Sidus Link Pro vs TimeCardRobot
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sidus Link Pro
This powerful lighting control app transforms your iPad into a professional console. Wirelessly manage DMX and CRMX-enabled lights, automate setup, and design complex lighting sequences with ease. Achieve precise, real-time control for any production.
- Wireless DMX and CRMX control
- Console-style lighting control on iPad
- Visual Layout View for fixture arrangement
- Lightning-fast auto-patching and configuration
- Real-time cueing for DMX lights
- Design and manage lighting shows and effects
- Centralized control for multiple fixture manufacturers
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Sidus Link Pro is a powerful lighting control workstation that runs on your iPad and Mac. Control Aputure lights wirelessly with Sidus Bluetooth and cue any DMX or CRMX-enabled light through sACN and Art-Net using the intuitive Sidus Link interface. Console-style lighting control has never been easier. ENAHANCED PIXEL TOOLS When selecting multi-pixel fixtures, inside the Pixel Window, there are tools for applying gradients across the fixtures, and easy selection tools for first half, second half, odd, even and invert. ACTION PANEL Turn your cues and Quickshots into big, simple “Go” buttons for fast, confident execution. With an optional passcode lock, Action Panel makes it easy to hand control to a client, operator, or venue team. MAC SUPPORT Plan, design, and refine your lighting setup on Mac with more screen space and keyboard-and-mouse precision. EASY, POWERFUL CONSOLE-STYLE CONTROL Sidus Link Pro brings the power of a modern lighting console to your iPad and Mac without the complexity, menu diving, or manual reading. Speed is everything on set. Sidus Link Pro is built to be speedy. All of your most used functions are accessible with just a few taps. DESIGN DAZZLING SHOWS AND EFFECTS WITH REAL-TIME CUEING. Send crisp, responsive cues to your DMX-enabled fixtures at the same time, with no Bluetooth delay. Create rich, synchronized lighting changes and organize them into cue stacks with precise timing, transitions, and loops. Drag and drop to reorder with the Cue Sequence Editor. CONTROL ANY CRMX-ENABLED LIGHT Sidus Link Pro speaks DMX and wireless CRMX, the control protocol that all lights use. Centralize control of your lighting network in Sidus Link Pro, no matter the fixture manufacturer. THE CENTER OF YOUR LIGHTING ECOSYSTEM Sidus Link Pro interfaces with hardware to control fixtures with wired DMX or wireless CRMX capability. Use with any transmitter, node, or router, or partner with Sidus Hardware to unlock powerful monitoring and setup functions. Sidus Link Pro transmits lighting control protocols sACN and Art-Net. SAVE DAYS WITH 3D VISUALIZER Plan your setup in a virtual environment. Create spaces, place lights, design looks, and explore ideas before touching physical fixtures. Since 3D Visualizer is built into your control workflow, cues and DMX settings move seamlessly from planning to execution. SAVE HOURS WITH LIGHTNING FAST AUTO-PATCHING AND AUTO-CONFIGURATION Skip the setup grind. Sidus Link Pro detects your Aputure lights and reduces your setup by up to hundreds of steps. Easily update fixture settings and DMX profiles from your iPad and Mac. SAVE MINUTES WITH LAYOUT VIEW Arrange fixtures in a visual grid to match your physical set. Layout View gives you a faster, more intuitive way to organize fixtures, select the right light, and preview lighting changes in real time. STABLE, LONG-RANGE CONTROL With DMX and CRMX workflows, Sidus Link Pro maintains reliable control. When used with Aputure fixtures and Sidus Hardware, gain additional range and real-time health alerts. FREE BLUETOOTH CONTROL AND FILMMAKING TOOLS The Free plan includes Bluetooth control for Aputure and amaran lights, plus access to our full library of Light Modes, FX, Quickshots, Magic Program Pro and Go, Magic Infinity FX, and Diagram Master. OTHER FEATURES • Dial in tone with color selection methods like CCT, HSI, CCT RGB, xy, and HSIC+ • Set DMX parameters like Intensity, +/- Green, Hue, Saturation, and Variable Crossfade • Access DMX profiles, import GDTF profiles, and create your own profiles • Preview changes before taking them live with the Backstage workspace • Streamline Bluetooth control with Sidus BT View • Save and recall presets for Aputure lights with Sidus BT Quickshots • Auto-Configure, monitor, and update Aputure light firmware in the Fixture Manager • Create lighting plots and sync with your team with Diagram Master • Reference Illumination Handbook to compare fixtures and calculate output
TimeCardRobot
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TimeCardRobot is the camera department's all-in-one calculator for weekly pay verification — on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Built specifically for IATSE Local 600 freelance crew — Camera Operators, ACs, Loaders, DITs — TimeCardRobot turns your daily call, meal, and wrap times into accurate weekly totals broken down by regular hours, overtime hours, meal penalties, gross pay, deductions, and net pay. Then it generates print-ready timesheets, time cards, and box rental invoices for any payroll company. Punch the day in on set from your phone, check the week on iPad, and it's already on your Mac when you sit down to send it. WHAT'S INCLUDED • Daily time entry with a custom pad built for call, meal, and wrap times • Week-at-a-glance grid on iPad; fast day-at-a-time entry on iPhone • Weekly time card view with department-wide overview • Real-time meal penalty calculation • Golden hour and 6th/7th day premium handling • Studio vs. Distant location overtime thresholds • All 50 states + DC + Puerto Rico tax withholding (federal, state income, SDI/PFML) • PDF, CSV, and TCR export options for flexible sharing of data with your crew • iCloud backup and sync across your iPhone, iPad, and Mac SUPPORTED CONTRACTS • Basic Agreement (Feature, MOW, 1-Hour Series, ½-Hour Series) • Videotape Agreement • Pay TV / Streaming Sideletters (HBO, Showtime, Starz, Netflix, Apple TV+) • Commercial (AICP) • Low Budget Theatrical Agreement (LBTA, Tiers 1–3) • Non-union (with custom rate entry) MY WORK — your career, aggregated The My Work view shows every paycheck across every show you've worked on. See your year-to-date earnings, projected year-end totals, hours by month, top shows by income, and reconcile your actual paychecks against the estimates. CONTRACT RULES, IN PLAIN ENGLISH Every rate, threshold, and rule from the union contracts presented as a readable reference card. Override any value for your specific deal memo. PRICING Every feature is free to try on first launch — no purchase required. Free to explore the demo shows to learn how the app works. To start entering your own data, choose Monthly ($2.99/mo), Annual ($19.99/yr), or Lifetime Unlock ($49.99 one-time). Introductory offers may be available. Your purchase covers Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: TimeCardRobot at every 2 days against Sidus Link Pro's monthly. TimeCardRobot also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Sidus Link Pro's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Sidus Link Pro sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and TimeCardRobot sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sidus Link Pro ships an update monthly, TimeCardRobot every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sidus Link Pro | TimeCardRobot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.7 (30 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 22.2% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 30 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 584 MB | 15 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sidus Link Ltd. | Nicola Caruso |
In-app purchases
Sidus Link Pro
- Pro (Monthly)$9.991 Month
- Max (Monthly)$19.991 Month
- Pro (Annual)$99.991 Year
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- Max (Annual)$199.991 Year
TimeCardRobot
- Monthly1 Month trial$2.991 Month
- Annual1 Year trial$19.991 Year
- Lifetime Purchase$19.99
Questions
Is Sidus Link Pro free?
Is TimeCardRobot free?
Do Sidus Link Pro or TimeCardRobot have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sidus Link Pro or TimeCardRobot?
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