# HotSteamer vs Profoto Control

The clearest difference is price: Profoto Control at Free against HotSteamer's $4.99. Profoto Control also leads on review sentiment (38% vs 0%) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 19 months). HotSteamer's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Profoto Control is free to download; HotSteamer costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

HotSteamer ships an update every 19 months, Profoto Control every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on August 29, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HotSteamer | Profoto Control |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | — | **[4.7 (896 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/profoto-control/id1387823564/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **896** |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | **38.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 19 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 18 MB | 80 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [KOJI HARA](https://appshunter.io/developer/566940810) | [Profoto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1387823563) |

## What reviewers say

### HotSteamer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hotsteamer/id1168405157)

Easily add realistic steam effects to your coffee, tea, and food photos. Enhance your social media content with visually appealing, warm imagery in just seconds. The app uses fluid simulation for realistic steam that can be adjusted and repositioned.

**Highlights:** Realistic steam simulation, Apply to camera preview or library photos, Adjust steam intensity, Reposition and resize steam, Record video with steam effects

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Profoto Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/profoto-control/id1387823564)

Control Profoto Bluetooth-enabled lighting equipment remotely from your smartphone. Adjust settings with intuitive touch controls and ensure your gear is up-to-date with easy firmware updates.

**Highlights:** Smart remote control, View and control Profoto Bluetooth products, Touch, swipe, and tweak lighting, Easy firmware updates, Update Profoto Bluetooth products

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and responsive app
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Useful features for controlling lights
- 🔥 Excellent lighting quality

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🚫 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🔍 Lack of advanced features and customization
- 💤 Unreliable firmware updates

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to register equipment in the app
- App crashes on launch or when connecting to lights
- Firmware update process is unreliable
- Inconsistent exposure and zoom support

**Requested features**

- Add support for more Profoto light models
- Improve camera integration and functionality
- Implement independent light group control
- Provide localization in more languages


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HotSteamer free?

HotSteamer costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Profoto Control free?

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

### Do HotSteamer or Profoto Control have ads?

Neither HotSteamer nor Profoto Control shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HotSteamer or Profoto Control?

HotSteamer ships an update every 19 months, and Profoto Control every 2 months. Most recently, HotSteamer was updated on August 29, 2026 and Profoto Control on October 13, 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.*