# L.E.D. Lab vs Blackout Next

The clearest difference is update cadence: Blackout Next at fortnightly against L.E.D. Lab's every 4 months. Blackout Next also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 81%). L.E.D. Lab's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. L.E.D. Lab sells 11 one-off in-app purchases and Blackout Next sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Blackout Next holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 15 and 21 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of L.E.D. Lab's written reviews are positive against 100% of Blackout Next's.

L.E.D. Lab ships an update every 4 months, Blackout Next fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on August 17, 2026 and June 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | L.E.D. Lab | Blackout Next |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (15 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/led-lab/id832042156/reviews) | **[5.0 (21 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next/id6475490278/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 15 | **21** |
| Positive reviews | 81.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 23 MB | 398 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Christopher Schardt](https://appshunter.io/developer/352273485) | [Blackout Lighting Console LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1635074667) |

## 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 |


### Blackout Next

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackout-next/id6475490278)

This professional lighting console app offers an intuitive interface for controlling DMX, Art-Net, and sACN lighting systems. It features a vast cloud fixture database, custom fixture creation, and a robust multi-cuelist platform for organizing lighting looks.

**Highlights:** Cloud Fixture Database, Custom Fixture Creation, Intuitive Fixture Controls, Multi-Cuelist Platform, Dynamic Effects Engine, MIDI Support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Basic Plan | $799.99 | 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 Blackout Next free?

Blackout Next is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, L.E.D. Lab or Blackout Next?

Blackout Next is rated higher. L.E.D. Lab averages 4.6 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Blackout Next averages 5.0 from 21 ratings.

### Do L.E.D. Lab or Blackout Next have ads?

Neither L.E.D. Lab nor Blackout Next shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, L.E.D. Lab or Blackout Next?

L.E.D. Lab ships an update every 4 months, and Blackout Next fortnightly. Most recently, L.E.D. Lab was updated on August 17, 2026 and Blackout Next on June 26, 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.*