# LightShow®SmartLights vs Magic

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Magic at 845 against LightShow®SmartLights's 4. Magic also leads on rating (2.3 vs 2.0) and chart position (#177 vs unranked). LightShow®SmartLights's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.0). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

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

Magic holds the better App Store score, 2.3 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic has 845 ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of LightShow®SmartLights's written reviews are positive against 30% of Magic's.

LightShow®SmartLights ships an update every 2 months, Magic every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightShow®SmartLights | Magic |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightshowsmartlights/id1115496422/reviews) | **[2.3 (845 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-lantern/id1479587050/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **845** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **29.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#177** |
| Size | 14 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gemmy Industries Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/889851671) | [shenzhen ELK Technology Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1491353983) |

## What reviewers say

### LightShow®SmartLights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightshowsmartlights/id1115496422)

Control your holiday light displays directly from your smartphone. This app allows you to customize effects, colors, and themes for your lighting products, making holiday decorating easy and personalized.

**Highlights:** Smartphone control, Dozens of effects and colors, Multiple holiday themes, Customizable lighting options, Easy setup and management

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Magic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-lantern/id1479587050)

**Currently charting:** #177 Top Free · Entertainment (US App Store)

Control your RGBIC LED strips with this app. Adjust brightness, colors, dynamic modes, and scenes. Sync lights to music, set timers, and customize pixel configurations for a personalized lighting experience.

**Highlights:** Color control, Dimming and grading, Dynamic modes and scenes, Music rhythm sync, Timer settings, Pixel and line sequence customization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great product
- 👍 Lots of color options and effects
- 🎨 Decent app functionality
- 💡 Music sync feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connection issues
- 🔌 Unreliable remote and app control
- 🎨 Limited color customization
- 🤔 Confusing UI and settings
- 🔒 Security/privacy concerns

**Reported bugs**

- Colors not displaying correctly
- Lights not responding to app commands
- App crashing or not connecting
- Scheduled timers not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add holiday-themed color presets
- Allow custom color/pattern creation
- Improve music integration
- Add Siri/HomeKit support
- Provide better instructions and troubleshooting


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightShow®SmartLights free?

LightShow®SmartLights is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magic free?

Magic is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, LightShow®SmartLights or Magic?

Magic is rated higher. LightShow®SmartLights averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while Magic averages 2.3 from 845 ratings.

### Do LightShow®SmartLights or Magic have ads?

Neither LightShow®SmartLights nor Magic shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightShow®SmartLights or Magic?

LightShow®SmartLights ships an update every 2 months, and Magic every 5 weeks. Most recently, LightShow®SmartLights was updated on October 21, 2026 and Magic on October 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*