DreamShow compared with other show control software
Every program has its strengths and its users. Here are DreamShow and eight frequently mentioned programs side by side, on what matters when you choose: the real price, what you can do without paying, 3D simulation, sound and video, DMX outputs.
Information collected from the publishers' websites on 5 October 2026. It may have changed since: check with each publisher. "Not found" or "not stated" means the publisher's site does not say so, not necessarily that the feature does not exist.
In short: which one for whom?
- You are on a Mac: DreamShow runs on Windows only. Lightkey (Mac only), QLC+, MyStrow, Daslight, MagicQ or grandMA3 onPC run on macOS.
- You want free, open-source software, on Linux too: QLC+ is complete, free and open source.
- You program big tours on an MA or ChamSys console: their onPC software is meant to prepare the show for those consoles.
- You want the show's light, sound and video on one timeline, to see everything in 3D before connecting a single fixture, without paying anything: that is exactly what DreamShow is made for, for theatres, cabarets, venues and companies.
The table
| Price | Systems | Without paying | 3D simulation | Sound and video in the show | Programming | DMX outputs | Languages | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DreamShow | Free, no feature or time limit | Windows 10 and 11 | Everything, no limit (DMX output, video and stage devices included) | Yes, built in, photometric (illuminance in lux, spots on floor and walls) | Yes: sound and video on the same timeline as the light (Windows screens and network video players) | Timeline per scene + cue window (GO) | Art-Net, sACN, USB interfaces (DMX USB Pro and compatible, uDMX); unlimited universes | English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Chinese |
| QLC+ 5 | Free, open source | Windows, macOS, Linux | Everything, no limit | Yes, built-in 3D preview (version 5) | Sound: yes (Show Manager); video: playback exists, not confirmed on the timeline | Timeline (Show Manager) and cues | Art-Net, sACN, many USB interfaces | Documentation in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| FreeStyler DMX | Free | Windows (XP to 10 according to the publisher) | Everything; 512 fixtures, 2 universes | Through the separate Magic 3D Easy View | Not found (beat detection only) | Cues | Art-Net, sACN, over 15 USB interfaces | Not stated |
| Lightkey | One-year licence: 79 € to 379 € incl. VAT depending on channels | macOS only | All features, output limited to 24 channels | Built-in beam preview | Not found (sync with Ableton Live, MIDI clock) | Cues and sequences | Art-Net, sACN, many USB interfaces | English, German, Italian |
| MyStrow | Subscription 9.99 € excl. VAT/month (yearly) or 19.99 €/month; lifetime 299.99 € excl. VAT | Windows 10/11, macOS 11+ | 15-day trial, no DMX output | Yes, built in | Yes: built-in audio and video player with playlist | Keyframe timeline | Art-Net (up to 4 universes) | French site, others not stated |
| Daslight 5 (Nicolaudie) | Free software, but runs only with a Nicolaudie interface (from 179 € excl. VAT); full mode optional | Windows 10+, macOS 11+ | Express mode with an interface: 4 simultaneous scenes | Yes (Easy View 2) | Sound: yes (full mode); video: not found | Timeline (full mode) and scenes | Nicolaudie interfaces; Art-Net as a paid option | Manual in English, French, German, Spanish |
| Sunlite Suite 3 (Nicolaudie) | Sunlite interface from 199 € to 1,499 € excl. VAT (software included); full mode depending on model | Windows | Express mode: no sound, video or timecode | Yes (Easy View 3D) | Yes (full mode) | Timeline and cues | Sunlite interfaces; Art-Net depending on model | Not stated |
| ChamSys MagicQ PC | Free software; some features unlocked by ChamSys hardware | Windows, macOS | Demo mode: full programming, 64 network universes | Yes (MagicVis) | Sound: yes; video: pixel mapping only | Timeline and cue stacks | Art-Net, sACN; USB only with ChamSys interfaces | English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Dutch menus |
| grandMA3 onPC | Free software; DMX output only with MA hardware (prices from dealers) | Windows 10/11, macOS 14+ | Programming and 3D, no output without MA hardware | Yes, built in | Sound: yes (timecode show); video: not confirmed | Timecode and cues | Art-Net, sACN, MA-Net, unlocked by MA hardware | Not stated |
What DreamShow adds
- A first show written automatically from a piece of music or a theatre cue sheet, and a complete show written by the AI of your choice (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude…) from your text, checked by DreamShow before it is created.
- Aim and cover an area of the stage with moving heads in one click, trajectories, four-point moving-head calibration.
- Waits on a key, a time, a date or sunrise and sunset: the same timeline runs the show and architectural lighting.
- Humanoid robots and LED masks driven from the timeline, finger follow-spot on a tablet, backstage displays.
- A standalone player that replays the show with no computer (ESP32, Raspberry Pi).
- MIDI, OSC (TouchOSC, Companion, QLab…), web remote, LTC/MTC timecode, sound-to-light, pixel mapping, QLC+ and GDTF fixture definitions.
- Free: no licence, no subscription, no dongle or required interface, no online activation.
What DreamShow does not do (yet)
- No Mac or Linux version.
- No RDM (remote fixture addressing), no MVR import, no Ableton Link.
- A library of about 1,600 fixture definitions (plus GDTF and QLC+ import and a built-in editor).
- No dedicated hardware control surface: DreamShow is driven with mouse and keyboard, MIDI controllers, a web or OSC remote.
- Young software (2026): fewer tutorials and a smaller community than older ones.
Sources and method
Every piece of information comes from the publisher's website, checked on 5 October 2026. Prices are as displayed (incl. or excl. VAT as on the source). The brands mentioned belong to their owners; this comparison is neither endorsed nor disputed by them. Found a mistake? Write to us from the Support page and we will correct it.
- QLC+ 5 : qlcplus.org/download, qlcplus.org/discover/features, docs.qlcplus.org — Show Manager
- FreeStyler DMX : freestylerdmx.be/download, FreeStyler FAQ
- Lightkey : lightkeyapp.com/en/buy, lightkeyapp.com/en/specs
- MyStrow : mystrow.fr/tarifs, mystrow.fr/player-audio-video
- Daslight 5 (Nicolaudie) : daslight.com/en/hardware, daslight.com/en/faqs
- Sunlite Suite 3 (Nicolaudie) : sunlitepro.com/en/hardware, sunlitepro.com/en/sunlite
- ChamSys MagicQ PC : chamsyslighting.com — licensing, MagicQ manual — media servers
- grandMA3 onPC : grandMA3 help — output DMX, malighting.com — grandMA3 onPC