# Stellar by ARRI vs Photon 2

Stellar by ARRI and Photon 2 both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 81% of Photon 2's written reviews are positive against 31% of Stellar by ARRI's. Stellar by ARRI's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.1 vs 15.6). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Stellar by ARRI sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and Photon 2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Stellar by ARRI against 4.5 for Photon 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 41 and 72 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 31% of Stellar by ARRI's written reviews are positive against 81% of Photon 2's.

Stellar by ARRI ships an update every 6 weeks, Photon 2 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 31, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Stellar by ARRI | Photon 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stellar-by-arri/id1429030664/reviews)** | [4.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **72** |
| Positive reviews | 30.8% of reviews | **80.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 84 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.1** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ARRI Group](https://appshunter.io/developer/733009342) | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) |

## What reviewers say

### Stellar by ARRI

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stellar-by-arri/id1429030664)

This app simplifies professional lighting control for film and studio productions. It automates complex DMX settings, offers intuitive interfaces for color adjustments, and seamlessly connects ARRI and third-party fixtures. Organize setups, manage fixtures, and create custom looks with ease.

**Highlights:** Project and scene organization, Automatic fixture discovery (RDM), Auto Layout for DMX management, Advanced color control (CCT, HSI, RGBW, x,y), Fixture grouping and control, Import light plot diagrams, Export/Import projects and scenes

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stellar Monthly Subscription | $9.99 | per month |
| Stellar Yearly Subscription | $99.99 | per year |
| Stellar Unlimited | $99.99 | one-time |


### Photon 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671)

This app provides a professional lighting console for controlling DMX and Philips Hue devices wirelessly. It allows users to create custom interfaces, manage lights, and synchronize effects to music for live events, performances, and filmmaking.

**Highlights:** Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control, Philips Hue Entertainment integration, Customizable user interface, Scene and sequence creation, Beat synchronization to music, MIDI controller support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photon+ Founder | $29.99 | per year |
| Photon+ | $59.99 | per year |
| Starter Plan | $44.99 | one-time |
| Pro Plan | $64.99 | one-time |
| Pro Plan | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Stellar by ARRI free?

Stellar by ARRI is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Photon 2 free?

Photon 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Stellar by ARRI or Photon 2?

Stellar by ARRI is rated higher. Stellar by ARRI averages 4.5 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Photon 2 averages 4.5 from 72 ratings.

### Do Stellar by ARRI or Photon 2 have ads?

Neither Stellar by ARRI nor Photon 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Stellar by ARRI or Photon 2?

Stellar by ARRI ships an update every 6 weeks, and Photon 2 every 5 weeks. Most recently, Stellar by ARRI was updated on August 31, 2026 and Photon 2 on September 17, 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.*