Comparison

Nairobi Control vs TheLightingController

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

Head to head
About

Nairobi Control

This app automatically configures its interface and controls based on the connected lighting system. It offers advanced features like mesh networking, automatic detection of lighting devices, and wireless firmware updates for seamless operation and future compatibility.

Highlights
  • BLE Mesh Networking
  • Light Disk Auto-Detection
  • Sleep Mode
  • Wireless Firmware Updating
  • Tutor Mode & Tutorials
  • Adaptive Interface
Features
Read full description

Nairobi Control is the companion app for your array of Nairobi universal lighting systems. Syncing your Nairobi to Nairobi Control automatically reconfigures the app's interface, menus and tools. It's not a single controller. It's every controller. Invisibly. Effortlessly. And its already future-proofed for Light Disks and Electronic Accessories not yet available for Nairobi. Imagine if a TARDIS and Swiss Army Knife had a baby that wanted to be the Bellagio's buffet...that's Nairobi Control. It's not a generic controller...it's an infinite number of highly specific controllers for every Nairobi Light Disk. It's exactly what you need even when you didn't know you needed it. UNIVERSAL FEATURES: 1: BLE Mesh Networking Nairobi Control manages your Nairobis via BLE Mesh, an advanced, encrypted bluetooth protocol. Every Nairobi becomes a receiver and transmitter, giving you NLOS (Non-line-of-sight) control and automatic group repair. Think of it like Tyler Durden controlling The Borg. Tyler's the invisible boss that doesn't really exist...and every device knows resistance is futile. Remove one and the group remains intact. Control individual Nairobis, linked groups working as a single unit, or a mixed environment with both individual units and groups. End-to-end encryption ensures secure operation in RF-dense environments. Sync in seconds. Reconfigure vast networks in less time than it takes to read your horoscope. 2: Light Disk Auto-Detection Nairobi Control detects your Light Disk, identifies its model and type, and reconfigures the interface automatically. Industry-specific controls for every Light Disk — medical, military, media, agriculture and more. Nairobi Control reconfigures submenus, features and the central dial. The invisible changes include precision adjustments to your Nairobi's digital high-voltage power supply and reconfigurations to the physical circuitry. Swap a Light Disk while powered on? Nairobi Control detects the changed disk instantly and reconfigures itself. The app just adapts. Like it always knew. 3: Sleep Mode Press the half-moon icon and your Nairobi shuts down while preserving all settings. C-3PO and Data both had secret kill switches that allowed them to resume. So does your Nairobi. 4: Wireless Firmware Updating Cables are so 2010. Nairobi allows OTA (Over-The-Air) firmware updates. Input your router's address and password, hit update and track your progress. 5: Tutor Mode & Tutorials How did you learn to ride a bike? With training wheels, right? Same goes for Nairobi. You don't have to be a physics major, cinematographer or Starfleet science officer to operate Nairobi. Toggle Tutor Mode and the Context Window displays educational summaries for every screen, submenu, button and dial — always Light Disk specific, so you learn across different fields and disciplines. For advanced concepts, visit our Video Tutorials on YouTube. 6: Scheduler Mode Some lights need to work on a schedule. UV sterilization. Agricultural grow cycles. Phototherapy sessions. A step-by-step wizard lets you set duration, rest gaps, and repeat behavior. Choose "Until Stopped" for continuous cycling or set a fixed number of cycles. Your Nairobi handles the transitions — work, rest, repeat — so you don't have to babysit it. Set it once. Walk away. DISK-DEPENDENT FEATURES: 1: DMX 512 Output 2: Whisper Mode 3: Dimming Curve Control 4: Dosage Timers 5: RGB Color Selection 6: CMY Color Selection 7: Agriculture RBW Selection 8: Dynamic Color Temperature Control 9: Variable UV Frequency Mixing 10: Animation Presets 11: Automated Work/Rest Scheduling REQUIREMENTS: 1: iPhone running iOS 26.0 or later 2: Nairobi, Nairobi Pro or Nairobi Ultra 3: Your choice of Nairobi Light Disk OPTIONAL: Your choice of Nairobi accessory. You choose from an ever-expanding list of ways to mount or operate your Nairobi. For more information visit nairobilighting.com

About

TheLightingController

Features
Read full description

Create stunning lightshows for your DMX lighting equipment with this powerful mobile app. This application is designed to work exclusively with the DMX interface “D1024W”. Learn more about the interface here: https://forum2.thelightingcontroller.com/viewtopic.php?t=172

Screenshots

Nairobi Control4 screens
TheLightingController4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: TheLightingController at 17 against Nairobi Control's 26.1. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nairobi Control ships an update every 2 months, TheLightingController every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 8, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Nairobi Control versus TheLightingController: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNairobi ControlTheLightingController
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS26.117 — better
Further details — not scored
Size95 MB102 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperEvansWerksThe Lighting Controller

In-app purchases

None

Nairobi Control

No in-app purchases

None

TheLightingController

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Nairobi Control free?
Nairobi Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TheLightingController free?
TheLightingController is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Nairobi Control or TheLightingController have ads?
Neither Nairobi Control nor TheLightingController shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nairobi Control or TheLightingController?
Nairobi Control ships an update every 2 months, and TheLightingController every 5 weeks. Most recently, Nairobi Control was updated on October 8, 2026 and TheLightingController on October 3, 2026.

Other comparisons