Comparison

ShotList by Studio vs Shadow Planner

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ShotList by Studio

Features
Read full description

ShotList is a fast, offline-first shot list editor for filmmakers. Create, edit, organize, and export professional shot lists with a clean mobile workflow built for production use. • Edit rows quickly with scene, description, and detailed tags (type, angle, camera, lens, equipment, lighting, sound, editing). • Reorder shots with long-press drag and drop. • Auto-save while you work, with local storage by default. • Export as editable ShotList file or PDF. • Import existing shot lists from files or retrieve from older versions when needed.

About

Shadow Planner

Visualize sun and shadow placement on real-world maps before filming. Scout locations by dropping virtual objects, simulating light movement throughout the day, and measuring distances for precise rigging. Export scenes for planning and collaboration.

Highlights
  • Real sun and shadow simulation on maps
  • 3D terrain and buildings for accurate shadows
  • Place and manipulate virtual frames and objects
  • Simulate light movement from sunrise to sunset
  • Measure distances and gear ranges
  • Export scenes and share links
Features
Read full description

Scout the light before you get there. Shadow Planner puts a real sun on a real map. Drop your overheads on the actual location, scrub the day from sunrise to sunset, and watch true cast shadows fall across the ground in 3D — so you know what you're walking into before the truck rolls, and so does everyone you hand the page to. SCOUT ANY LOCATION • Search an address or drop straight onto your GPS position • Satellite, street and dark map styles • Real 3D buildings and terrain, so shadows fall off the geometry that's actually there • Live sun compass with azimuth and altitude KNOW WHEN YOU LOSE THE LIGHT • Sunrise, solar noon, sunset, golden hour and civil dusk for any date and any location, with the day's length • Tap any spot for a shade timeline: when it holds direct sun and when it goes into shade, across the whole day • See the sun's path arced over the map — amber where your spot has sun, blue-grey where something blocks it, so you can watch the moment the sun clears a roofline • Reads the buildings and terrain actually around it, plus your own overheads BLOCK THE SHOT TO SCALE • Drop 12x12, 20x20 and 40x40 frames, or set your own custom size • Dial height above ground, spin and tilt on every frame • Add vehicles and human stand-ins for scale • Stack as many objects as the day needs — each one colour-coded, with its own cast shadow and the area it covers SEE THE WHOLE DAY MOVE • Scrub sunrise to sunset and watch every shadow track with the sun • Pick any date and check the light for a shoot weeks out • Stand-ins and vehicles dim when they fall inside a frame's shadow MEASURE THE RIG IN 3D • Tap two points for a true diagonal distance — overhead down to ground • Know exactly where the base, the truck and the crew gear have to land • Measurements stay locked to a frame, so they update as you raise or move it • Matching gear ranges for the distance you measured, from a PeeWee dolly to a 120' Condor FEET OR METRES • One switch converts every height, span, distance and shadow area, and the gear ranges with them • Gear and frame names stay as the industry says them — a 12x12 is still a 12x12, a Condor 40' is still a Condor 40' • Your choice is remembered between sessions TAKE IT BACK TO THE OFFICE • Save a location by name with its camera angle, date, time, every frame, the measurement and the shade you picked — long-press to rename • Six stops in a day, all still there tomorrow • Export a letter-size page carrying the location, date, time, sun position, sunrise and sunset, the rig you had up, and the lift sizes that reach — so the gaffer, the AD and the office are all reading the same sheet • Same page on every device, straight to Photos, Files or Messages • On iPad, drag the menu panels into the order you work in • Full undo and redo Built by a working cinematographer for tech scouts, gaffers, grips, DPs, location managers and anyone who has ever guessed where the shadow would be. No account. No subscription. No tracking.

Screenshots

ShotList by Studio3 screens
Shadow Planner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ShotList by Studio at $4.99 against Shadow Planner's $29.99. Shadow Planner's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 17 months) and iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ShotList by Studio costs $4.99 and Shadow Planner $29.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShotList by Studio ships an update every 17 months, Shadow Planner every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
ShotList by Studio versus Shadow Planner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShotList by StudioShadow Planner
Price$4.99 — better$29.99
Rating—4.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—40.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 17 monthsEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
Monetization—Paid
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandru SofoneaChristopher Fenner

In-app purchases

None

ShotList by Studio

No in-app purchases

None

Shadow Planner

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ShotList by Studio free?
ShotList by Studio costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shadow Planner free?
Shadow Planner costs $29.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do ShotList by Studio or Shadow Planner have ads?
Neither ShotList by Studio nor Shadow Planner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShotList by Studio or Shadow Planner?
ShotList by Studio ships an update every 17 months, and Shadow Planner every 5 days. Most recently, ShotList by Studio was updated on September 30, 2026 and Shadow Planner on October 3, 2026.

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