# Photon 2 vs DirectDrop

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: DirectDrop at none against Photon 2's 5. DirectDrop also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photon 2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. DirectDrop asks for nothing beyond the download.

Photon 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, DirectDrop weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Photon 2 | DirectDrop |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **72** | — |
| Positive reviews | 80.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 46 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPad | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) | [Metin Kayan](https://appshunter.io/developer/1868237694) |

## 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 |


### DirectDrop

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/directdrop/id6782660257)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Photon 2 free?

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

### Is DirectDrop free?

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

### Do Photon 2 or DirectDrop have ads?

Neither Photon 2 nor DirectDrop shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Photon 2 or DirectDrop?

Photon 2 ships an update every 5 weeks, and DirectDrop weekly. Most recently, Photon 2 was updated on October 5, 2026 and DirectDrop on October 11, 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.*