Comparison

Photon vs JBL ArrayLink

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

Head to head
About

Photon

Control DMX lighting wirelessly for events, clubs, and theaters. Create sequences, synchronize lights to music with beat tracking, and manage fixtures with a user-friendly interface. Offers advanced features via in-app purchase.

Highlights
  • Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control
  • Multi-touch interface optimized for iPad
  • Light group management
  • Scene and animation creation
  • Beat tracker for music synchronization
  • Fixture database and creator
  • Sequencer with timeline editing
Features
Read full description

Photon, the next generation of professional user friendly DMX lighting console perfect for night­clubs, musicians, live events, filmmakers, theaters... Wireless (Art-Net or sACN through WIFI) and easy to use, Photon reinvents the way to control DMX devices with its single interface for all your lights. Indeed, combine multiple presets to a sequence and synchronize your lights to music. Our beat tracker listens and animates your devices to the rhythm of the music. Live events will have no more secret for you. Features of the free version: - Multi-touch interface designed and optimized for the iPad. ⁃ Light group management. Associate multiple lights together to perform similar controls (colors, positions, brightness ...). - Classic DMX console for sophisticated controls (gobos/fog/focus...) ⁃ Managing scenes. Create and play animations/effects on your lights. ⁃ Smart color manager. ⁃ Art-Net /sACN / DMX output channel analyzer. ⁃ Complete control of an Art-Net universe with 512 channels. ⁃ Art-Net in multicast or unicast. ⁃ sACN in multicast or unicast. ⁃ Database with hundreds of pre-configured devices (fixtures). - Fixture creator to configure your custom devices. Features of the in-app purchase: ⁃ Sound analyzer : sync your lights to music. ⁃ Multi scene / multi group sequencer. Combine multiple cues to a sequence and animate it. ⁃ Edit your sequences as in a video editor with the timeline. ⁃ Automatic, manual or semi-automatic beat control for the sequencer. - Ableton Link support : Sync lights animations with your favorite DJ app or musical instrument. Link is a technology that keeps devices in time over a local network for a perfect synchronization between lights and music. ⁃ Management of the animation curve in/out. - Background mode * Requires an Art-Net (or sACN) Bridge to DMX. Photon is based on the open lighting architecture (open lighting project). ** Purchase of the "Sequencer" with the in-app purchase

About

JBL ArrayLink

This app facilitates the real-time transfer of audio system design data from desktop software to a mobile device. It provides an easy-to-understand interface for deploying audio systems, including rigging and location details, without requiring an internet connection.

Highlights
  • QR code data transfer
  • Real-time offline data sync
  • Array mechanical information display
  • Built-in inclinometer
  • Built-in noise generator
  • Project library
  • Share groups and arrays
Features
Read full description

ArrayLink is the mobile companion app for JBL Venue Synthesis, giving system technicians instant access to the mechanical information needed to safely and accurately deploy JBL VTX, VRX, and SRX900 Audio systems in the field. Open Venue Synthesis project files directly or import projects by scanning QR codes generated from Venue Synthesis. ArrayLink organizes every System Group, array, and deployment detail into an intuitive interface designed for real-world deployment workflows. Key Features: • Open Venue Synthesis project files directly on your mobile device • Share complete projects using the new .al project format • Import deployment data by scanning QR codes, even without an internet connection • View rigging, positioning, spacing, and deployment information for every array • Organize projects with folders and built-in project management tools • Built-in inclinometer and tone generator for system verification • Supports JBL VTX, VRX, and SRX900 Audio systems Designed for system engineers, technicians, and production crews, ArrayLink brings critical deployment information from Venue Synthesis directly to the worksite, helping crews deploy JBL Tour Audio systems faster and with greater confidence.

Screenshots

JBL ArrayLink4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: JBL ArrayLink at none against Photon's 1. Photon's advantage is review sentiment (42% vs 20%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Photon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. JBL ArrayLink asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Photon against 4.3 for JBL ArrayLink. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 13 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 42% of Photon's written reviews are positive against 20% of JBL ArrayLink's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Photon ships an update every 6 weeks, JBL ArrayLink every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on June 1, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Photon versus JBL ArrayLink: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPhotonJBL ArrayLink
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (27 ratings) — better4.3 (13 ratings)
Positive reviews41.7% of reviews — better20.0% of reviews
Number of ratings27 — better13
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS10 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB57 MB
Age rating4++4
DeveloperPhoton StudioHarman Professional, Inc.

Customer experience

Photon

All ratings27 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive41.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative58.3%

JBL ArrayLink

All ratings13 ratings
Positive76.9%
Neutral7.7%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews5 reviews
Positive20.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative80.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Photon

One-time1
  • Light Sequencer$24.99
None

JBL ArrayLink

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Photon free?
Photon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is JBL ArrayLink free?
JBL ArrayLink is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Photon or JBL ArrayLink?
Photon is rated higher. Photon averages 4.4 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while JBL ArrayLink averages 4.3 from 13 ratings.
Do Photon or JBL ArrayLink have ads?
Neither Photon nor JBL ArrayLink shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Photon or JBL ArrayLink?
Photon ships an update every 6 weeks, and JBL ArrayLink every 5 months. Most recently, Photon was updated on June 1, 2026 and JBL ArrayLink on September 10, 2026.

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