Strata Lite vs MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Strata Lite
Control your Blackmagic Design ATEM switcher remotely via Wi-Fi. This app offers basic control for program and preview buttons, with additional features like transition control and button remapping available on iPad. It connects directly to your switcher without needing a separate computer.
- Program and Preview bus control
- Cut and Auto transition control
- T-Bar control
- Remappable source button layout
- Connection indicator with auto-reconnect
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Strata Lite Remote for BlackMagic Design ATEM Switchers, including ATEM Television Studio, ATEM 1M/E, ATEM 2M/E, Production Studio 4K and 1M/E / 2M/E Production Studio 4K, TelevisionStudio HD and ATEM Mini Series. Strata connects directly to your ATEM switcher via Wifi and your switcher's network connection. It does not require a separate computer. LITE VERSION: The Lite version includes basic control of Program and Preview buttons on ATEM Switchers (on iPhone controls Program bus only). FEATURES (iPad version): * Control Program and Preview Busses * Cut and Auto Transition Control * TBar Control * Remapping of Source Button Layout * Connection Indicator with auto-reconnect Note that the iPhone version does not control preview or Auto, only cuts on the program bus. NOTE: It does not provide control of the second ME in ATEM 2M/E switchers, although it does control Program and Preview on the first ME of an ATEM 2M/E. This app is not designed for older ATEM Switchers not manufactured by BlackMagic Design. Strata requires iOS 8.1 or later and ATEM firmware version 3.4, thru 8.3 Firmware. NOTE: If you require more complete control of your ATEM switcher, including ME2 of the 2M/E, you should select Strata Pro from the App Store instead of Strata Lite. (Strata Pro provides control of ALL the main buttons on ATEM Switchers plus Midi Control and Macros). IMPORTANT: The control protocol uses UDP and is fairly intolerant to packet loss and network latency. It is very important to have a reliable, responsive WIFI network for Strata to work reliably. Wifi router performance varies between vendors, and best results have been shown with Apple Airport wifi routers. Some 3rd party routers have shown to be unreliable due to latency or UDP packet loss. Strata will now handle poor connections much more elegantly. See http://www.gallery.co.uk/livepad/support.html for more details on optimising your Wifi environment for Strata. Independent Review of this app at: http://www.studiotech.tv/st59strata/
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)
Control Blackmagic Design ATEM switchers from your iPhone or iPad. Manage switcher settings, audio, media, and create custom layouts. Automate transitions and control keyers with ease.
- Switcher control
- Macro organization
- Audio mixing
- Media pool management
- Customizable layouts
- SuperSource transitions
- Keyer control
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MixEffect is a professional tool for controlling Blackmagic Design ATEM switchers from your iPhone or iPad. MixEffect’s familiar interface gives you quick access to virtually everything you need to run your video productions: switcher control, macros, audio, media, editing palettes, recording and streaming. MixEffect then turns the dial past ten with animated SuperSource transitions, Video Follows Audio, customizable layouts, and Shortcuts support. Manage your live productions confidently with MixEffect! # PRICING MixEffect is a free download from the App Store. Features are limited to creating new switcher connection and streaming service entries, Program/Preview, Fader Bar control, and running the ATEM Simulator. Want more? Try out MixEffect Pro over a generous 30 day period. MixEffect Pro brings full switcher control, SuperSource, Video Follows Audio, macro organization, streaming, recording, editing palettes, custom layouts, and much more! A single In-App purchase unlocks MixEffect Pro -- no subscriptions, ads, or hidden fees. # FEATURES MixEffect is packed full of features to control your ATEM switchers. ## SWITCHER MANAGEMENT Control multiple ATEM switchers. Sync your switcher settings between all of your iCloud-connected devices. ## PANELS / BUTTONS Customize the look of your switcher interface with separate iPhone, Landscape, and iPad-optimized layouts. Choose from 20 panels to include in your layouts. ## SUPERSOURCE Become a SuperSource master on your ATEM Mini Extreme and Mini Extreme ISO. Automatically animate transitions when switching between SuperSource layouts! Use drag and drop to rearrange your boxes. Save your favorite preset layouts and share them with others. ## AUDIO Control audio on ATEM switchers. Adjust each audio source’s input gain, fader gain, frames delay, and pan settings. ## MACROS Give your macros the gift of icons, colors, filtering, and sorting. Choose from three different display layouts: Grid, Buttons, and List. Access