Magic Hour vs Sidus Link
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Magic Hour
This app helps photographers and cinematographers find the optimal times for shooting around sunrise and sunset. It provides precise calculations for 'magic hour' based on your location and offers moon phase information. Optional in-app purchases unlock advanced features like location selection and calendar integration.
- Magic hour time calculation
- Sunrise and sunset times
- Moonrise and full moon alerts
- Weather forecast integration
- Customizable notifications
- Location-based planning
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Magic Hour (also called golden hour) is the time of day around sunrise and sunset when the light is great for photography and cinematography. It is typically when the sun is between 6 degrees below the horizon to 6 degrees above. This sunlight is evenly dispersed and helps you create great pictures. Magic Hour makes it easy for you to know when magic hour is coming and how much time you have left once it begins. The app takes your location along with the current day and calculates when magic hour will occur. If the weather forecast is available we give that to you as well. What other light is cool to photograph in? The moon, of course. And you want a full moon for that. Our Moon Watch section lets you know the next moonrise and when the next full moon will appear. In addition to this, you can set up notifications on and before magic hour begins. And with our in-app purchase you can select locations other than your current one, view future magic hour times, and create calendar events for them. Data that is used with the Magic Hour App (e.g. locations, notifications, calendar events, etc.) remain local to your device and are not transmitted nor remotely stored.
Sidus Link
Control film lighting fixtures directly from your mobile device. This app offers advanced modes for white light, gels, color, and effects, with features for scene setup and collaboration. It supports over 100 fixtures and simplifies complex lighting workflows.
- Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network
- White Light, Gel, Color, and Effect Modes
- Unlimited Presets and QuickShots
- On-set Workflow Management
- Multi-device Control
- Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration
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Sidus Link provides a brand-new solution for film lighting control. Based on proprietary Sidus Mesh technology, it enables direct connection and control of over 100 film lighting fixtures using mobile devices like smartphones. Sidus Link integrates the most widely used and professional control functions and modes in the lighting field, including White Light Mode, Gel Mode, Color Mode, Effect Mode, and unlimited preset functions. With built-in Sidus Cloud and Creative Collaboration Group features, it simplifies workflows to help gaffers, DPs, and filmmakers quickly complete scene and lighting setups. Language Support: English Simplified Chinese Traditional Chinese Japanese Portuguese French Russian Vietnamese German 1. Sidus Mesh Intelligent Lighting Network 1.Decentralized film lighting network – No additional network equipment (gateways or routers) required; connect and control lighting fixtures directly via smartphones or other smart devices. 2.Multi-layer encryption ensures a secure and reliable lighting network, preventing interference and misoperation. 3.Supports 100+ professional lighting fixtures. 4.Multiple control devices (smartphones or other smart devices) can simultaneously control the same lighting network. 2. Basic Functions Supports four major control modes: White / Gel / Color / Effect. 2.1. White Light 1.CCT – Supports quick adjustment and touchpad-based control. 2.Source Type – Built-in common white light source library for fast selection. 3.Source Match – Quickly match any scene or cct 2.2. Gel Mode 1.Supports traditional CTO/CTB adjustments used in the film industry. 2.300+ Rosco® & Lee® lighting gels.Rosco® and Lee® trademarks and copyrights belong to their respective owners. 2.3. Color Mode 1.HSI & RGB modes for quick color adjustments. 2.XY Chromaticity Mode supports A Gamut (similar to BT.2020), DCI-P3, and BT.709 color spaces. 3.Color Picker – Instantly sample any visible color. 2.4. Effects Supports fine-tuning and control of all built-in lighting effects in Aputure fixtures. 2.5. Presets & QuickShots 1.Unlimited local presets. 2.QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups instantly. 3. Advanced Effects Sidus Link App supports: PICKER FX MANUAL MUSIC FX Magic Program Pro/Go Magic Infinity FX 4. Compatibility 1.Sidus Link App supports connection and control of all new Aputure film lights, such as LS 300d II, MC, etc. 2.Legacy Aputure lights will require additional accessories for app connectivity and control.