Comparison

ShadowMagic vs MyETC

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

Head to head
About

ShadowMagic

A virtual lighting simulator for theatrical and stage design. Visualize lighting, color, shadows, and scenery with realistic fixtures and over 1600 gel colors. Save and share your designs.

Highlights
  • Virtual light lab and Black Box theatre
  • Realistic Source Four® Spotlight and Fresnel fixtures
  • Zoom and dimming capabilities with photometric accuracy
  • Over 1600 gel colors from major manufacturers
  • Precise fixture positioning and auto-focus
  • Save, organize, and share designs as PDF reports
Features
Read full description

A virtual light lab, or Black Box theatre for visualizing lighting, color, shadows, and scenery. The lab has a 40’ x 30’ stage and a 40' x 20' cyclorama. The theatre space is 80’ wide, 40’ high, and 80’ deep. Designers can choose up to eight fixtures to light a very basic scene. Two types of lights are available. The Source Four® Spotlight is available with 14°, 26°, 19°, 36°, 50° lens barrels. The The Source Four® 7” Fresnel may also be selected and zooms from full flood at 65° to spot focus with a beam angle of 20°. All of the beam spreads are photometrically correct. The lamp for both fixtures is a 750 W HPL, and when it is dimmed the color temperature decreases from 3200° K at full down to 2300° when the light is at 4%. Each light can be dimmed individually or the entire scene lowered using a grand master. Intensity has a resolution of 1%. A theatre lighting simulator would not be complete without gels and we have over 1600 colors to choose from the 4 major manufacturers. The gels can be assembled into a collection called a gel string and any color from the string can be applied to each light. Each of the lights may be positioned anywhere around the theatre to simulate booms, shinbusters, or the balcony rail. Resolution of the position is 0.1 feet. When focused on the actor, the lights are auto-focused so you can move the light’s position and see the resulting angle. Lights focused on the backdrop are focused manually by touching the cyc. When you move or rotate the actor, the lights will follow and stay focused right in the center of the body. Scenes may be saved and organized into projects. Both can be shared as a .pdf report with colleagues and friends to show off your ideas. While simple in concept and operation, ShadowMagic has subtleties such as reflections from a matte gray stage covering and the coloring of shadows from other light fixtures. From beginners to seasoned professionals, ShadowMagic makes visualizing and lighting a scene much quicker and easier and more fun.

About

MyETC

Estimate luminaire performance on stage with dynamic photometric data. Configure, compare, and save custom photometrics for any fixture, including gel libraries and DMX values. Quickly access condensed datasheet information for ETC fixtures.

Highlights
  • Dynamic photometric data estimation
  • Fixture configuration and comparison
  • Customizable photometrics
  • Full gel libraries with DMX values
  • Condensed datasheet information
  • Save favorite fixtures
Features
Read full description

The MyETC: Photometrics app helps you estimate how an ETC luminaire will perform on stage by providing dynamic photometric data. MyETC: Photometrics pulls photometry from across a fixture product line and combines it into an intuitive app for all your design and fixture comparison needs. Designers, specifiers, and lighting enthusiasts can easily configure and display customized photometrics for each fixture in any color, compare products, and save favorites. Full gel libraries are included with DMX and full spectral values so you can easily reproduce any gel color you’ve used in the past. Select any ETC fixture and its array and quickly get condensed datasheet information. Meet your new swatchbook in the MyETC: Photmetrics app.

Screenshots

ShadowMagic4 screens
MyETC4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShadowMagic at 100% against MyETC's 0%. ShadowMagic also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0). MyETC's advantage is price (Free vs $14.99) and ratings volume (8 vs 2). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

MyETC is free to download; ShadowMagic costs $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ShadowMagic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ShadowMagic's written reviews are positive against 0% of MyETC's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, MyETC every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
ShadowMagic versus MyETC: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadowMagicMyETC
Price$14.99Free — better
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.0 (8 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings28 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.612.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size114 MB34 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCrossroads Motorsport, LLCElectronic Theatre Controls, Inc.

Customer experience

ShadowMagic

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

MyETC

All ratings8 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

ShadowMagic

No in-app purchases

None

MyETC

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShadowMagic free?
ShadowMagic costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is MyETC free?
MyETC is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ShadowMagic or MyETC?
ShadowMagic is rated higher. ShadowMagic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while MyETC averages 4.0 from 8 ratings.
Do ShadowMagic or MyETC have ads?
Neither ShadowMagic nor MyETC shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShadowMagic or MyETC?
ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, and MyETC every 6 weeks. Most recently, ShadowMagic was updated on October 24, 2026 and MyETC on October 24, 2026.

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