Comparison

Control vs s

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

Head to head
About

Control

Transform your mobile device into a versatile network command center. Control smart home devices, send custom commands, and manage your network with a single tap. Features include HTTP server, MIDI control, and collaborative grids.

Highlights
  • HTTP Server capabilities
  • Bluetooth MIDI control
  • Multi-protocol command sending
  • Customizable grid layouts
  • Action chaining
  • Real-time collaboration
Features
Read full description

Control-It turns your iPhone or iPad into a pocket-sized command center for everything on your network. Toggle your lights, open your garage, send HTTP requests, or dispatch MIDI messages—all with a single tap and zero extra hardware. Now with HTTP Server capabilities, MIDI sessions and MIDI input and a Bluetooth MIDI Bridge, Control-It is more powerful than ever. What You Can Do - NEW: HTTP Server: Turn your device into a powerful server to trigger actions remotely via simple HTTP requests. - NEW: MIDI Engine: Seamlessly connect and control Bluetooth MIDI devices without cables. - NEW: Bluetooth Bridge: Not on the same WIFI network as your other devices? Setup a Bluetooth Bridge and control devices without WIFI. - Collaborative Grids: Sync grids instantly with your team. Real-time collaboration is now faster and more reliable. - Multi-Protocol Control: Fire commands over HTTP, TCP, UDP, OSC, and MIDI. - Grid Builder: Create custom layouts for fast, organized control. - Chain Actions: Trigger entire sequences of commands with a single button press. - Smart Responses: Parse & display HTTP responses using JSONPath rules. Why You’ll Love It - Fresh New Look: A modernized, sleek user interface designed for clarity and ease of use. - 100% Free: No subscriptions, no paywalls, and no "Pro" tiers. Every feature is yours, forever. - Instant: Commands leave the phone the moment you tap. - Adaptable: Mix protocols, layouts, and workflows to fit shows, studios, and living rooms alike. - Mobile-First: Built for dark stages, full hands, and those who need reliable tools on the go. - Community-Driven: Upload your grids and actions to the "Shop" or find new ones made by others in the community. Grow with Us Control-It was born backstage, between camera cuts, lighting cues, and last-minute changes. It’s created by a Production Director and made for anyone who needs tools that simply work. Have an idea? Email the Developer with your requests. Privacy Policy: https://micah1crandell.github.io/control_it/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://micah1crandell.github.io/control_it/terms.html

About

s

Features
Read full description

sNIF is a pocket sACN (E1.31) troubleshooter for lighting designers, programmers and technicians. Join the production network and see who's sending what, which sender is winning, and exactly what levels your fixtures are receiving. FIND EVERY SENDER • Lists every console, computer and node that announces itself with sACN Universe Discovery • One row per universe, grouped by sender, with name and IP address • Senders that drop off stay listed as Offline, so a dropout never goes unnoticed • Flags when a sender changes IP address, or when a new device shows up at an old address after a reset or swap CATCH CONFLICTS BEFORE THE SHOW • Yellow warning: two senders share a universe at different priorities (normal for a backup) • Red conflict: two senders share a universe at the same priority, which makes lights flicker or merge • A Conflicts tab gathers every shared universe in one place, with each sender's priority SEE WHAT THE LIGHTS SEE • Universe output: the levels a receiver actually uses, with lower-priority senders ignored • Selected sender: one sender's levels on their own, even at a lower priority • When senders tie, sNIF shows each in turn and flags the channels where they disagree • All 512 channels with 3-digit values, updated live • FLEXI hides runs of empty channels so active ones stand out TROUBLESHOOTING DETAILS • Priority, packet rate, channel count, and lost and out-of-order packets for every sender • Winning, Tied, Ignored and Stale status at a glance • Your iPhone or iPad's IP address, subnet mask and gateway, with a warning when a sender is on a different subnet • Manual universe entry for senders that don't announce themselves, filling in automatically when data arrives EASY TO LEARN • A built-in Glossary explains every term in one plain sentence • Works on iPhone and iPad, in portrait and landscape sNIF only listens. It never sends data, so it's safe to use on a live show network. Requires a Wi-Fi network that passes sACN multicast traffic. Powered by Liberate Lighting.

Screenshots

Control4 screens
s3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Control at Free against s's $4.99. Control also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 20 months). On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

Control is free to download; s costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Control ships an update every 6 weeks, s every 20 months. The most recent releases landed on October 6, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Control versus s: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterControls
PriceFree — better$4.99
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 20 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMicah CrandellLawrence Anthony Ware

In-app purchases

None

Control

No in-app purchases

None

s

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Control free?
Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is s free?
s costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Do Control or s have ads?
Neither Control nor s shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Control or s?
Control ships an update every 6 weeks, and s every 20 months. Most recently, Control was updated on October 6, 2026 and s on October 19, 2026.

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