# ShadowMagic vs CloudyBay

The clearest difference is review sentiment: ShadowMagic at 100% against CloudyBay's 18%. ShadowMagic also leads on rating (5.0 vs 2.5) and update cadence (every 3 months vs every 7 months). CloudyBay's advantage is price (Free vs $14.99) and ratings volume (83 vs 2). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

ShadowMagic holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CloudyBay has 83 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of ShadowMagic's written reviews are positive against 18% of CloudyBay's.

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, CloudyBay every 7 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and September 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShadowMagic | CloudyBay |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmagic/id1355895106/reviews)** | [2.5 (83 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudybay/id1562685535/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **83** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 18.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 months** | Every 7 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#187** | — |
| Size | 114 MB | 203 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **14.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Crossroads Motorsport, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457608809) | [CloudyBay Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1562685537) |

## What reviewers say

### ShadowMagic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmagic/id1355895106)

**Currently charting:** #187 Top Paid · Utilities (US App Store)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### CloudyBay

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cloudybay/id1562685535)

Control your smart lighting devices with a mobile app. Customize colors, brightness, and scenes for any room. Manage your lights remotely and integrate with voice control systems for a seamless smart home experience.

**Highlights:** 16 million color options, Precise color and brightness adjustment, Customizable lighting scenes, Remote control from anywhere, Voice control integration

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShadowMagic free?

ShadowMagic costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is CloudyBay free?

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

### Which has better reviews, ShadowMagic or CloudyBay?

ShadowMagic is rated higher. ShadowMagic averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while CloudyBay averages 2.5 from 83 ratings.

### Do ShadowMagic or CloudyBay have ads?

Neither ShadowMagic nor CloudyBay shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, ShadowMagic or CloudyBay?

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, and CloudyBay every 7 months. Most recently, ShadowMagic was updated on September 18, 2026 and CloudyBay on September 3, 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.*