Comparison

ZY Play vs Sidus Link

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ZY Play

Unlock advanced camera controls for stunning photos and videos. This app integrates intelligent shooting modes like time lapse and slow motion, along with editing tools, to enhance your creative output. Connect to a professional stabilizer for professional-quality footage.

Highlights
  • Comprehensive camera controls
  • Intelligent shooting modes
  • Time lapse
  • Long exposure
  • Slow motion
  • Video editing features
  • Professional stabilizer integration
Features
Read full description

ZY Play offers comprehensive camera controls for convenient photo & video shooting, combining various intelligent functions including time lapse, long exposure, slow motion and more to inspire your creativity. With easy-to-use design and a vast range of editing features, it is a must-have app for anyone who takes photos & videos. By conneting the APP to a ZHIYUN professional stabilizer, it helps you create film-grade footage that is once only possible with a crew.

About

Sidus Link

Control film lighting fixtures directly from your mobile device. This app offers advanced modes for white light, gels, color, and effects, with features for scene setup and collaboration. It supports over 100 fixtures and simplifies complex lighting workflows.

Highlights
  • Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network
  • White Light, Gel, Color, and Effect Modes
  • Unlimited Presets and QuickShots
  • On-set Workflow Management
  • Multi-device Control
  • Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration
Features
Read full description

Sidus Link provides a brand-new solution for film lighting control. Based on proprietary Sidus Mesh technology, it enables direct connection and control of over 100 film lighting fixtures using mobile devices like smartphones. Sidus Link integrates the most widely used and professional control functions and modes in the lighting field, including White Light Mode, Gel Mode, Color Mode, Effect Mode, and unlimited preset functions. With built-in Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration Group features, it simplifies workflows to help gaffers, DPs, and filmmakers quickly complete scene and lighting setups. Language Support: English Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Japanese Portuguese French Russian Vietnamese German 1. Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network 1.Decentralized film lighting network – No additional network equipment (gateways or routers) required; connect and control lighting fixtures directly via smartphones or other smart devices. 2.Multi-layer encryption ensures a secure and reliable lighting network, preventing interference and misoperation. 3.Supports 100+ professional lighting fixtures. 4.Multiple control devices (smartphones or other smart devices) can simultaneously control the same lighting network. 2. Basic Functions Supports four major control modes: White / Gel / Color / Effect. 2.1. White Light 1.CCT – Supports quick adjustment and touchpad-based control. 2.Source Type – Built-in common white light source library for fast selection. 3.Source Match – Quickly match any scene or cct 2.2. Gel Mode 1.Supports traditional CTO/CTB adjustments used in the film industry. 2.300+ Rosco® & Lee® lighting gels.Rosco® and Lee® trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners. 2.3. Color Mode 1.HSI & RGB modes for quick color adjustments. 2.XY Chromaticity Mode supports A Gamut (similar to BT.2020), DCI-P3, and BT.709 color spaces. 3.Color Picker – Instantly sample any visible color. 2.4. Effects Supports fine-tuning and control of all built-in lighting effects in Aputure fixtures. 2.5. Presets & QuickShots 1.Unlimited local presets. 2.QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups instantly. 3. Advanced Effects Sidus Link App supports: PICKER FX MANUAL MUSIC FX Magic Program Pro/Go Magic Infinity FX 4. Compatibility 1.Sidus Link App supports connection and control of all new Aputure film lights, such as LS 300d II, MC, etc. 2.Legacy Aputure lights will require additional accessories for app connectivity and control.* 3.Supports OTA management – Network firmware and lighting updates for continuous optimization. 5. Sidus On-Set Lighting Workflow On-set workflow management – Create scenes, add devices, and quickly complete lighting setups. Console Workspace Mode – Quickly configure scenes and lighting. Group Management – Fast grouping and control of multiple fixtures. Power Management – Real-time monitoring of battery levels and remaining runtime. Device-Controller Parameter Sync – Instantly retrieve detailed device status and settings. QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups. CC Collaboration Group Workflow Supports multi-user collaboration for controlling and adjusting lighting setups. 6. Sidus Cloud Services Free cloud storage for presets, scenes, and effects (requires compatible hardware/software; existing devices will be supported via firmware updates). CC Collaboration Group Workflow Share lighting networks with group members. Supports quick sharing via temporary verification codes. 7. UX Design Dual UI modes – Precise parameter control & WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). Fixture Locator Button – Added to device lists and group management for quick identification. Onboarding guides – Clear instructions on adding/resetting devices.

Screenshots

ZY Play4 screens
Sidus Link4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Sidus Link at 70% against ZY Play's 16%. Sidus Link also leads on rating (4.3 vs 2.4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). ZY Play's advantage is iOS requirement (10.0 vs 15). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sidus Link holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 2.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 658 and 626 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 16% of ZY Play's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sidus Link's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZY Play ships an update every 2 months, Sidus Link every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
ZY Play versus Sidus Link: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZY PlaySidus Link
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.4 (658 ratings)4.3 (626 ratings) — better
Positive reviews15.8% of reviews69.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings658 — better626
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS10.0 — better15
Further details — not scored
Size287 MB381 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer桂林智神信息技术有限公司Sidus Link Ltd.

Customer experience

ZY Play

All ratings658 ratings
Positive29.9%
Neutral10.8%
Negative59.3%
Written reviews1,081 reviews
Positive15.8%
Neutral15.6%
Negative68.5%

Sidus Link

All ratings626 ratings
Positive82.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative14.2%
Written reviews211 reviews
Positive69.7%
Neutral5.7%
Negative24.6%

User reviews

ZY Play

From 658 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Works great with Smooth 4
  • 🚀 Lots of useful features
  • 💡 Good motion time-lapse capabilities

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 🔒 Requires excessive permissions
  • 👎 Poor user experience and UI

Sidus Link

From 626 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🔒 Seamless connectivity
  • 💡 Powerful lighting control features
  • 🎨 Excellent color management
  • 🌟 Comprehensive ecosystem integration

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
  • 🔁 Frequent need to reconnect
  • 🕰️ Slow response times
  • 🔒 Unnecessary password requirements
  • 🤯 Confusing UI for advanced features

Bugs and requests

ZY Play

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Frequent connection issues
  • App crashes and freezes
  • Tracking and stabilization not reliable
  • Resolution and frame rate issues
  • Saved footage not accessible

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for more gimbal models
  • Improve motion time-lapse functionality
  • Allow background operation for time-lapses
  • Provide more camera control options
  • Optimize battery usage

Sidus Link

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Inability to save/restore light settings
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Artnet support for lighting automation
  • Siri/voice control integration
  • Dedicated desktop/tablet app
  • Improved background operation and reconnection
  • More comprehensive tutorials and documentation

In-app purchases

None

ZY Play

No in-app purchases

None

Sidus Link

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ZY Play free?
ZY Play is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sidus Link free?
Sidus Link is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ZY Play or Sidus Link?
Sidus Link is rated higher. ZY Play averages 2.4 out of 5 from 658 ratings, while Sidus Link averages 4.3 from 626 ratings.
Do ZY Play or Sidus Link have ads?
Neither ZY Play nor Sidus Link shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZY Play or Sidus Link?
ZY Play ships an update every 2 months, and Sidus Link every 2 weeks. Most recently, ZY Play was updated on September 22, 2026 and Sidus Link on August 26, 2026.

Other comparisons