# Light Captain vs Light Rider

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Light Captain at 44% against Light Rider's 0%. Light Captain also leads on monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light Captain sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Light Rider sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Light Captain ships an update every 5 weeks, Light Rider every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light Captain | Light Rider |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[1.4 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-rider-dmx-light-control/id1606174650/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **9** |
| Positive reviews | **43.8% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 25 MB | 139 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.3** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPad | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Steinigke Showtechnic GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/510305640) | [Nicolaudie](https://appshunter.io/developer/1087425435) |

## What reviewers say

### Light Captain

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-captain-dmx-controller/id1578664460)

Control DMX lighting systems for parties, concerts, and theater. Suitable for beginners and professionals, it offers intuitive scene creation, advanced programming, and fixture libraries. Requires a specific interface for operation.

**Highlights:** DMX lighting control, Scene and chase programming, Music synchronization, Fixture library, Password-protected mode, Color and effect control, Moving light control

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Light Captain | $22.99 | one-time |
| Upgrade Light Captain | $22.99 | one-time |
| Full Version Light Captain | $44.99 | one-time |
| ArtNet - Add On | $89.99 | one-time |


### Light Rider

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-rider-dmx-light-control/id1606174650)

Control DMX lights with pre-programmed effects and live adjustments. Choose from a vast library of fixtures to create dynamic light shows synced to music, ideal for DJs. Supports multiple DMX universes via Wi-Fi.

**Highlights:** 15,000+ lighting fixtures, Pre-programmed effects (Move, Color, Flash), Live FX control (speed, fade, fan, size, shift), Music synchronization (Beat Tap, audio Pulse), Supports up to 4 DMX universes, Wi-Fi connectivity

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Art Net | $129.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Light Captain free?

Light Captain is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Light Rider free?

Light Rider is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Light Captain or Light Rider have ads?

Neither Light Captain nor Light Rider shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Light Captain or Light Rider?

Light Captain ships an update every 5 weeks, and Light Rider every 2 months. Most recently, Light Captain was updated on October 7, 2026 and Light Rider on October 24, 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.*