Shoflo is a rundown planning tool. Timers Studio is a real-time live production control room with timers, moderator console, audience gateway, and deep hardware integration.
Shoflo excels at pre-show rundown creation and document sharing. But when the show goes live, you need real-time timer control, instant cue execution, live audience interaction, and server-side show clocks. Timers Studio is built for the live moment.
Shoflo is a planning document -- it does not connect to Stream Deck, Companion, or any hardware surface. Timers Studio integrates natively with Elgato Stream Deck via WebHID and provides a full Bitfocus Companion module with 30+ actions.
Shoflo has no audience-facing features. Timers Studio Gateway provides live polls, spatial Q&A radar, and raffle -- all integrated into the production flow.
Shoflo has no public API. Timers Studio exposes every action through a documented 53-endpoint REST API with real-time SSE streaming.
| Feature | Shoflo | Timers Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Rundown planning | Core strength | Timer import |
| Real-time timer control | No | Full transport controls |
| REST API | No | 53 endpoints |
| Stream Deck / Companion | No | Native + Module |
| Moderator console | No | Full console + intercom |
| Audience engagement | No | Polls, Q&A, raffle |
| Show clock | No | Server-side Wharton clock |
| Designer themes | PDF-style | 20+ themes + full custom |
| Multi-language | English | 6 languages + RTL |
| Agenda modes | Planning only | 3 live modes: List, Focus, C+Next |
| Stage Architect (AVIXA) | No | 2.5D readability simulator |
| Raffle Draw | No | Animated wheel + Excel import |
| Live Polls | No | QR voting + real-time results |
| Private encrypted intercom | No | E2E encrypted channel |
| Time Warp | No | -30 to +30 min live offset |
| Blackout modes | No | 4 modes: Black, Clock, Color, Image |
| Timer display types | No timer | 6 types + 6 digit styles |
| Branding (logo overlay) | No | Custom logo, 5 positions |
| Venue / Stage layout | No | Interactive seat map + zones |
Shoflo built its reputation as a rundown planning tool for production teams. It shines at creating structured show documents with cue sheets, scripts, and timing estimates that teams can share and review before an event. If your primary need is collaborative pre-production planning in a document-style interface, Shoflo delivers.
However, a rundown document is not a live control system. The moment your show goes live, you need real-time timer execution, instant cue control, hardware integration, audience interaction, and server-synchronized clocks. Shoflo was not designed for that live execution layer, and that is exactly what Timers Studio was built for.
Live execution vs. pre-production planning. Timers Studio operates in real-time: start, pause, reset, and link timers with instant response. The server-side architecture ensures every connected screen -- player, controller, moderator, agenda display -- updates simultaneously. When a stage manager hits "Next" on their Stream Deck, every surface in the venue reflects the change within milliseconds. Shoflo's value stops at the planning phase.
Hardware integration. Professional productions live on hardware control surfaces. Timers Studio integrates directly with Elgato Stream Deck via WebHID (zero install, zero drivers, 17 actions) and provides an official Bitfocus Companion module with 30+ actions, 15 feedbacks, and 25 variables. Shoflo is a browser-based document editor with no hardware connectivity.
API automation. Timers Studio exposes a complete 53-endpoint REST API. Production teams build automated workflows with n8n, vMix, OBS, or custom scripts. Shoflo has no public API -- you cannot automate anything.
Moderator console and audience gateway. Timers Studio provides a dedicated moderator surface with encrypted intercom, visual pager, and Q&A push. The audience Gateway enables live polls, spatial Q&A radar, and raffle wheels. These production surfaces do not exist in Shoflo's planning-focused architecture.
When to choose what. If you only need a shared rundown document and never control live timers, Shoflo works. If you need real-time live execution with hardware surfaces, API automation, audience engagement, and a moderator console, Timers Studio is the production-grade choice.
Create a free account, import your first rundown in minutes, and connect Stream Deck or Bitfocus Companion. No credit card required.