# Mixing Station vs Vari

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Mixing Station at 78% against Vari's 0%. Mixing Station also leads on rating (4.5 vs 3.0) and ratings volume (621 vs 2). Vari's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Mixing Station sells 13 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Vari asks for nothing beyond the download.

Mixing Station holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Mixing Station has 621 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Mixing Station's written reviews are positive against 0% of Vari's.

Mixing Station ships an update fortnightly, Vari every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Mixing Station | Vari |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (621 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mixing-station/id1438352631/reviews)** | [3.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vari-lite-remote/id6657962781/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **621** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | **77.6% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 111 MB | 57 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [David Schumann](https://appshunter.io/developer/1438352630) | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) |

## What reviewers say

### Mixing Station

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mixing-station/id1438352631)

Control digital audio mixers from various manufacturers with a unified, customizable interface. Test all features for free before purchasing a license. Share presets and themes with a community of users.

**Highlights:** Unified UI for multiple mixer brands, Fully customizable interface and layouts, Unlimited DCAs and channel linking, RTA overlays and feedback detection, MIDI support for external control, Community sharing of presets and themes

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Everything Pack | $6.99 | per month |
| Mackie DL | $4.99 | one-time |
| XAir | $5.99 | one-time |
| Soundcraft Si | $5.99 | one-time |
| Soundcraft Ui | $5.99 | one-time |
| A&H CQ | $5.99 | one-time |
| Midas HD | $6.99 | one-time |
| XM32 | $6.99 | one-time |
| A&H Qu (old) | $6.99 | one-time |
| A&H SQ | $6.99 | one-time |
| WING | $6.99 | one-time |
| A&H Avantis | $11.99 | one-time |
| A&H dLive | $12.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Highly customizable layout and controls
- 🔒 Works across multiple mixer brands
- 👍 Consistent user interface across mixers
- 🚀 Efficient workflow and quick adjustments
- 👍 Reliable and stable connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection issues and dropouts
- 🔋 High battery consumption on mobile devices
- 🔒 Requires separate licenses for each mixer brand
- 👎 Steep learning curve for advanced features

**Reported bugs**

- Routing matrix display issues on some mixers
- Inconsistent behavior when switching between mixer models

**Requested features**

- Ability to save and load custom layouts
- Integrated multi-track recording functionality
- Improved accessibility support for visually impaired users
- Dedicated talkback microphone feature


### Vari

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vari-lite-remote/id6657962781)

Control your lighting console remotely from any location. Program, adjust, and manage your show with features like command line access, cue playback, and fader control. Ideal for lighting professionals seeking flexibility and precision.

**Highlights:** Remote console control, Command line access, Cue playback management, Groups & palettes editing, Advanced color picker, Fader control, Interactive magic sheets, Patch table editing

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Mixing Station free?

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

### Is Vari free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Mixing Station or Vari?

Mixing Station is rated higher. Mixing Station averages 4.5 out of 5 from 621 ratings, while Vari averages 3.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Mixing Station or Vari have ads?

Neither Mixing Station nor Vari shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Mixing Station or Vari?

Mixing Station ships an update fortnightly, and Vari every 2 months. Most recently, Mixing Station was updated on October 29, 2026 and Vari on October 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.*