Comparison

SurfaBeam vs AliceSense

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

Head to head
About

SurfaBeam

Transform any surface into a dynamic display with this intuitive mobile projection mapping tool. Easily map videos, animations, and images onto real-world objects without complex desktop software. Ideal for creators, artists, and event planners seeking powerful visual effects on the go.

Highlights
  • Intuitive mobile projection mapping
  • Map videos, images, and animations
  • Advanced shape library & multi-surface mapping
  • Export maps for professional content creation
  • Precision grid warping with gesture controls
  • Real-time rendering and video sync
  • Multi-media support
Read full description

TRANSFORM REALITY WITH SURFABEAM: THE ULTIMATE PROJECTION MAPPING TOOL Turn your projector into a magic wand. SurfaBeam is the most intuitive projection mapping tool designed specifically for mobile creators, digital artists, and event planners. Whether you are a professional VJ, a creative designer, or just hosting an unforgettable house party, SurfaBeam lets you map videos, animations, and images onto any real-world surface—instantly. Forget complex desktop software, expensive media servers, and heavy hardware. SurfaBeam puts the power of a professional video mapping studio right in your pocket. Connect your device to any digital projector and start warping reality in seconds. This is Projection Mapping made easy, accessible, and powerful. EASY CONNECTION No computer needed! Connect your phone or tablet to any projector using: Wired (Recommended): Use a USB-C to HDMI or Lightning Digital AV Adapter for zero lag. Wireless: Supports AirPlay, Screen Mirroring. WORKFLOW IN 3 STEPS Notice: Advanced features listed below are available via In-App Purchase (Subscription or One-Time). Connect: Link your device to the projector. Map: Drag the on-screen grid to match your physical object (wall, box, or decor). Play: Pick a video or image and watch it warp instantly! KEY FEATURES & CAPABILITIES Advanced Shape Library & Multi-Surface Mapping New in this version! Your creativity is no longer limited to squares. Use our new Multiple Shapes tool to map complex geometries, irregular sculptures, and detailed architectural elements simultaneously. Export Maps for Professional Content Creation Bridge the gap between mobile mapping and desktop editing. Export your mapped layouts directly from SurfaBeam. Use these exports as templates in video editing software (like Adobe After Effects) to design custom content that fits your specific mapping setup perfectly. Precision Grid Warping with New Gesture Controls We have completely overhauled our touch interaction workflow. Fit your visuals perfectly to any shape with our Rebuilt Gesture System. Whether it represents a flat wall or a cylinder, our advanced mesh allows for detailed Keystone Correction and Corner Pinning. Includes a new in-app tutorial for beginners! Real-Time Rendering & Video Sync See your adjustments live! There is no rendering time. As you move the grid points, the projection updates instantly. Features a new Video Synchronization Button to ensure your loops and visuals play back smoothly without stuttering—perfect for live VJ performances. Multi-Media Support Project high-resolution videos, photos, logos, or custom graphics directly from your device's gallery. SurfaBeam handles high-quality playback for crisp, stunning visual effects with transparency control and layering. PERFECT FOR EVERY USE CASE Live Events & VJing: Elevate your DJ set. Use SurfaBeam as a mobile VJ tool to create stunning stage visuals and music visualizers that sync with the vibe , also similar to lazy lighting app. Holiday Digital Decoration: Halloween: Project singing pumpkins, spooky ghosts, or portals onto your windows. Christmas: Map animated snow and festive lights onto your tree or walls without physical wiring. Art Installations & Exhibitions: Project dynamic textures and motion graphics onto sculptures. Create immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experiences visible to the naked eye. Business & Branding Displays: Make your brand pop! Project your logo onto unique surfaces at trade shows or corporate lobbies. A projection-mapped logo grabs far more attention than a TV screen. SurfaBeam is more than just an app; it is a creative revolution. Privacy Policy: https://www.surfabeam.com/privacy Terms Of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Quick Workflow Video: Watch here: https://youtube.com/shorts/NjB2owlqp-4?si=HZoRPMUXDV8W0w_p

About

AliceSense

This app captures moments using ambient sound, motion, light, and weather, translating them into unique AI-generated images. Explore four distinct visual styles to create sensory translations of time and space.

Highlights
  • Non-optical ambient camera
  • AI-generated imagery
  • Four distinct visual recipes (Analog, Shui-mo, Diagram, Infrared)
  • Captures sound, motion, light, and weather
  • Sensory translation of moments
Features
Read full description

AliceSense is an experimental, non-optical camera for ambient moments. Instead of relying purely on a lens, it captures a moment through the device's wider sensory state: ambient sound, kinetic motion, light, time, weather, and traces of visual structure. These signals act as a multidimensional exposure, developed into an image through AI. What emerges is not a conventional photograph, but a sensory translation of a specific space in time. Develop your sensory exposures using four distinct visual recipes: • Analog: Anchors the moment in photographic reality, using the room's energy to dictate film grain, halation, and motion blur. • Shui-mo: Translates acoustic and kinetic intensity into expressive, monochromatic brushstrokes and negative space. • Diagram: Renders the moment as a raw, tactile sensory diagram, mapping data through architectural construction lines. • Infrared: Adopts a machine’s perspective, replacing natural colors with intense, data-driven gradients. AliceSense is not trying to replace photography. It is a parallel instrument — a camera for conditions, tensions, and the atmosphere of an invisible moment.

Screenshots

SurfaBeam4 screens
AliceSense4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: AliceSense at 5.0 against SurfaBeam's 3.3. AliceSense also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4). SurfaBeam's advantage is ratings volume (19 vs 1) and device support (4 vs 1). 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. SurfaBeam sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. AliceSense asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

AliceSense holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SurfaBeam has 19 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
SurfaBeam versus AliceSense: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSurfaBeamAliceSense
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.3 (19 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings19 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size530 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperOsman Ahsan SheikhYuzhen Zhang

In-app purchases

4 purchases

SurfaBeam

Subscriptions3
  • SurfaBeam Pro – Monthly$6.991 Month
  • SurfaBeam Pro – Quarterly$19.993 Months
  • SurfaBeam Pro – Yearly$49.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro Access$99.99
None

AliceSense

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SurfaBeam free?
SurfaBeam is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is AliceSense free?
AliceSense is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SurfaBeam or AliceSense?
AliceSense is rated higher. SurfaBeam averages 3.3 out of 5 from 19 ratings, while AliceSense averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do SurfaBeam or AliceSense have ads?
Neither SurfaBeam nor AliceSense shows ads.

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