Comparison

PINE Motion vs Sidus Link

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

Head to head
About

PINE Motion

Control a universal motion device for cameras and other equipment. Enables advanced photographic and videographic techniques like time-lapses, panoramas, and 360-degree captures.

Highlights
  • Remote device control
  • Time-Lapse
  • Macro photography
  • Video recording
  • Giga-Pixel Panoramas
  • 360-degree imaging
  • Astro tracking
  • Turntable control
Features
Read full description

PINE is a compact and universal device that can be connected to a variety of different camera slider rails, pan & tilt heads, turntables and more, which are driven by stepper motors. It is THE tool for photographers and videographers who want to do motion controlled applications. Supported application modes include: * Time-Lapse * Macro * Video Recording * Giga-Pixel Panoramas * 360-degree Images & 360-degree Time-Lapse * Astro Tracking * Turntable * 3D-Scan

About

Sidus Link

Control film lighting fixtures directly from your mobile device. This app offers advanced modes for white light, gels, color, and effects, with features for scene setup and collaboration. It supports over 100 fixtures and simplifies complex lighting workflows.

Highlights
  • Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network
  • White Light, Gel, Color, and Effect Modes
  • Unlimited Presets and QuickShots
  • On-set Workflow Management
  • Multi-device Control
  • Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration
Features
Read full description

Sidus Link provides a brand-new solution for film lighting control. Based on proprietary Sidus Mesh technology, it enables direct connection and control of over 100 film lighting fixtures using mobile devices like smartphones. Sidus Link integrates the most widely used and professional control functions and modes in the lighting field, including White Light Mode, Gel Mode, Color Mode, Effect Mode, and unlimited preset functions. With built-in Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration Group features, it simplifies workflows to help gaffers, DPs, and filmmakers quickly complete scene and lighting setups. Language Support: English Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Japanese Portuguese French Russian Vietnamese German 1. Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network 1.Decentralized film lighting network – No additional network equipment (gateways or routers) required; connect and control lighting fixtures directly via smartphones or other smart devices. 2.Multi-layer encryption ensures a secure and reliable lighting network, preventing interference and misoperation. 3.Supports 100+ professional lighting fixtures. 4.Multiple control devices (smartphones or other smart devices) can simultaneously control the same lighting network. 2. Basic Functions Supports four major control modes: White / Gel / Color / Effect. 2.1. White Light 1.CCT – Supports quick adjustment and touchpad-based control. 2.Source Type – Built-in common white light source library for fast selection. 3.Source Match – Quickly match any scene or cct 2.2. Gel Mode 1.Supports traditional CTO/CTB adjustments used in the film industry. 2.300+ Rosco® & Lee® lighting gels.Rosco® and Lee® trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners. 2.3. Color Mode 1.HSI & RGB modes for quick color adjustments. 2.XY Chromaticity Mode supports A Gamut (similar to BT.2020), DCI-P3, and BT.709 color spaces. 3.Color Picker – Instantly sample any visible color. 2.4. Effects Supports fine-tuning and control of all built-in lighting effects in Aputure fixtures. 2.5. Presets & QuickShots 1.Unlimited local presets. 2.QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups instantly. 3. Advanced Effects Sidus Link App supports: PICKER FX MANUAL MUSIC FX Magic Program Pro/Go Magic Infinity FX 4. Compatibility 1.Sidus Link App supports connection and control of all new Aputure film lights, such as LS 300d II, MC, etc. 2.Legacy Aputure lights will require additional accessories for app connectivity and control.* 3.Supports OTA management – Network firmware and lighting updates for continuous optimization. 5. Sidus On-Set Lighting Workflow On-set workflow management – Create scenes, add devices, and quickly complete lighting setups. Console Workspace Mode – Quickly configure scenes and lighting. Group Management – Fast grouping and control of multiple fixtures. Power Management – Real-time monitoring of battery levels and remaining runtime. Device-Controller Parameter Sync – Instantly retrieve detailed device status and settings. QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups. CC Collaboration Group Workflow Supports multi-user collaboration for controlling and adjusting lighting setups. 6. Sidus Cloud Services Free cloud storage for presets, scenes, and effects (requires compatible hardware/software; existing devices will be supported via firmware updates). CC Collaboration Group Workflow Share lighting networks with group members. Supports quick sharing via temporary verification codes. 7. UX Design Dual UI modes – Precise parameter control & WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). Fixture Locator Button – Added to device lists and group management for quick identification. Onboarding guides – Clear instructions on adding/resetting devices.

Screenshots

PINE Motion4 screens
Sidus Link4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: PINE Motion at 5.0 against Sidus Link's 4.3. PINE Motion also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15). Sidus Link's advantage is ratings volume (626 vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

PINE Motion holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sidus Link has 626 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PINE Motion ships an update every 5 weeks, Sidus Link every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
PINE Motion versus Sidus Link: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPINE MotionSidus Link
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better4.3 (626 ratings)
Positive reviews—61.8% of reviews
Number of ratings1626 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS12.0 — better15
Further details — not scored
Size23 MB381 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlack Forest MotionSidus Link Ltd.

Customer experience

PINE Motion

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Sidus Link

All ratings626 ratings
Positive82.7%
Neutral3.0%
Negative14.2%
Written reviews380 reviews
Positive61.8%
Neutral5.0%
Negative33.2%

Bugs and requests

PINE Motion

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Sidus Link

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes on launch
  • Inability to save/restore light settings
  • Inconsistent behavior when switching devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • Artnet support for lighting automation
  • Siri/voice control integration
  • Dedicated desktop/tablet app
  • Improved background operation and reconnection
  • More comprehensive tutorials and documentation

In-app purchases

None

PINE Motion

No in-app purchases

None

Sidus Link

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PINE Motion free?
PINE Motion is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Sidus Link free?
Sidus Link is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, PINE Motion or Sidus Link?
PINE Motion is rated higher. PINE Motion averages 5.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while Sidus Link averages 4.3 from 626 ratings.
Do PINE Motion or Sidus Link have ads?
Neither PINE Motion nor Sidus Link shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PINE Motion or Sidus Link?
PINE Motion ships an update every 5 weeks, and Sidus Link every 2 weeks. Most recently, PINE Motion was updated on September 17, 2026 and Sidus Link on October 1, 2026.

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