QLab Remote vs productionTimer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
QLab Remote
Control and edit live show cues remotely from your iOS device. This companion app for macOS software allows you to flag cues, adjust audio levels, and modify video geometry from anywhere in the venue. It offers a free read-only mode and optional in-app purchases for full editing capabilities.
- Remote control of QLab workspaces
- Edit cue properties
- Adjust audio levels and video geometry
- Flag cues and edit notes
- Real-time cue updates
- Read-Only Mode for safe viewing
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QLab Remote is the official iOS companion app for remote control of QLab, the award-winning live show control software for macOS. QLab Remote requires a connection to QLab 3.0 or later. Some features require a specific minimum version of QLab 4 or 5. See https://qlab.app/docs/v5/networking/qlab-remote/#requirements for details. Get out of the booth and edit your QLab workspace from wherever you are. Flag cues as you sit in tech rehearsal. Adjust audio levels from the front row. Change the geometry of a video cue from the stage. QLab Remote is free to use in "Read-Only Mode", which allows you to view a workspace & follow along worry-free and also includes the unlimited ability to flag cues & edit cue notes. Optional In-App Purchases are available to unlock show control, editing, and light tools features. FEATURES - Automatically finds any QLab workspace on the network. - Updates in QLab are instantly reflected in QLab Remote and vice versa. - Open multiple windows on iPad to view workspaces side-by-side on one screen. - Quickly flag and edit notes for cues. - Easily switch between cue lists. - Watch active cues update in real-time. - Enable "Read-Only Mode" to follow along without worrying you'll accidentally trigger a cue. - Edit basic properties for all cues, such as name, number, notes, color, armed, flagged, etc. - Adjust audio levels and patches for audio, mic, and video cues. - Change display geometry for video, text, and camera cues. - Double-tap a cue to quickly edit it. Please contact support@figure53.com with issues or feedback.
productionTimer
This app transforms your iOS device into a professional countdown clock for live events and television production. It offers fullscreen display on external monitors, customizable text and colors, and message broadcasting capabilities.
- Fullscreen countdown on external display
- Message broadcasting
- Customizable text and background colors
- Time-Travel feature
- AirPlay support
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productionTimer was designed specifically for the live event and television production industry. Turn most models of iPad or iPhone / iPod Touch into a full-featured countdown clock - perfect for live events! Key Features: - FULLSCREEN countdown on an EXTERNAL DISPLAY via USB-C/Lightning->HDMI or AirPlay - NDI® and SRT output - send the clock over your network to a switcher, multiviewer, remote venue, or playout system - WEB VIEW & REMOTE CONTROL - open the clock in any browser and drive the timer from a separate phone, tablet, or laptop - Bitfocus Companion support - control productionTimer from a Stream Deck or any Companion surface - Send messages downstage - Change text and background colors for normal, warning, and end segments - Smaller cost and footprint than computer or hardware-based timers productionTimer turns an iOS device into a full-screen countdown clock for an external monitor. Take video directly out of the device via the Apple HDMI adapter - run it to a nearby monitor with standard HDMI, send it over Cat-5/5e/6 or fiber, or feed it into a switcher and route it anywhere. Using a switcher, you can even key out the background for a clean countdown over other graphics - perfect for getting attendees back from breaks on time. Prefer to skip the cables? An AirPlay destination like Apple TV works as the external monitor. Need the clock somewhere a cable won't reach? Broadcast it over your network instead - as an NDI source straight into your switcher, or an SRT stream for reliable delivery over longer, less predictable connections. It's also available as a web view, so anyone on the network can pull it up in a browser. Run the show from wherever you are: built-in remote control lets an operator drive the timer from a separate device, and Bitfocus Companion integration puts start, stop, reset, and messaging on your Stream Deck - right inside the control layout you already use. A "warning" changes the clock's background to a user-defined color at a set time - great for cueing talent to wrap up or move to Q&A. Once time is up, the background can change colors again. Need to send a note downstage but don't have switching in place to get it on the confidence monitor? Type a short message and display it on the clock. The countdown shifts up and a large, clear message appears below it - one touch and it's back to normal. Event professionals know the importance of running on time. Need to make up a few minutes? Use "Time-Travel" to run the clock faster than reality - just set the time of day you want it to hit "0" and productionTimer figures out the rest.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: QLab Remote at Free against productionTimer's $19.99. productionTimer's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and review sentiment (90% vs 63%). On rating, ratings volume, 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
QLab Remote is free to download; productionTimer costs $19.99 up front. QLab Remote sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. productionTimer asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for QLab Remote against 4.7 for productionTimer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 12 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of QLab Remote's written reviews are positive against 90% of productionTimer's.
QLab Remote ships an update every 3 weeks, productionTimer weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | QLab Remote | productionTimer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $19.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (26 ratings) | 4.7 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | 90.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Figure 53 | On-Point Presentation Services, LLC |
Customer experience
QLab Remote
productionTimer
In-app purchases
QLab Remote
- Light Tools$19.99
- Show Control & Editing$39.99
productionTimer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is QLab Remote free?
Is productionTimer free?
Which has better reviews, QLab Remote or productionTimer?
Do QLab Remote or productionTimer have ads?
Which is updated more often, QLab Remote or productionTimer?
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