# Photon 2 vs Blackout Next

The clearest difference is rating: Blackout Next at 5.0 against Photon 2's 4.5. Blackout Next also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 81%) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks). Photon 2's advantage is ratings volume (72 vs 21) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photon 2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year and Blackout Next sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blackout Next holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Photon 2's written reviews are positive against 100% of Blackout Next's.

Photon 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, Blackout Next fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and June 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photon 2 | Blackout Next |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671/reviews) | **[5.0 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next/id6475490278/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **72** | 21 |
| Positive reviews | 80.8% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 46 MB | 398 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) | [Blackout Lighting Console LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635074667) |

## What reviewers say

### 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 |


### Blackout Next

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next/id6475490278)

This professional lighting console app offers an intuitive interface for controlling DMX, Art-Net, and sACN lighting systems. It features a vast cloud fixture database, custom fixture creation, and a robust multi-cuelist platform for organizing lighting looks.

**Highlights:** Cloud Fixture Database, Custom Fixture Creation, Intuitive Fixture Controls, Multi-Cuelist Platform, Dynamic Effects Engine, MIDI Support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Plan | $799.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photon 2 free?

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

### Is Blackout Next free?

Blackout Next is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Photon 2 or Blackout Next?

Blackout Next is rated higher. Photon 2 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while Blackout Next averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.

### Do Photon 2 or Blackout Next have ads?

Neither Photon 2 nor Blackout Next shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photon 2 or Blackout Next?

Photon 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Blackout Next fortnightly. Most recently, Photon 2 was updated on September 17, 2026 and Blackout Next on June 26, 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.*