Comparison

DipSwitch vs Chico Alerting

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

DipSwitch

This app helps lighting technicians quickly configure fixture settings using a digital interface. It calculates dip switch configurations, allows for easy addressing and offsetting, and helps determine fixture capacity within a universe. Streamline your patching process with this intuitive tool.

Highlights
  • Calculate dip switch configurations
  • Enter address and see dip switch settings
  • Apply offset values for quick addressing
  • Determine fixture capacity per universe
  • Generate addresses for sequential fixtures
Features
Read full description

Set a DMX address on a dip-switch block without doing binary in your head, in the dark, up a ladder. Type the address, read the switches. DipSwitch draws the block the way it looks on the back of the fixture, so you can hold your phone next to the real thing and compare it switch for switch. It has been doing this job since 2008. ON THE FIXTURE • Enter an address and see the switch pattern immediately • The block is drawn to match real hardware, with the ON marking and channel weights • Set the number of switches to match your fixture, from 1 to 16 • Swap and mirror for blocks that are printed the other way round PLANNING A RIG • Set the offset to your fixture's channel footprint and step the whole rig one button at a time • See how many fixtures fit a 512-channel universe, and the last address you can use • Save fixtures you use often as profiles, so the channel count is one tap away • Know two addresses and need the rest? Enter both and the spacing does the work • Tick off fixtures as you patch them, and share the finished list as a PDF ON APPLE WATCH • The whole calculator on your wrist, for when one hand is holding the fixture • Turn the Digital Crown to step the address by your offset • A complication puts the current address on your watch face • Address, offset and fixture profiles stay in sync with your iPhone English, German and French. Free, no in-app purchases. Built in Luxembourg by a lighting technician who got tired of counting bits.

About

Chico Alerting

Read full description

Mach Alert is a full featured fire station alerting (FSA) solution designed to provide state of the art alerting functionality and reliability to public safety answering points (PSAP), fire and EMS facilities, and, with optional add-ons, to first responders in the field. Whether operating as a standalone system or via interface to a computer aided dispatch (CAD) product, Mach Alert is designed to minimize time spent dispatching at the 911 center and maximize the amount of critical information delivered to first responders when they need it most with tones, voice, and a robust catalog of add-ons and customization options. The Mach Alert Mobile Application is an optional companion for full Mach Alert FSA systems. Like functionality is only available with an associated services agreement.

Screenshots

DipSwitch4 screens
Chico Alerting4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Chico Alerting at every 3 months against DipSwitch's every 13 months. Chico Alerting also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DipSwitch ships an update every 13 months, Chico Alerting every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
DipSwitch versus Chico Alerting: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDipSwitchChico Alerting
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews86.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 13 monthsEvery 3 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS17.512.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB65 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBazinga sarlMach Alert Inc.

Bugs and requests

DipSwitch

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes after iOS 10 update
  • Does not calculate dip switches after iOS 10 update
  • Does not work under OS 3
  • Does not work for some users

Requested features

6 requests
  • Apple Watch app
  • Manual or tutorial
  • Option to have OFF as 1 and ON as 0 for specific devices
  • User definable options (e.g., number of dip switches, all off=001)
  • Notepad feature to track set switches
Show 1 more
  • Dark mode option

Chico Alerting

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

DipSwitch

No in-app purchases

None

Chico Alerting

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DipSwitch free?
DipSwitch is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Chico Alerting free?
Chico Alerting is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do DipSwitch or Chico Alerting have ads?
Neither DipSwitch nor Chico Alerting shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DipSwitch or Chico Alerting?
DipSwitch ships an update every 13 months, and Chico Alerting every 3 months. Most recently, DipSwitch was updated on October 7, 2026 and Chico Alerting on October 11, 2026.

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