all of your macros from the virtual switcher interface. ## MEDIA Upload still images from your Photo Library into your switcher’s Media Pool. ## TRANSITIONS Access all the transitions supported by your switcher such as Mix, Dip, Wipe, and DVE, not just the ones wired to hardware buttons. ## DOWNSTREAM KEYERS Missing that DSK On Air button on your ATEM Mini? It's there in MixEffect! ## UPSTREAM KEYERS Adjust your Luma, Chroma, Pattern, and DVE settings for your upstream keyers. Use touch to easily set the chroma sample and change the position of your DVE frame. ## AUTOMATIONS Control your ATEM switcher with your voice and Shortcuts. Automatically switch inputs, change SuperSource layouts, and run macros when your audio levels rise or fall below a certain threshold. Enjoy extensive keyboard shortcuts throughout the app. ## COLOR GENERATORS Change your color sources without having to dig through palettes. ## HYPERDECK Control up to four HyperDecks from MixEffect. ## AUX Set the sources for all of your auxiliary outputs. ## STREAMING Add streaming services, servers, and profiles without having to know XML. Set a default profile and server for each of your streaming services. Import and export the Streaming.xml files supported by the ATEM Mini Pro, Pro ISO, Mini Extreme, and Mini Extreme ISO line of switchers. ## RECORDING Control your disk recordings from your iPhone or iPad. Switch disks with a tap and see how much time is available for recording. ## SECURITY Prevent unwanted access to MixEffect with Face ID (or device passcode lock). Activate View Only Mode so people can see what’s happening on the switcher without the ability to change anything. ## SWITCHER SETTINGS Set your switcher’s video mode, change the labels of sources, configure Multiview, and save your switcher's startup settings. ## SIMULATOR MixEffect features a simulated ATEM 1 M/E Production 4K switcher for testing purposes.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) at 78% against Strata Lite's 31%. MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (4.7 vs 3.0). Strata Lite's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 6) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). On 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
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) is free to download; Strata Lite costs $4.99 up front. MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Strata Lite asks for nothing beyond the download.
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 131 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 31% of Strata Lite's written reviews are positive against 78% of MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)'s.
Strata Lite ships an update every 5 months, MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Strata Lite | MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (30 ratings) | 4.7 (131 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 30.6% of reviews | 77.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 30 | 131 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2 MB | 159 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Mark Gilbert | Adam Tow |
Customer experience
Strata Lite
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)
Bugs and requests
Strata Lite
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)
Reported bugs
10 issues- App crashes when selecting switcher
- Trial mode resets after app closure
- Freezing issues with ATEM hardware
- Connection recognition failures
- Macro instability causing hardware malfunction
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- Pro purchase not restoring after reinstall
- Trial expiration notification despite Pro purchase
- Incompatibility with Television Studio HD8
- Crash on startup after update
- Inconsistent macro behavior
Requested features
14 requests- Color correction for cameras
- Multi-row button label text support
- Auto-connect feature like ATEM Software Control
- SuperSource configuration grouping
- Title addition for streaming services
Show 9 moreShow fewer
- More than 4 input boxes
- H2R graphics integration
- Custom URL and media playback
- AirPlay source input and output
- Advanced audio EQ and volume limiting
- Live background preview in multiview
- Remote connection from anywhere
- Settings backup to cloud services
- Editable button labels for Keyers
In-app purchases
Strata Lite
No in-app purchases
MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)
- 30-Day TrialFree
- Small Tip$0.99
- Medium Tip$2.99
Show 3 moreShow fewer
- Large Tip$4.99
- Mega Tip$9.99
- MixEffect Pro$49.99
Questions
Is Strata Lite free?
Is MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) free?
Which has better reviews, Strata Lite or MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)?
Do Strata Lite or MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock) have ads?
Which is updated more often, Strata Lite or MixEffect (Trial & Pro Unlock)?
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