# Photon vs Blackout Next (Legacy)

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blackout Next (Legacy) at 100% against Photon's 42%. Blackout Next (Legacy) also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.4) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks). Photon's advantage is iOS requirement (10 vs 18.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Blackout Next (Legacy) sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blackout Next (Legacy) holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 27 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 42% of Photon's written reviews are positive against 100% of Blackout Next (Legacy)'s.

Photon ships an update every 6 weeks, Blackout Next (Legacy) fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photon | Blackout Next (Legacy) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297/reviews) | **[5.0 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next-legacy/id6475490278/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **27** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 41.7% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 36 MB | 359 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) | [Blackout Lighting Console Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896466673) |

## What reviewers say

### Photon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light Sequencer | $24.99 | one-time |


### Blackout Next (Legacy)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next-legacy/id6475490278)

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Plan | $799.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photon free?

Photon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Blackout Next (Legacy) free?

Blackout Next (Legacy) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Photon or Blackout Next (Legacy)?

Blackout Next (Legacy) is rated higher. Photon averages 4.4 out of 5 from 27 ratings, while Blackout Next (Legacy) averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.

### Do Photon or Blackout Next (Legacy) have ads?

Neither Photon nor Blackout Next (Legacy) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photon or Blackout Next (Legacy)?

Photon ships an update every 6 weeks, and Blackout Next (Legacy) fortnightly. Most recently, Photon was updated on October 21, 2026 and Blackout Next (Legacy) on October 16, 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.*