# Q vs Photon

The clearest difference is rating: Photon at 4.4 against Q's 3.0. Photon also leads on review sentiment (42% vs 19%) and update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months). Q's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Q asks for nothing beyond the download.

Photon holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 56 and 27 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of Q's written reviews are positive against 42% of Photon's.

Q ships an update every 3 months, Photon every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Q | Photon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.0 (56 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-sys-uci-viewer/id417461920/reviews) | **[4.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **56** | 27 |
| Positive reviews | 18.9% of reviews | **41.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 18 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **10** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [QSC Audio Products, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/417461923) | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) |

## What reviewers say

### Q

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/q-sys-uci-viewer/id417461920)

Control Q-SYS systems remotely from your iOS device. Design custom user interfaces in Q-SYS Designer software to manage various system elements like audio, video, and lighting. Offers extensive control capabilities for a seamless user experience.

**Highlights:** Remote system control, Customizable user interfaces (UCIs), Source selection, PTZ camera control with video preview, Lighting dimmer control, Volume faders, Signal meters

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Photon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297)

Control DMX lighting wirelessly for events, clubs, and theaters. Create sequences, synchronize lights to music with beat tracking, and manage fixtures with a user-friendly interface. Offers advanced features via in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control, Multi-touch interface optimized for iPad, Light group management, Scene and animation creation, Beat tracker for music synchronization, Fixture database and creator, Sequencer with timeline editing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light Sequencer | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Q free?

Q is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Photon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Q or Photon?

Photon is rated higher. Q averages 3.0 out of 5 from 56 ratings, while Photon averages 4.4 from 27 ratings.

### Do Q or Photon have ads?

Neither Q nor Photon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Q or Photon?

Q ships an update every 3 months, and Photon every 6 weeks. Most recently, Q was updated on October 23, 2026 and Photon on October 21, 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.*