ZY Play vs Sidus Link
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Comprehensive camera controls
- Intelligent shooting modes
- Time lapse
- Long exposure
- Slow motion
- Video editing features
- Professional stabilizer integration
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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.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
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.
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.
| Parameter | ZY Play | Sidus Link |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.4 (658 ratings) | 4.3 (626 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 15.8% of reviews | 69.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 658 — better | 626 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 10.0 — better | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 287 MB | 381 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 桂林智神信息技术有限公司 | Sidus Link Ltd. |
Customer experience
ZY Play
Sidus Link
User reviews
ZY Play
From 658 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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
ZY Play
No in-app purchases
Sidus Link
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is ZY Play free?
Is Sidus Link free?
Which has better reviews, ZY Play or Sidus Link?
Do ZY Play or Sidus Link have ads?
Which is updated more often, ZY Play or Sidus Link?
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