Comparison

Open as App vs Blackout Next (Legacy)

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

Head to head
About

Open as App

Transform spreadsheets into powerful, customizable mobile and web apps for teams. Digitize processes, improve speed, and reduce errors with a no-code solution. Build and share apps instantly, working offline and in real-time across platforms.

Highlights
  • Spreadsheet to app conversion
  • No-code app builder
  • Offline app access
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Customizable app templates
  • Cross-platform compatibility
Features
Read full description

Open as App enables teams to turn spreadsheets into powerful, customizable apps they can Open as App enables teams to turn spreadsheets into powerful, customizable apps they can use on the go, even offline. Depending on your business needs, you can now digitize processes, work much faster, avoid human errors, and much more without investing in development. Through our no-code solution, you built your app yourself. It's easy. All you need is Excel, Google Sheets, or other databases that serve as your app's base. Upload your file or use a template. Open as App will recognize the logic and creates your app automatically. Once you are finished, you publish your app, share it, and work with it in real time on any platform. Whether you work in Finance, Manufacturing, Health, Education, Insurance, Management, or other, you can create service quotes through your apps and have them signed on the spot, invoices on-site, pricing plans, product catalogs, dashboards, budget reports, finance reports, company performance, contact lists, inventory lists, project lists, time-tracking, recording of billable hours, customer surveys and more. Start building incredible mobile and web calculators, dashboards, lists, and surveys now!Start building incredible mobile and web calculators, dashboards, lists, and surveys now!

About

Blackout Next (Legacy)

This professional lighting console app offers an intuitive interface for controlling DMX, Art-Net, and sACN lighting systems. It features a vast cloud fixture database, custom fixture creation, and a robust multi-cuelist platform for organizing lighting looks.

Highlights
  • Cloud Fixture Database
  • Custom Fixture Creation
  • Intuitive Fixture Controls
  • Multi-Cuelist Platform
  • Dynamic Effects Engine
  • MIDI Support
Read full description

Blackout is a revolutionary professional Art-Net/sACN DMX Lighting Console app for the iPad. Redefine your lighting with our incredibly intuitive interface and powerful effects engine. Features: - Cloud Fixture Database: Access over 44,000 fixture profiles licensed from Carallon, the leader in fixture profile services. - Create Custom Fixtures: Utilize our Fixture Creation Wizard to design your own profiles, perfectly matching your specific lighting needs. - Fixture Patching Made Simple: Effortlessly categorize and label LED fixtures with a streamlined Patch interface, ideal for batch management. - Intuitive Fixture Controls: Adjust parameters with ease in Fixture Controls and experience our NEW multi-dimensional color picker. - Robust Multi-Cuelist Platform: Organize and save lighting looks within Sequences, complete with customizable fade times, delays, and links. - Presets for Quick Access: Save and recall fixture parameters instantly, streamlining batch changes across multiple fixtures through our Favorites. - Dynamic Effects Engine: Explore limitless creative possibilities with our advanced Effects Engine, featuring intensity chases, color loops, and more. - Macro Functionality: Simplify complex lighting tasks into single-button actions for maximum efficiency. - Enhanced Data Visibility: Experience our reworked UI with new view states for displaying data in various formats, aiding quicker analysis and decision-making. - Advanced MIDI Support (Input & Output): Gain tactile control over your lighting with MIDI compatibility, suitable for both wired and wireless controllers.

Screenshots

Open as App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Blackout Next (Legacy) at 5.0 against Open as App's 4.3. Blackout Next (Legacy) also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Open as App's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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. Blackout Next (Legacy) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Open as App asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Blackout Next (Legacy) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 37 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Open as App's written reviews are positive against 100% of Blackout Next (Legacy)'s.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Open as App ships an update every 5 weeks, Blackout Next (Legacy) fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Open as App versus Blackout Next (Legacy): the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOpen as AppBlackout Next (Legacy)
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (37 ratings)5.0 (21 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.9% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings37 — better21
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreemiumFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS10.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size145 MB359 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOpen as App GmbHBlackout Lighting Console Inc.

Customer experience

Open as App

All ratings37 ratings
Positive83.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.2%
Written reviews38 reviews
Positive78.9%
Neutral2.6%
Negative18.4%

Blackout Next (Legacy)

All ratings21 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Open as App

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Blackout Next (Legacy)

One-time1
  • Basic Plan$799.99

Questions

Is Open as App free?
Open as App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Blackout Next (Legacy) free?
Blackout Next (Legacy) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Open as App or Blackout Next (Legacy)?
Blackout Next (Legacy) is rated higher. Open as App averages 4.3 out of 5 from 37 ratings, while Blackout Next (Legacy) averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.
Do Open as App or Blackout Next (Legacy) have ads?
Neither Open as App nor Blackout Next (Legacy) shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Open as App or Blackout Next (Legacy)?
Open as App ships an update every 5 weeks, and Blackout Next (Legacy) fortnightly. Most recently, Open as App was updated on October 24, 2026 and Blackout Next (Legacy) on October 16, 2026.

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