# DMXcat® vs Vari

The clearest difference is review sentiment: DMXcat® at 68% against Vari's 0%. DMXcat® also leads on rating (3.9 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (26 vs 2). Vari's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

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

DMXcat® holds the better App Store score, 3.9 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: DMXcat® has 26 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of DMXcat®'s written reviews are positive against 0% of Vari's.

DMXcat® ships an update monthly, Vari every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | DMXcat® | Vari |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.9 (26 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dmxcat/id1163856486/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vari-lite-remote/id6657962781/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **68.4% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 43 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [City Theatrical, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1163856485) | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) |

## What reviewers say

### DMXcat®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dmxcat/id1163856486)

Control, analyze, and test DMX lighting fixtures wirelessly from your smartphone. This system uses a hardware dongle and free mobile apps to simplify lighting control without complex consoles. It supports various functions like DMX and RDM control, fixture management, and DIP switch calculations.

**Highlights:** Wireless DMX and RDM control, Fixture control with built-in database, DMX analysis and testing, DIP switch calculator, Multi-language support

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Vari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vari-lite-remote/id6657962781)

Control your lighting console remotely from any location. Program, adjust, and manage your show with features like command line access, cue playback, and fader control. Ideal for lighting professionals seeking flexibility and precision.

**Highlights:** Remote console control, Command line access, Cue playback management, Groups & palettes editing, Advanced color picker, Fader control, Interactive magic sheets, Patch table editing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is DMXcat® free?

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

### Is Vari free?

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

### Which has better reviews, DMXcat® or Vari?

DMXcat® is rated higher. DMXcat® averages 3.9 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Vari averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do DMXcat® or Vari have ads?

Neither DMXcat® nor Vari shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, DMXcat® or Vari?

DMXcat® ships an update monthly, and Vari every 2 months. Most recently, DMXcat® was updated on October 13, 2026 and Vari on October 6, 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.*