NANLINK vs IBM Aspera
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NANLINK
Control lighting fixtures wirelessly via Bluetooth or 2.4G. Create complex lighting effects for film and video production by managing individual or multiple lights simultaneously. Enhance production efficiency with intuitive scenario and group-based controls.
- Wireless lighting control
- Bluetooth and 2.4G support
- Individual fixture control
- Synchronous multi-fixture control
- Scenario and group management
- Create lighting effects
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NANLINK APP, a wireless lighting control application designed and developed by Guangdong Nanguang Photo&Video Systems Co.,Ltd, allows for controlling light fixtures via Bluetooth Network and 2.4G Wireless Protocol. The APP is compatible with devices that run on IOS and iPadOS operating systems. Based on the design concept of scenario and group, NANLINK can assist gaffers and cinematographers with the creation of fascinating lighting effects through the full control of individual fixture and multiple fixtures synchronously, thus to achieve more production efficiency at the shooting scenes.
IBM Aspera
Facilitates rapid file transfers to and from your IBM Aspera server. Link your server account to upload, download, and share files seamlessly from your mobile device, mirroring web browser capabilities.
- Fast FASP file transfers
- Link server account
- Upload, download, and share files
- Mobile and web browser parity
- Supports multiple IBM Aspera server types
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Welcome to our consolidated mobile app for IBM Aspera. Enjoy streamlined functionality for fast FASP file transfers to and from your IBM Aspera server by linking to your server account in the mobile app. Our consolidated app matches the look and feel of IBM Aspera on Cloud and Faspex 5. This app is FASP native on iOS, so you can transfer files to and from your mobile device with the amazing speeds of IBM Aspera. Main Features: • Simply link your IBM Aspera server account on the app to upload, download, and share files from anywhere. • The capabilities of your mobile app will be similar as in your web browser for IBM Aspera on Cloud and Faspex 5. • You can link to your accounts on IBM Aspera High Speed Transfer Server, Faspex 4 or 5, and/or IBM Aspera on Cloud. This replaces the following: • IBM Aspera Uploader (mobile app) • IBM Aspera Drive (mobile app) • IBM Aspera on Cloud (mobile app) • IBM Aspera Faspex (mobile app) Thank you for choosing IBM Aspera!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: IBM Aspera at 3.7 against NANLINK's 2.0. IBM Aspera also leads on review sentiment (33% vs 19%). NANLINK's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (93 vs 22). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
IBM Aspera holds the better App Store score, 3.7 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 93 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of NANLINK's written reviews are positive against 33% of IBM Aspera's.
NANLINK ships an update fortnightly, IBM Aspera every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NANLINK | IBM Aspera |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.0 (93 ratings) | 3.7 (22 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 19.4% of reviews | 33.3% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 93 — better | 22 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.1 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 82 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Guangdong Nanguang Photo&Video Systems Co., Ltd | IBM |
Customer experience
NANLINK
IBM Aspera
Bugs and requests
NANLINK
Reported bugs
59 issues- Lights spontaneously lose connection
- Short delay between tapping light and settings appearing
- Presets buried several levels deep
- Lights spontaneously lose connection
- Short delay between tapping into a light and the settings coming up
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- Fixture groups not working after upgrading to Nanlink 2.0
- Lose signal if further than 8ft from unit
- App lagging and poorly working
- Constantly drops connection
- App constantly crashes
- Recent update erased presets
- Grouping issues after update
- Cannot add fixtures to groups
- App won't work without supplying personal info
- Layout doesn't adapt well to iPad, wasted space
- Login difficult, fields won't allow pasting from password manager
- No import of existing scenes on iPad
- App not working with Pavotubes
- Bluetooth not working for T8-7x
- Inconsistent operation, will not pair with lights
- Exiting and reopening app locks up trying to re-pair
- App asks for excessive permissions (photos, emails, texts)
- New update killed presets and dropped connection to all fixtures
- App doesn't work with new iPhones (dynamic island)
- Cannot go back from one tube's settings to the previous screen
- Settings don't seem to save
- CCT mode doesn't work at all
- Driving mode ambient dimming won't work
- Poor Bluetooth connection, short range
- Menu button placement issues (near phone's clock)
- Never saves profiles or auto-connects to fixtures
- App broken with iOS 16.2
- Most of the effects not working
- App can't find FS-150
- Cannot complete registration (activation code never emailed)
- App is abysmal, not user friendly
- Cannot connect to Forza 300b
- Settings changes on iPhone don't affect light
- Lose connection as soon as 2 lights are connected
- App is a complete waste of time, does nothing
- Never responsive, struggles to keep up with changing settings
- Server down, cannot create account or log in
- App crashes on login
- App crashes upon login attempt
- App crashes every time on sign in
- Overrides light values when connecting
- Impossible to fine-tune a light on a set unless connected beforehand
- Won't connect
- Fail connection in groups
- Slow app
- Doesn't see most fixtures
- Cannot get verification code to create an account
- App freezes repeatedly after entering name, password, and verification code
- Cannot login, stuck or frozen at login page
- App freezes repeatedly after entering name password and verification code
- App crashes on login with iPhone 13 pro
- App crashes at login
- App crashes upon login attempt
- App crashes every time on sign in
Requested features
13 requests- Allow individual light adjustment within groups
- Make connection more stable
- Make settings appear instantly
- UX overhaul, make important settings accessible
- Put preset saving feature front and center
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- Adaptive interface for iPads
- Master control to adjust all lights simultaneously
- Add a 'Streetlight' mode effect
- Allow users to choose between HSI & CCT control for transmitter box
- Add a demo mode
- Offline mode for app usage
- Gang effects across groups of lights for consistency
- Allow multicolor effects at assignable points
IBM Aspera
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NANLINK
No in-app purchases
IBM Aspera
No in-app purchases
