Sun Scout vs Profoto Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sun Scout
This app transforms your iPhone into a tool to visualize the sun's position and path in the sky. It helps users understand where and when sunlight will be available, ideal for outdoor activities or work.
- Sun position visualization
- Sun path tracking
- Real-time sun data
- Compass-based functionality
- Usability and simplicity
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If your work or play requires sunlight, Sun Scout is built for you. Turn your iPhone in to a magic lens. Point it to the sky and understand where the sun will be and when it will be there. * romano01, US App Store – "This app has come in handy more then once this week alone. While working on a feature film called "fairhaven" the gaffer and I (key Grip) needed to find out where and when the sun would be for a scene… well after i pulled out my Sun Scout App. everyone started downloading it!!! It is well worth it." * WPSHM, US App Store – "This should win a gajillion awards for usability and simplicity. I love it!!!!" Please Note – Sun Scout uses your device's compass. Like all compasses, Sun Scout is adversely influenced by metal in buildings or vehicles. Sun Scout is only as good as the iPhone's compass and is prone to a variable margin of accuracy even under fair conditions. Please do not base high-value production decisions solely on Sun Scout. Confirming them using sun charts and a technical mission during the time of day of a future shoot. We'd be delighted to hear what you're getting up to with Sun Scout. Give us a shout by email: shout@sunscoutapp.com
Profoto Control
Control Profoto Bluetooth-enabled lighting equipment remotely from your smartphone. Adjust settings with intuitive touch controls and ensure your gear is up-to-date with easy firmware updates.
- Smart remote control
- View and control Profoto Bluetooth products
- Touch, swipe, and tweak lighting
- Easy firmware updates
- Update Profoto Bluetooth products
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The Profoto Control app has been created for the modern, connected photographers that want to get the most out of their creative workflow – whether using a DSLR or Mirrorless camera. This is the Profoto experience at its best. Key features: SMART REMOTE CONTROL View and control all Profoto Bluetooth-enabled products from your smartphone screen. Touch, swipe and tweak until you get the light just right. EASY UPDATES The latest updates for Profoto Bluetooth-enabled products are now available at your fingertips. Update quickly from the app, so you are ready to shoot with the latest, improved firmware. Ultimately, this app lets you be as creative as you can be. LOOKING FOR PROFOTO CAMERA APP? Looking for a way to create images with your smartphone and Profoto lights? Search App Store for “Profoto Camera” and start using it! Please send your feedback and feature ideas to hello@profoto.com! Love, Profoto team.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Profoto Control at Free against Sun Scout's $9.99. Profoto Control also leads on rating (4.7 vs 2.7) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 16 months). Sun Scout's advantage is review sentiment (48% vs 38%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 17.6). On 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
Profoto Control is free to download; Sun Scout costs $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Profoto Control holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Profoto Control has 896 ratings behind it against 22, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 48% of Sun Scout's written reviews are positive against 38% of Profoto Control's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Sun Scout ships an update every 16 months, Profoto Control every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and September 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sun Scout | Profoto Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 2.7 (22 ratings) | 4.7 (896 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 47.9% of reviews — better | 38.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22 | 896 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 16 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 80 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Benjohn Barnes | Profoto |
Customer experience
Sun Scout
Profoto Control
User reviews
Sun Scout
From 22 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Useful for photography
- 👍 Useful for real estate
- 👍 Useful for film planning
- 👍 Useful for landscape business
- 👍 Simple and easy to use
Room to improve
- 🐛 No longer works
- 🐛 Not accurate
- 🐛 Abandoned by developer
- 🐛 Way off
- 🐛 Ballpark estimate
Profoto Control
From 896 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Fast and responsive app
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 💡 Useful features for controlling lights
- 🔥 Excellent lighting quality
Room to improve
- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🚫 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🔍 Lack of advanced features and customization
- 💤 Unreliable firmware updates
Bugs and requests
Sun Scout
Reported bugs
29 issues- Stopped working correctly
- Not accurate since
- Sun detection way off
- App does not work
- Sun's path isn't showing
Show 24 moreShow fewer
- App just opens camera, no sun
- Sun position does not quite align
- Does not work with iOS 13
- No sun appears in AR tracker
- App not working anymore
- Will not show any sun direction
- No longer shows in camera settings
- AR never shows up
- Doesn't work
- Position of the sun just moves around
- Funktioniert immer noch nicht
- Sun keeps moving on screen
- Sun alignment is fixed
- App crashes
- App freezes
- App locks up
- Phone has to be restarted
- Always says it has interference
- Crashes my phone
- App will not work
- Sun just spin and never stop
- Time line seems to be about 1:30 earlier
- Sun positions on screen do not coincide
- Consistently about 1:30 earlier than actual time
Requested features
21 requests- Calibration setting
- Ability to choose locations
- Ability to choose specific dates
- Calibration tool
- See with clouds
Show 16 moreShow fewer
- See shiny day or raining
- See at which time is it cloudy
- Add moon position
- Take a photo including sun path and times
- Set elevation at horizon
- Select exact geographical region via Google Maps
- Select exact date
- Numerical information (angle, compass direction)
- Favourites log
- Alert/alarm for ideal times
- Show azimuth and elevation value onscreen
- Add capture button
- Ability to enter a date manually
- Indicate Golden Hour
- See all days in the future, present and past
- Take snapshots with notes
Profoto Control
Reported bugs
4 issues- Unable to register equipment in the app
- App crashes on launch or when connecting to lights
- Firmware update process is unreliable
- Inconsistent exposure and zoom support
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for more Profoto light models
- Improve camera integration and functionality
- Implement independent light group control
- Provide localization in more languages
In-app purchases
Sun Scout
No in-app purchases
Profoto Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sun Scout free?
Is Profoto Control free?
Which has better reviews, Sun Scout or Profoto Control?
Do Sun Scout or Profoto Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sun Scout or Profoto Control?
Other comparisons
