Comparison

Vari vs HomeMonitor

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

Head to head
About

Vari

Control your lighting console remotely from any location. Program, adjust, and manage your show with features like command line access, cue playback, and fader control. Ideal for lighting professionals seeking flexibility and precision.

Highlights
  • Remote console control
  • Command line access
  • Cue playback management
  • Groups & palettes editing
  • Advanced color picker
  • Fader control
  • Interactive magic sheets
  • Patch table editing
Features
Read full description

VL Remote – VariLite NEO Console Control Take full control of your VariLite NEO console from anywhere in the venue. VL Remote puts professional lighting control in the palm of your hand, giving you the freedom to program, adjust, and manage your show from the stage, the stalls, or anywhere in between. Command Line Access - Execute commands in real time, just as you would at the console. Make precise adjustments on the fly without interrupting your workflow. Cue Playback Control - Manage cue lists and trigger playback from wherever you need to be. Stay in sync with your show without being tied to the console. Groups & Palettes - Access, edit, and apply groups and palettes instantly to accelerate programming and keep your session moving. Advanced Color Picker - Dial in exact colors with a powerful, intuitive color picker designed for speed and precision in demanding production environments. Fader Control - Make real-time level adjustments remotely, giving you hands-on control without returning to the desk. Magic Sheets - Visualize your rig and select fixtures intuitively using fully interactive magic sheets. Patch Table - View and edit your patch data whether you're online or working offline — ideal for preparation and troubleshooting. Task Tracking - Keep your production organized with integrated task management, so nothing gets missed during busy shows. Messaging - Communicate directly with your console operators through built-in messaging, keeping your entire team in sync. VL Remote is built for lighting professionals who demand flexibility and precision. Whether you're on a world tour or setting up a one-night show, VL Remote keeps you in control — wherever you are.

About

HomeMonitor

Features
Read full description

HomeMonitor puts every accessory in your HomeKit home on a single screen. When your home mixes hardware from several manufacturers, keeping track means opening one vendor app after another. HomeMonitor groups everything by room and zone and shows the values that matter right now — brightness, temperature, humidity, lock state — all at once. DENSITY FIRST - Supports 27 accessory types - Grouped by room and zone - Reorder rooms, and the devices inside them - Values flash briefly when they change, so you notice - Offline status is decided by whether the accessory actually answers CONTROL, ONE DEVICE AT A TIME - Sliders for brightness, color temperature, hue, target temperature, fan speed and more - Every characteristic an accessory exposes, with its current value, valid range and read/write access SEE HOW THINGS CONNECT - Matter or bridged, and which bridge it sits behind - Home hub status - For Matter accessories: network type, IP addresses, Thread role and neighboring nodes PRIVATE BY DEFAULT - No account, no sign-in - No data collection of any kind. Everything stays on your device —————— PLANS The free tier shows every accessory and switches them on and off. Pro (one-time purchase) Faster updates, slider controls, reordering inside a room, and multiple homes Pro Max (auto-renewable subscription) Everything in Pro, plus a selectable refresh interval, a high-density display mode, advanced data with connection details, and a Settings screen About the Pro Max subscription - Available monthly or yearly - Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase - Renews automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period - Manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew in your account settings after purchase - Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ - Privacy Policy: https://www.gyuniku.jp/legal.php

Screenshots

Vari4 screens
HomeMonitor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vari at none against HomeMonitor's 3. Vari also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). HomeMonitor's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 2 months). On price and ads 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. HomeMonitor sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Vari asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Vari ships an update every 2 months, HomeMonitor fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Vari versus HomeMonitor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVariHomeMonitor
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size57 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSignify Netherlands B.V.Kentaro Saito

In-app purchases

None

Vari

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

HomeMonitor

Subscriptions2
  • HomeMonitor Pro Max (Monthly)$1.991 Month
  • HomeMonitor Pro Max (Yearly)$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • HomeMonitor Pro$4.99

Questions

Is Vari free?
Vari is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HomeMonitor free?
HomeMonitor is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Vari or HomeMonitor have ads?
Neither Vari nor HomeMonitor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vari or HomeMonitor?
Vari ships an update every 2 months, and HomeMonitor fortnightly. Most recently, Vari was updated on October 30, 2026 and HomeMonitor on October 31, 2026.

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