SpeedLight Viewer vs Root
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SpeedLight Viewer
Access the Second Life virtual universe from your mobile device. This lightweight viewer allows you to log in, chat with residents via voice and text, manage your friends, and explore the world. It synchronizes messages across devices and offers offline access to chat history.
- Cross-platform compatibility
- WebRTC voice chat
- Second Life 3D world exploration
- Friends list management
- Local chat, group chats, and IMs
- IM autoresponder
- Inventory management
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SpeedLight is a mobile viewer for Second Life virtual universe. It is a lightweight, cross-platform viewer. ISpeedLight allows performing all the necessary functions: login to Second Life, talk with other residents using WebRTC voice, contact your friends using IMs and local chat and teleport across the world. SpeedLight is FREE to use. The additional Gold facility adds unlimited online time to your avatar. SpeedLight features: - cross platform - WebRTC voice - Second Life 3D - Second Life search - friends list - local chat, group chats, IMs - IM autoresponder - group management - inventory management - L$ transactions history - and other Second Life features You can login on your mobile and then seamlessly access Second Life on your desktop (without logging out). All IMs and other messages are synchronized across all your devices. View IMs and L$ transactions history on any device, even when you're offline. SpeedLight is a full-feature viewer. It is an enlisted third-party viewer approved by Linden Lab.
Root
This platform empowers communities to connect, collaborate, and grow. It offers tools for organizing groups, from gaming guilds to interest-based clubs. Stay connected on the go with mobile chat, voice, and video calls, and manage your community with customizable channels and permissions.
- Community connection and collaboration
- Mobile chat and notifications
- Voice and video calls
- Customizable channels, roles, and permissions
- Desktop command center with integrated apps
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Root is community chat with voice and video calls, screen share, themes, and apps, all in one place. Chat in channels, hop into a call with your group, and add apps to enhance your community experience. FREE PROFILE AND THEME CUSTOMIZATION No paywalls on personality. Animated profile pictures, animated banners, custom emoji and themes are all free. Pick a theme or build your own. VOICE, VIDEO AND SCREEN SHARE Talk in voice channels, turn on video, and share your screen with sound. Move a call from your computer to your phone without hanging up. APPS IN YOUR COMMUNITY Add apps to your community. Draw together on one canvas, track tasks, or plan your next raid. BRING YOUR SERVER Import a server template and Root sets up your channels, categories and roles. FIND YOUR PEOPLE Browse Community Discovery to find a new group chat, or list your own community.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Root at Free against SpeedLight Viewer's $4.99. Root also leads on review sentiment (69% vs 34%) and update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). SpeedLight Viewer's advantage is chart position (#29 vs #183) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 16.4). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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
Root is free to download; SpeedLight Viewer costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for SpeedLight Viewer against 4.3 for Root. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 213 and 141 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 34% of SpeedLight Viewer's written reviews are positive against 69% of Root's.
SpeedLight Viewer ships an update every 2 months, Root weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | SpeedLight Viewer | Root |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (213 ratings) — better | 4.3 (141 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 34.5% of reviews | 69.4% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 213 — better | 141 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | #29 — better | #183 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 16.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 61 MB | 156 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Oleg Borodkin | Root Communications, Inc |
Customer experience
SpeedLight Viewer
Root
Bugs and requests
SpeedLight Viewer
Reported bugs
14 issues- App crashes when selecting avatar render
- Hangs at 68% load during rendering
- Failed avatar login menu
- Door opening non-functional
- Blank white screen on login
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- Chat history lost after reinstall
- Multiple Current Outfit folders spawned in inventory
- Avatar appearance not updating (alpha/skin changes)
- Teleportation error messages
- Item sending to other avatars fails
- In-app purchases not loading items
- Connection drops without logout
- 3D view icon covers send button
- App incompatible with certain devices (iPhone 13 mini, iPod)
Requested features
12 requests- Voice chat functionality
- Proper avatar rendering instead of stick figures
- Music and media streaming
- Estate management tools
- Building and object manipulation
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- Profile picks viewing for easier teleportation
- Simultaneous 3D rendering and chat
- Land texture loading
- Outfit changing and HUD control
- Notification system improvements
- Full inventory management interface
- Account email change option
Root
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SpeedLight Viewer
No in-app purchases
Root
No in-app purchases