* 3.Supports OTA management – Network firmware and lighting updates for continuous optimization. 5. Sidus On-Set Lighting Workflow On-set workflow management – Create scenes, add devices, and quickly complete lighting setups. Console Workspace Mode – Quickly configure scenes and lighting. Group Management – Fast grouping and control of multiple fixtures. Power Management – Real-time monitoring of battery levels and remaining runtime. Device-Controller Parameter Sync – Instantly retrieve detailed device status and settings. QuickShot Scene Snapshots – Save and recall lighting setups. CC Collaboration Group Workflow Supports multi-user collaboration for controlling and adjusting lighting setups. 6. Sidus Cloud Services Free cloud storage for presets, scenes, and effects (requires compatible hardware/software; existing devices will be supported via firmware updates). CC Collaboration Group Workflow Share lighting networks with group members. Supports quick sharing via temporary verification codes. 7. UX Design Dual UI modes – Precise parameter control & WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get). Fixture Locator Button – Added to device lists and group management for quick identification. Onboarding guides – Clear instructions on adding/resetting devices.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Magic Hour at 4.8 against Sidus Link's 4.3. Magic Hour also leads on ratings volume (5.2K vs 626). Sidus Link's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads 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
Both are free to download. Magic Hour sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Sidus Link asks for nothing beyond the download.
Magic Hour holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Magic Hour has 5.2K ratings behind it against 626, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Magic Hour's written reviews are positive against 70% of Sidus Link's.
Magic Hour ships an update every 2 months, Sidus Link every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Magic Hour | Sidus Link |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (5.2K ratings) — better | 4.3 (626 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.8% of reviews — better | 69.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 5.2K — better | 626 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 381 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Linda Byrket | Sidus Link Ltd. |
Customer experience
Magic Hour
Sidus Link
User reviews
Magic Hour
From 5.2K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Great overview of the entire Magic Hour
- 👍 Fantastic in every way
- 👍 All the info you need to plan, especially for photographers
- 👍 Sleek and easy to use
- 👍 Perfect for photographers and cinematographers
Room to improve
- ⏰ Time way off
- 🔍 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 💰 Forced in-app purchase
- 🔍 Can't see future dates anymore
Sidus Link
From 626 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔒 Seamless connectivity
- 💡 Powerful lighting control features
- 🎨 Excellent color management
- 🌟 Comprehensive ecosystem integration
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional connectivity issues
- 🔁 Frequent need to reconnect
- 🕰️ Slow response times
- 🔒 Unnecessary password requirements
- 🤯 Confusing UI for advanced features
Bugs and requests
Magic Hour
Reported bugs
8 issues- 🐛 Time way off
- 🐛 Can't change location
- 🐛 Crashes all the time
- 🐛 Can't see future dates anymore
- 🐛 Widget doesn't update
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- 🐛 Keeps crashing
- 🐛 Can't determine magic hour at another location
- 🐛 App crashes
Requested features
7 requests- 💡 Moonrise notification
- 💡 Notification when magic hour ends
- 💡 Blue hour option
- 💡 Allow users to set their own background photo
- 💡 Ability to plan shoots in different locations
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- 💡 Companion app for planning sunsets weeks in advance
- 💡 Custom alert tones
Sidus Link
Reported bugs
3 issues- App crashes on launch
- Inability to save/restore light settings
- Inconsistent behavior when switching devices
Requested features
5 requests- Artnet support for lighting automation
- Siri/voice control integration
- Dedicated desktop/tablet app
- Improved background operation and reconnection
- More comprehensive tutorials and documentation
In-app purchases
Magic Hour
- Add Locations Ability$0.99
Sidus Link
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Magic Hour free?
Is Sidus Link free?
Which has better reviews, Magic Hour or Sidus Link?
Do Magic Hour or Sidus Link have ads?
Which is updated more often, Magic Hour or Sidus Link?
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