Comparison

Altered States vs One Big Projector

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

Head to head
About

Altered States

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Altered States turns your iPhone camera into a real-time visual effects engine. Stack up to 30 effects across 6 independent layers, let music drive your visuals, and capture the result as full-resolution video. — EFFECTS — Over 30 GPU-powered effects in five categories: WARP: Ultrawarp, Shockwave, Wave, Vortex, Kaleidoscope, Cascade, Fisheye, Curl Drift, Mirror Warp GLITCH: Pixel Sort, Streak, Self-Glitch, JPEG Artefact, Chromatic Aberration, Feedback Loop, Radial Blur, CRT, Bloom COLOR: LSD, Neon, Thermal, Solarise, Curves, GORE, MAYHEM, LUST, Dither, Contour Lines FX: Datamosh, Halftone, ASCII Art, Blob Tracking, Pixelate, Numeric Art GEN: Plasma, Tunnel, Lattice, Pattern — MULTI-LAYER — Stack up to 6 independent source layers - live camera, imported photos, or looping videos - each with its own effect chain, blend mode, and opacity. Rearrange layers by dragging, or hide any layer instantly. — AUDIO REACTIVE — Connect the camera to your music. Bass, mid, highs, and beat transients each drive your effect parameters in real time. Map any parameter to any frequency band. Tweak sensitivity and depth on the fly. — RECORD — Record full-resolution video directly from the live canvas. Mic audio is captured alongside the visual effects and merged automatically. Save to your photo library with one tap. — PRESETS — Save your favourite effect stacks as presets with a thumbnail snapshot. Recall them instantly from the Presets panel. — TOOLS — - Shake to generate a random 3-5 effect combination instantly - Per-effect parameter curves editor - Canvas transform: pan, pinch, rotate each layer freely - 8 mirror modes: vertical, horizontal, triple, quad, diagonal - Cortex Gate: luminance-based per-layer masking - Undo history with a visual timeline Altered States is built for performers, creators, and anyone who wants their camera to do something it was never supposed to do. By subscribing, you agree to Apple's Standard EULA: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

One Big Projector

Transform any projector into a dynamic light show. Easily map video, photos, and effects onto walls, objects, or stages without complex software. Preview your creations in AR before going live.

Highlights
  • Map content to any surface
  • Mesh warping for curved objects
  • Use own photos, videos, or live camera
  • Built-in library of effects
  • Audio-reactive effects
  • Layer multiple surfaces and content
  • AR preview
Features
Read full description

Turn any projector into a mapped light show. One Big Projector fits your video, photos, and effects to any wall, object, or stage — no complicated software, no laptop, no steep learning curve. Design it on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, preview it on your wall in AR, then connect a projector over USB-C or HDMI and your canvas goes full-screen and clean. WHY PEOPLE LOVE IT • Fit to anything — drag the corners to line your content up with a real wall, window, or prop • Bend around curves — mesh warping wraps content over columns, arches, and rounded surfaces • Bring your own content — photos, video, and live camera, or pick from a built-in library of effects and loops • Effects and looks — kaleidoscope, strobe, sparkle, waves, and more, some audio-reactive to your music • Layer it up — stack multiple surfaces and content layers for a full mapped scene • Preview in AR — see the result on your actual wall before a projector is even connected • Clean output — when you go live, the editor handles disappear for a pure, gig-ready projection PERFECT FOR • Holiday displays — Halloween and Christmas window and facade projection • Parties and events — instant ambiance on any wall • VJs, DJs, and stage shows — live visuals that map to the set • Art installations and window displays • Anyone who just wants to point a projector at something and make it look amazing NO PROJECTOR YET? NO PROBLEM Design your whole scene and preview it in AR on your wall today. When you are ready, any USB-C or HDMI projector works. FREE TO START Build real projects for free. Upgrade to Pro for unlimited projects and unlimited video layers — monthly, annually, or a one-time lifetime purchase. Terms of Use (EULA): https://hellogoodday.com/projectorstudio/terms Privacy Policy: https://hellogoodday.com/projectorstudio/privacy Made by Hello Good Day.

Screenshots

Altered States4 screens
One Big Projector4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: One Big Projector at every 3 days against Altered States's every 5 days. On price, 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

Both are free to download. Altered States sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and One Big Projector sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Altered States ships an update every 5 days, One Big Projector every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
Altered States versus One Big Projector: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAltered StatesOne Big Projector
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.217.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperKwong Wa ChuHello Good Day LLC

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Altered States

Subscriptions2
  • Altered States Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Altered States Pro Annual$39.991 Year
3 purchases

One Big Projector

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Pro Annual$10.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$14.99

Questions

Is Altered States free?
Altered States is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is One Big Projector free?
One Big Projector is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Altered States or One Big Projector have ads?
Neither Altered States nor One Big Projector shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Altered States or One Big Projector?
Altered States ships an update every 5 days, and One Big Projector every 3 days. Most recently, Altered States was updated on November 5, 2026 and One Big Projector on October 31, 2026.

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