Comparison

PDF Projector vs SOLOstudio

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

Head to head
About

PDF Projector

Turn your device into a presentation projector. Display PDF slideshows full-screen on external monitors and control navigation from your iPhone or iPad. An Apple Watch can even act as a remote.

Highlights
  • Projects PDFs to external screens
  • Use iPhone/iPad for navigation
  • Apple Watch remote control
  • Thumbnail and page preview
  • Supports iCloud documents
  • Share PDFs from other apps
Features
Read full description

Projects PDF slideshows onto an external screen. If you have an Apple Watch, you can also use it as a remote control. This app is useful if you write presentations using LaTeX Beamer, or LibreOffice Impress, or some other application that exports to PDF. Simply open your PDF in the app and connect an external display (e.g., via VGA, HDMI, USB-C, or AirPlay). Your slides will be displayed full-screen on the external display, while the app provides additional navigation controls on your iPad or iPhone. You can navigate on your iPad or iPhone by tapping and swiping, or using the buttons on the toolbar, or scrolling through the thumbnails, or using an external keyboard. When in landscape mode, you will also see a preview of the next page (which you can turn on/off using the button on the upper toolbar). You can browse and open any of your iCloud documents, or you can share PDFs from your favourite app to open in PDF Projector. WATCH REMOTE: If you have an Apple Watch, you can use this as a remote control. Simply open a PDF document in the iPhone app and connect it to an external display, and then start the Watch app to use the remote control. If you talk a lot between slides, try adding the "Next Page" complication to your clock face (requires watchOS 7). This will let you step through the slides without having to keep reopening the app. You can also configure Settings / General / Wake Screen (on any watchOS version) to keep the app on screen for longer while you present your talk.

About

SOLOstudio

This app provides intuitive and powerful show control for live events. It allows users to manage audio and video cues, create custom show layouts, and integrate with external hardware for seamless live performance management.

Highlights
  • Audio and video cue management
  • Customizable cue tiles
  • Import/export shows
  • Live camera integration
  • HDMI output up to 8K
  • MIDI cue support
  • RFID hardware integration
Read full description

SOLOstudio® is the most intuitive & powerful show control app available. Ideal for theatre shows, events, hosts, sound engineers, weddings, producers, improv artists, magicians, entertainers, churches or anyone who wants simple, powerful & intuitive show control. Simply add media from your device & immediately begin using SOLOstudio® to control your show, features include: • Audio cues • Fade in / out • Loop • Override • Delay • Trim • Master fade out (Panic) • Cue volume control • Layer cues for mixed output • Infinite cues with infinite scroll • Multitasking compatible • Import / Export shows • Custom default cue settings • Drag & drop ordering • 50+ Video tutorials UPGRADE TO PRO (in app purchase) to access these game-changing features: • Video cues • Image cues • Hits • Live Camera • External USB capture card & camera support (up to 4K input)† • Record Live camera (ideal for review or socials)! • HDMI output (up to 8K)† • Set a custom 'Backdrop' so every show has a unique default HDMI output, ie: Your logo. • Audio from URL • Groups • Multiple shows • Auto play next cue • Play / Pause • Level Shift (ducking) • SOLO® accounts for... • One tap SOLOsync™ cloud backup • Advanced settings • Show Mode • Upgrade Marketplace • Lumen & Stranger app intergrations†† • MIDI Cues†† (Over Network or USB) to control lights, sfx, advanced scenes in Qlab, LightKey & more! With 'tap to play' cue tiles, SOLOstudio® couldn't be simpler to use. Supercharge SOLOstudio® with SOLO®, next-gen RFID show hardware. By connecting your SOLO® device to SOLOstudio® you have the power to control all your cues without touching a button. Use props, objects & gestures to trigger specific cues & effects with SOLO®, our next-gen show control system. For the first time ever, performers & techs can live curate their show from the stage, simply by performing their show! With SOLO® & SOLOstudio® you can... • Assign RFID tags to cues & groups • Cue your show with RFID tags hidden in objects, environment & on your person • Get instant feedback notifying you of successful trigger • Fade out cues with a simple gesture • Play any cue, any time, in any order! PLUS EXTRA PRO FEATURES for use with SOLO® hardware • DOUBLE TAP allows you to start & stop tracks with the same RFID tag. And with a smart safety function built in, if the track is playing the RFID tag needs to be in range of SOLO for more than 2 seconds to stop/fade out the track. This is game-changing-ly brilliant. • PERFECT TIMING is like having your very own tech crew giving you the thumbs up. When Perfect Timing is enabled, SOLO® will count you in... 3,2,1 & GO via haptic and visual feedback so you know the exact moment a cue will start. Ideal for solo performers, double acts and theatres when precise cueing is vital. Makes you look like a pro. • LEVEL SHIFT allows you to 'duck' sound levels to a pre set minimum and then raise it back up, toggling between the two with one RFID tag. • GO MODE is exactly what it says on the tin. Control your entire show, completely hands off & with only one RFID tag. Jump to the next track, layer tracks and auto fade out tracks with the same RFID tag. This is the famous 'Go Button' system taken to another level with SOLO®. • PLAY/PAUSE allows you to do just that with a single RFID tag scan. Toggle between the pause/play on command. SOLOstudio® takes show control to another level. *SOLO® hardware is available separately from https://www.solosfx.com †Requires dongle available to purchase separately. †† In app purchase available separately For license agreement please see: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Subscriptions will automatically renew unless cancelled within 24-hours before the end of the current period at the App store advertised price of your current plan. You can cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. For more information, see https://www.solosfx.com/terms/

Screenshots

PDF Projector4 screens
SOLOstudio4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SOLOstudio at Free against PDF Projector's $0.99. SOLOstudio also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (100% vs 83%). PDF Projector's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and device support (4 vs 2). On ratings volume and ads 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

SOLOstudio is free to download; PDF Projector costs $0.99 up front. SOLOstudio sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. PDF Projector asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

SOLOstudio holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 7 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 83% of PDF Projector's written reviews are positive against 100% of SOLOstudio's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

PDF Projector ships an update every 2 months, SOLOstudio every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
PDF Projector versus SOLOstudio: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPDF ProjectorSOLOstudio
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.7 (3 ratings)5.0 (7 ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings37 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB123 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBenjamin BurtonSolo Automations Ltd

Customer experience

PDF Projector

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral16.7%
Negative0.0%

SOLOstudio

All ratings7 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

PDF Projector

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

SOLOstudio

Subscriptions3
  • SOLOstudio PRO Monthly Plan$14.991 Month
  • SOLOstudio PRO Yearly Plan$99.001 Year
  • SS PRO Yearly Plan with Trial7 Days trial$99.991 Year
One-time4
  • The Stranger System$19.99
  • Lumen by Audience Wonderland$49.99
  • MIDI Control$99.99
Show 1 more
  • SOLOstudio PRO Once Plan.$599.00

Questions

Is PDF Projector free?
PDF Projector costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SOLOstudio free?
SOLOstudio is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, PDF Projector or SOLOstudio?
SOLOstudio is rated higher. PDF Projector averages 4.7 out of 5 from 3 ratings, while SOLOstudio averages 5.0 from 7 ratings.
Do PDF Projector or SOLOstudio have ads?
Neither PDF Projector nor SOLOstudio shows ads.
Which is updated more often, PDF Projector or SOLOstudio?
PDF Projector ships an update every 2 months, and SOLOstudio every 3 weeks. Most recently, PDF Projector was updated on September 26, 2026 and SOLOstudio on September 19, 2026.

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