# MagicQ Remote Control vs Photon

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MagicQ Remote Control at none against Photon's 1. MagicQ Remote Control also leads on review sentiment (63% vs 42%) and device support (3 vs 1). Photon's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 3 months) and iOS requirement (10 vs 14.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Photon sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. MagicQ Remote Control asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for MagicQ Remote Control against 4.4 for Photon. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 27 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 63% of MagicQ Remote Control's written reviews are positive against 42% of Photon's.

MagicQ Remote Control ships an update every 3 months, Photon every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 9, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagicQ Remote Control | Photon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicq-remote-control/id896639862/reviews) | **[4.4 (27 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **27** |
| Positive reviews | **62.5% of reviews** | 41.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 6 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 | **10** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [ChamSys Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1434389267) | [Photon Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/449592177) |

## What reviewers say

### MagicQ Remote Control

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicq-remote-control/id896639862)

Control your ChamSys lighting console remotely. Adjust focus, color, and test your rig. Edit and update lighting cues, palettes, and groups directly from your device.

**Highlights:** Remote control for MagicQ consoles, Pan and tilt focusing controls, Rainbow color picker, Execute Window for rig testing, Edit and update palettes, groups, and cues

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Photon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-dmx-light-controller/id1198023297)

Control DMX lighting wirelessly for events, clubs, and theaters. Create sequences, synchronize lights to music with beat tracking, and manage fixtures with a user-friendly interface. Offers advanced features via in-app purchase.

**Highlights:** Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control, Multi-touch interface optimized for iPad, Light group management, Scene and animation creation, Beat tracker for music synchronization, Fixture database and creator, Sequencer with timeline editing

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Light Sequencer | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is MagicQ Remote Control free?

MagicQ Remote Control is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Photon free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon?

Photon is rated higher. MagicQ Remote Control averages 4.3 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Photon averages 4.4 from 27 ratings.

### Do MagicQ Remote Control or Photon have ads?

Neither MagicQ Remote Control nor Photon shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon?

MagicQ Remote Control ships an update every 3 months, and Photon every 6 weeks. Most recently, MagicQ Remote Control was updated on October 9, 2026 and Photon 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.*