# L.E.D. Lab vs Photon 2

The clearest difference is monetization model: L.E.D. Lab at free against Photon 2's free with in-app purchases. L.E.D. Lab also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Photon 2's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (72 vs 15). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. L.E.D. Lab sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Photon 2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for L.E.D. Lab against 4.5 for Photon 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 72 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 81% and 81% positive.

L.E.D. Lab ships an update every 4 months, Photon 2 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on August 17, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | L.E.D. Lab | Photon 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/led-lab/id832042156/reviews)** | [4.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **72** |
| Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 80.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christopher Schardt](https://appshunter.io/developer/352273485) | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) |

## What reviewers say

### L.E.D. Lab

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/led-lab/id832042156)

Create dynamic visual experiences for LED displays without custom programming. Animate images, videos, and particles, and synchronize them with music or external audio inputs. Ideal for artists, designers, and hobbyists looking to add animated color to various projects.

**Highlights:** Create and animate scenes with images, videos, and camera feeds, Animate particle color, velocity, and brightness for LED strips, Synchronize visuals with music from your library, Audio reactivity for parameter control, External control via MIDI, DMX, ArtNet, OSC, Color keying and tiling for advanced compositing, Supports various LED controllers and external monitors

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Live Microphone | $9.99 | one-time |
| Live Video | $9.99 | one-time |
| LED Display | $19.99 | one-time |
| External Control | $19.99 | one-time |
| Music | $19.99 | one-time |
| External Screen | $39.99 | one-time |
| Authoring | $49.99 | one-time |
| LED Artist Pack | $59.99 | one-time |
| VJ Pack | $79.99 | one-time |
| Advanced Mapping | $84.99 | one-time |
| Everything Pack | $209.99 | one-time |


### Photon 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671)

This app provides a professional lighting console for controlling DMX and Philips Hue devices wirelessly. It allows users to create custom interfaces, manage lights, and synchronize effects to music for live events, performances, and filmmaking.

**Highlights:** Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control, Philips Hue Entertainment integration, Customizable user interface, Scene and sequence creation, Beat synchronization to music, MIDI controller support

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Photon+ Founder | $29.99 | per year |
| Photon+ | $59.99 | per year |
| Starter Plan | $44.99 | one-time |
| Pro Plan | $64.99 | one-time |
| Pro Plan | $79.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is L.E.D. Lab free?

L.E.D. Lab is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Photon 2 free?

Photon 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, L.E.D. Lab or Photon 2?

L.E.D. Lab is rated higher. L.E.D. Lab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Photon 2 averages 4.5 from 72 ratings.

### Do L.E.D. Lab or Photon 2 have ads?

Neither L.E.D. Lab nor Photon 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, L.E.D. Lab or Photon 2?

L.E.D. Lab ships an update every 4 months, and Photon 2 every 5 weeks. Most recently, L.E.D. Lab was updated on August 17, 2026 and Photon 2 on September 17, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*