MagicQ Remote Control vs Photon 2
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MagicQ Remote Control
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.
- 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
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ChamSys Ltd MagicQ Remote Control ChamSys MagicQ systems provide leading edge control of stage lighting, LED pixelmapping and media systems. The MagicQ Remote enables remote control of MagicQ systems including MagicQ consoles and MagicQ PC Wing solutions. MagicQ Remote supports focusing with pan and tilt controls, colour adjustment using the rainbow colour picker and rig testing through the unique MagicQ Execute Window. Palettes, Groups and Cues can be edited and updated. ChamSys MagicQ software supports up to 102,400 channels (200 DMX universes) and is available to download and use for free from ChamSys website www.chamsys.co.uk. For instructions please use the in app link to the manual; go to Connection, Help and tap the Open Manual button. For bug reports, please submit them to our bugtracker: https://secure.chamsys.co.uk/bugtracker/
Photon 2
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.
- Wireless Art-Net/sACN DMX control
- Philips Hue Entertainment integration
- Customizable user interface
- Scene and sequence creation
- Beat synchronization to music
- MIDI controller support
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Let's create your show with Photon 2. The next generation of professional DMX & Philips Hue lighting console has been rebuilt from the ground up for a better live experience. User-friendly and customizable, Photon 2 is perfect for musicians, nightclubs, live events, filmmakers, theater, stages… ◈ Wireless (Art-Net or sACN through WIFI) and ready to use, Photon reinvents the way to control DMX devices & Philips Hue*** with its single interface for all your lights. ◈ Create presets, combine them in sequences and synchronize your lights to music. Our beat tracker listens and animates your devices to the music rhythm. Live events will have no more secret for you. ◈ Want to turn your iPad into a real elegant personalized lighting control platform? The app features ground-breaking concepts that let you create your own user interface designed to make tasks practical and more intuitive. Connect external MIDI controllers like keyboards, pads, timecoders or others apps/softwares to control your fixtures. FEATURES (FREE VERSION) - 16 DMX channels - Multi-touch interface designed and optimized for iPad - Light group management. Link multiple lights together to perform the same action (colors, positions, brightness...) - Supports advanced controls (gobos/fog machine, focus) - Scene management: create presets, animate them in sequences - Create your dashboard and organize it as you wish - Art-Net/sACN/DMX channel monitor - Art-Net/sACN in multicast or unicast - Philips Hue Entertainment connection*** - Database with hundreds of pre-configured devices (fixtures) - Fixture creator to configure your devices STARTER (ONE-TIME PURCHASE) - 128 DMX channels - Create as many buttons (widgets) on your dashboard as you want - Enjoy the power of automatic BeatTracker and sync your lights to live music - Ableton Link support: sync your lights with your favorite DJ app or musical instruments - Background operation mode (Live Mode) PHOTON+ (SUBSCRIPTION) Everything in Starter included, plus: - 512 DMX channels (full universe) - Multi-Dashboard: create multiple dashboards to organize your widgets by lighting type, zone, or function. Swipe between them instantly during live performance - MIDI inputs: control dashboard buttons/faders with physical MIDI controllers (pads) or virtual ones (apps) - All next features on going * Requires an Art-Net to DMX bridge. Photon relies on Open Lighting Architecture (Open Lighting Project). *** Philips Hue Entertainment requires a Hue v2 or Pro bridge.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MagicQ Remote Control at none against Photon 2's 5. MagicQ Remote Control also leads on device support (3 vs 1). Photon 2's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 63%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Photon 2 sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. MagicQ Remote Control asks for nothing beyond the download.
Photon 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Photon 2 has 72 ratings behind it against 10, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of MagicQ Remote Control's written reviews are positive against 81% of Photon 2's.
MagicQ Remote Control ships an update every 3 months, Photon 2 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 7, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MagicQ Remote Control | Photon 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.3 (10 ratings) | 4.5 (72 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | 80.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 10 | 72 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPad |
| Requires iOS | 14.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 38 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | ChamSys Ltd | Photon Studio |
Customer experience
MagicQ Remote Control
Photon 2
In-app purchases
MagicQ Remote Control
No in-app purchases
Photon 2
- Photon+ Founder$29.991 Year
- Photon+$59.991 Year
- Starter Plan$44.99
- Pro Plan$64.99
- Pro Plan$79.99
Questions
Is MagicQ Remote Control free?
Is Photon 2 free?
Which has better reviews, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2?
Do MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2 have ads?
Which is updated more often, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2?
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