
By Levyn Schneider, grandMA3 operator and creator of QTracks · Updated June 2026
QTracks is a free, cross-platform alternative to CuePoints for grandMA3 operators. It shares the timeline-markers-to-macro workflow and adds a multi-stem audio timeline, a visual routing canvas, and live LTC/MTC streaming — all in one app, on macOS, Windows, and Linux, with no licence fee. CuePoints remains the stronger pick for multi-console output and team collaboration.
QTracks vs CuePoints at a glance
| Feature | QTracks | CuePoints |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free trial, then paid |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Multi-stem audio timeline | ||
| Visual routing canvas (audio + LTC + MTC) | ||
| Streams timecode as a live programming playhead | LTC + MTC | LTC |
| grandMA3 macro export (sequences, cues, TC pool) | ||
| Export to other consoles (Eos, Hog, …) | grandMA3 (more on roadmap) | Several |
| Team collaboration / shared cue lists | ||
| DAW required |
Both tools are built by working professionals and both export clean grandMA3 macros. The differences come down to price, platform reach, and how much of the timecode chain lives inside the app.
Where QTracks is the better pick
- It’s free. The full app, every feature, no account, no licence key, no cue cap.
- It runs on Linux as well as macOS and Windows — the only tool in this niche that does.
- Audio stems live on the timeline. Place cues against the kick, the vocal, or the click, with per-stem trim, offset, mute, solo, and volume.
- Routing and LTC/MTC are built in. A visual canvas sends MTC to grandMA3 onPC and LTC to a physical desk — no separate audio router or LTC-to-MTC converter needed.
- It’s a live playhead. Press play and timecode streams into the console so you program against the running cue list. See the full grandMA3 timecode guide.
Where CuePoints is the better pick
Credit where it’s due. If you program on several different consoles, CuePoints exports to more of them (grandMA2, ETC Eos, and others), and its collaboration features let a team plan and share cue timings together. If multi-console output or shared planning is central to how you work, CuePoints is worth its price. QTracks is focused on grandMA3 and on the solo previz programmer, with more consoles on the roadmap.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free alternative to CuePoints?
Yes. QTracks is a free previz and timecode studio for grandMA3 operators. It covers the core CuePoints workflow — a song timeline, markers, and grandMA3 macro export — and adds a multi-stem timeline, a visual routing canvas, and live LTC/MTC streaming, with no licence fee and no cue cap. It runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux.
What is the difference between QTracks and CuePoints?
Both let you plan a show on a timeline and export to grandMA3. CuePoints is a paid, polished, multi-console cue-planning tool with team collaboration, on macOS and Windows. QTracks is free and cross-platform (adds Linux), focuses on grandMA3, and folds audio stems, visual routing, and LTC/MTC streaming into one app so you don't need a separate router or LTC-to-MTC converter.
Can QTracks export grandMA3 macros like CuePoints?
Yes. QTracks exports a grandMA3 macro that scaffolds sequences, cues, a timecode pool, and timecode events tied to your markers. You run it once in grandMA3 and program the empty cues afterwards — QTracks never touches fixture data.
Does QTracks run on Windows and Linux?
Yes — macOS 10.15+, Windows 10/11, and Linux (Ubuntu 22.04+, AppImage). CuePoints runs on macOS and Windows but not Linux, so QTracks is the option for Linux-based programming rigs.
Try the free alternative.
Download QTracks free for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and program your next grandMA3 show — stems, markers, routing, and timecode in one window.