$5 Songbook first. Point OpenKJ at Auto-KJ, paste an API key, singers request from their phones. No new app. If that works and you later want the Fairness Engine, start the 60-day no-card Full version trial (~$10/mo after). Pay once. Run up to four shows. Auto-KJ Lifetime is $500, one time. Everything in the full version, with up to 4 shows running at the same time. No monthly bill. OpenKJ is not going anywhere.
If you typed openkj into Google, you’re in the right place. I'm a longtime OpenKJ user who ran shows with it for years before writing Auto-KJ. OpenKJ is established open-source software. If free-forever open source is the point, stay. This OpenKJ alternative page is for KJs who want phone requests without standing up a PHP request server — and for KJs ready to upgrade the rotation itself.
Looking for KJ software in general? Start at karaoke software (the guide to using your own library) or karaoke host software (Fairness Engine, duets, LAN). Here are the options for your OpenKJ setup.
Path 1 — Stay on OpenKJ ($5/mo songbook)
- Keep your OpenKJ rig exactly as it is.
- Point the request server at Auto-KJ and paste your API key.
- Singers search your songbook on a phone. Titles and artists only — your files never leave the laptop.
OpenKJ songbook hosting is $5/month standalone. Included with the Full version (~$10/mo) and Auto-KJ Lifetime. Pay once. Run up to four shows. Auto-KJ Lifetime is $500, one time. Everything in the full version, with up to 4 shows running at the same time. No monthly bill. Need a modern OpenKJ download? The community OpenKJ fork ships Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), and Linux builds with Auto-KJ songbook compatibility.
Path 2 — Upgrade to Auto-KJ (60-day trial)
Keep your MP3+G/ZIP library and familiar dual-screen setup. Free version is desk-entered only — no singer phones — and stays $0 forever. Full version (~$10/mo) is the Fairness Engine plus: cloud singer phones with our full Social Engine; Break-Wave (dual-deck DJ mixer with beat/key matching automixing); full library management (filename correction, duplicate detect/isolate, manufacturer preference for auto-queue); LAN failover; kiosk; remote; and OpenKJ songbook hosting.
| Need | Stay on OpenKJ | Auto-KJ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free app + optional $5/mo songbook | Free version $0 · Full version ~$10/mo · Pay once. Run up to four shows. Auto-KJ Lifetime is $500, one time. Everything in the full version, with up to 4 shows running at the same time. No monthly bill. |
| Phone requests | DIY PHP server, or our $5 bridge | Built in (GPS / show code / LAN) |
| Rotation | You manage singer placement | Fairness Engine: duets, late arrivals, skips |
| Offline bar | Local files; Requests need a separate setup | LAN failover included with Full version |
| License | FOSS + community fork | Supported product, not open source |
| Platforms | Win / macOS / Linux | Windows x64 / ARM64, Intel / Apple Silicon Mac, Linux x64 |
OpenKJ download, songbook, and what Auto-KJ is not
OpenKJ download: use the community fork releases if you want current Windows / macOS / Linux installers wired for the $5 songbook. Upstream OpenKJ is still the original FOSS project — I’m not replacing it.
OpenKJ karaoke in a booth still works the way you know it. Auto-KJ is optional karaoke host software on top of (or instead of) that rig. Ghost-Trax credits are $2 if you need a track that isn’t on disk; they aren’t an OpenKJ feature.
When to stay, when to switch
Stay if FOSS is non-negotiable, your paper-or-OpenKJ rotation already works, and you only need cheaper songbook hosting. Switch when singers argue about the list, you want the Fairness Engine, or the venue Wi-Fi is a coin flip. The 30-minute library move is in the migration walkthrough.
$5 songbook tonight — or a 60-day Full version trial
Start with the OpenKJ bridge if you want zero retraining. Start the Full version trial when you're ready for the Fairness Engine. Try the Rotation Simulator first if you want proof without installing anything.