Stagetimer is a solid cloud timer for creators. Timers Studio is a professional broadcast timer platform chosen by event producers, TV studios, production agencies and broadcast teams, with API automation, native hardware support, audience engagement and real time multi collaborator editing.
Stagetimer offers limited API capabilities. Timers Studio exposes a complete 53-endpoint REST API with OpenAPI 3.1 spec, Bearer token authentication, and real-time Server-Sent Events streaming. Automate everything from timer control to theme changes to device management -- from any HTTP client, from Stream Deck, vMix, OBS, n8n, or Companion.
Stagetimer has no dedicated moderator surface. Timers Studio gives moderators their own console with an encrypted private intercom channel, real-time agenda tracking, visual pager, drag-and-drop widget layout, and the ability to push approved Q&A questions directly to the speaker screen.
Stagetimer is timer-only with no audience interaction. Timers Studio Gateway lets audiences participate with live polls, spatial Q&A radar (seat-aware question routing), and a casino-style raffle wheel -- all connected to the production flow in real time.
Stagetimer requires manual browser control. Timers Studio supports Elgato Stream Deck natively via WebHID (zero install, sub-frame latency, 17 actions) and also offers an official Bitfocus Companion module with 30+ actions, 15 feedbacks, and 25 variables. Your hardware, your workflow.
Stagetimer limits collaboration to viewer links. Timers Studio allows multiple team members to edit the same studio simultaneously with presence indicators and conflict-free synchronization. Your TD, stage manager, and graphics operator can all work in the same space.
Stagetimer relies on client-side clocks that can drift. Timers Studio features a Wharton-style show clock with server-side time computation, ensuring zero drift across every connected device -- critical for broadcast accuracy.
| Feature | Stagetimer | Timers Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud-based (zero install) | Yes | Yes |
| REST API | Limited | 53 endpoints, OpenAPI 3.1 |
| Stream Deck support | No native | WebHID native + Companion module |
| Moderator console | No | Full console with intercom |
| Audience engagement | No | Polls, Q&A radar, raffle |
| Show clock (server-side) | Client-side | Server-side, zero drift |
| Multi-collaborator editing | View-only links | Real-time co-editing |
| Designer themes | Basic customization | 20+ themes + full custom |
| i18n / RTL support | English only | 6 languages, full RTL |
| Activity logs | No | Complete audit trail |
| Export / Import system | Limited | Full JSON export/import |
| Agenda modes | Basic list | 3 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 | Basic | 4 modes: Black, Clock, Color, Image |
| Timer display types | 2 | 6 types + 6 digit styles |
| Branding (logo overlay) | No | Custom logo, 5 positions |
| Smart Templates | No | 6 categories (Video, Broadcast, Education...) |
| Venue / Stage layout | No | Interactive seat map + zones |
Stagetimer is often the first tool teams discover when searching for a cloud-based event timer. It covers the basics well: create a countdown, share a link, and display it on a confidence monitor. For simple events with a single timer and no production complexity, it gets the job done.
But production teams quickly outgrow a timer-only tool. The moment you need API automation, hardware control surfaces, a dedicated moderator channel, or audience engagement features, you hit Stagetimer's ceiling. That is exactly where Timers Studio picks up.
API-first architecture. Timers Studio was built API-first from day one. The 53-endpoint REST API covers every action the UI can perform: start, stop, pause, and reset timers; create and reorder cue lists; change themes and messages; manage connected devices; and query real-time state via Server-Sent Events. The API ships with an OpenAPI 3.1 spec, Bearer token authentication, and copy-ready curl samples in the interactive reference. Production teams use it to build n8n automations, vMix triggers, OBS scene-change logic, and custom dashboards -- none of which are possible with Stagetimer.
Hardware control surfaces. Professional productions run on hardware. Timers Studio supports Elgato Stream Deck natively via the WebHID browser API -- plug in your MK.2, XL, Plus, Mini, Pedal, or Neo, and you get 17 actions with sub-frame latency, zero drivers, and zero desktop software. For teams using Bitfocus Companion to unify their control surfaces, the official Timers Studio Companion module exposes 30+ actions, 15 feedbacks, and 25 variables across Stream Deck, Loupedeck, Razer, X-keys, and every other Companion-compatible device. Stagetimer offers neither of these.
Moderator console and private intercom. In any production with a stage moderator, communication between the control room and the stage is mission-critical. Timers Studio provides a dedicated moderator console with an encrypted private intercom, real-time agenda tracking, a visual pager for discreet cueing, and the ability to push approved Q&A questions directly to the speaker screen. The moderator surface supports drag-and-drop widget layout customization, scalable widgets, and can run on a tablet beside the stage. Stagetimer has no moderator surface at all.
Audience engagement gateway. Modern conferences expect two-way interaction between speakers and audiences. The Timers Studio Gateway enables live polls with real-time result streaming, a spatial Q&A radar that maps questions to seat positions in the venue, and a casino-style raffle wheel for giveaways. All of these are integrated into the production flow: poll results appear on the player, Q&A questions route through the moderator console for approval before reaching the screen, and the raffle wheel plays with full animation. Stagetimer is timer-only -- it cannot do any of this.
Designer themes and visual polish. First impressions matter. Timers Studio ships with 20+ curated designer themes (Default, Dark Pro, Matrix, Candy, Corporate, Neon, Ocean, Sunset, and more) and provides full customization: custom fonts via URL, background images with blur and opacity controls, six digit styles (Standard, Cinema, Minimal, Newsroom, Digital Red, Digital Green), logo overlays with precise positioning, and tally light integration. Stagetimer offers basic color customization but nothing approaching this level of visual control.
Multi-collaborator real-time editing. Productions are team efforts. Timers Studio allows multiple users to edit the same studio simultaneously with presence indicators showing who is active and conflict-free synchronization ensuring nobody overwrites anyone else's work. Your technical director, stage manager, and graphics operator can all be in the same studio at the same time. Stagetimer limits collaboration to read-only viewer links.
Internationalization. Timers Studio supports six languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Japanese, Chinese) with full RTL layout support for Arabic. Every surface -- player, controller, moderator, spectator gateway, agenda -- is fully translated. Stagetimer operates in English only.
Show clock and server-side time. Broadcast productions demand frame-accurate synchronization. The Timers Studio show clock uses server-side time computation to eliminate client-side clock drift, ensuring every connected device displays the exact same time. This is the same approach used by professional Wharton clocks in broadcast facilities worldwide.
The bottom line. Stagetimer is a competent cloud timer for simple events. Timers Studio is a complete broadcast control room: API automation, hardware surfaces, moderator console, audience gateway, designer themes, multi-collaborator editing, six-language support, and server-side show clock. If your production needs any of those capabilities, the choice is clear.
Create a free account, import your first rundown in minutes, and connect Stream Deck or Bitfocus Companion. No credit card required.