# MagicQ Remote Control vs Photon 2

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | MagicQ Remote Control | Photon 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (10 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magicq-remote-control/id896639862/reviews) | **[4.5 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photon-2-dmx-light-controller/id1545017671/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 10 | **72** |
| Positive reviews | 62.5% of reviews | **80.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 38 MB | 46 MB |
| Requires iOS | **14.0** | 15.6 |
| 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 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 MagicQ Remote Control free?

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

### Is Photon 2 free?

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

### Which has better reviews, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2?

Photon 2 is rated higher. MagicQ Remote Control averages 4.3 out of 5 from 10 ratings, while Photon 2 averages 4.5 from 72 ratings.

### Do MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2 have ads?

Neither MagicQ Remote Control nor Photon 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, MagicQ Remote Control or Photon 2?

MagicQ Remote Control ships an update every 3 months, and Photon 2 every 5 weeks. Most recently, MagicQ Remote Control was updated on September 7, 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.*