# ShadowMagic vs StageTools

The clearest difference is price: StageTools at Free against ShadowMagic's $14.99. StageTools also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 3 months). ShadowMagic's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.6). On rating, ratings volume, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

StageTools is free to download; ShadowMagic costs $14.99 up front. StageTools sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. ShadowMagic asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for ShadowMagic against 5.0 for StageTools. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 3 respectively.

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, StageTools every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | ShadowMagic | StageTools |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadowmagic/id1355895106/reviews) | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagetools/id6760953336/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **3** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 114 MB | 87 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crossroads Motorsport, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1457608809) | [X0 Lighting Control Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1886615494) |

## What reviewers say

### ShadowMagic

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

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


### StageTools

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stagetools/id6760953336)

A comprehensive lighting toolkit for professionals, offering network scanning, DMX inspection, fixture testing, and plot creation. Manage fixture data, files, and notes without needing a laptop, with many tools available offline.

**Highlights:** Network device scanning, DMX viewer for sACN/ArtNet, Micro console for fixture testing, Protocol detector, LTC timecode generation/reception, Curve builder, Quick plot creation, Scout notes with multimedia

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| StageTools Monthly | $3.99 | per month |
| StageTools Annual | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is ShadowMagic free?

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

### Is StageTools free?

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

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

ShadowMagic and StageTools are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 3 ratings respectively.

### Do ShadowMagic or StageTools have ads?

Neither ShadowMagic nor StageTools shows ads.

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

ShadowMagic ships an update every 3 months, and StageTools every 2 weeks. Most recently, ShadowMagic was updated on October 6, 2026 and StageTools on October 3, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*