QLC+ is the most popular free, open-source DMX lighting controller, with a strong community and cross-platform support. It focuses on lighting: patching, scenes, and a configurable Virtual Console.
| Capability | Relackout | QLC+ |
|---|---|---|
| Lighting + audio in one app | check_circle Yes — built in | Basic cue audio |
| Smart lights (Tuya IoT) as fixtures | check_circle Yes | No |
| Custom touch mixer surface (software) | check_circle Yes | Virtual Console (custom) |
| Sound-reactive lighting (music or mic/line-in) | check_circle Yes — built in | Varies |
| Show timeline + live 3D stage preview | check_circle Yes — built in | Varies |
| Mobile remote over local network (PIN) | check_circle Yes | Web remote |
| Easy to use — fast to learn | check_circle Designed for it | Varies |
| Frequent updates — active development | check_circle Yes | Varies |
| DMX output — Art-Net · sACN (E1.31) · USB DMX (multi-device) | check_circle Yes | Yes (Art-Net, E1.31, USB) |
| Platforms | check_circle macOS · Windows | Windows · macOS · Linux |
| Licensing | check_circle Yearly license | Free (open-source) |
You want a free, open-source, lighting-only tool and are comfortable with community support.
Yes. Like QLC+, Relackout patches fixtures and outputs DMX over Art-Net, sACN (E1.31), and USB DMX. Relackout additionally includes built-in audio playback, sound-reactive lighting, a show timeline, a live 3D stage preview, Tuya smart-light control, a multi-layer effect engine, and a custom touch mixer with mobile remote — in one supported application.
QLC+ is free, open-source lighting control. Relackout adds music playback, sound-reactive lighting, a show timeline that programs audio and cues together, a live 3D stage preview, Tuya smart devices, a fully custom touch-driven mixer surface, and a PIN-protected mobile remote over the local network, so the whole show runs from one app.
Yes. Relackout includes a multi-channel music library (MP3/WAV, playlists) and master audio control alongside lighting, drives lights from the music or a mic/line-in with sound-reactive mappings, and programs audio plus cues on one show timeline — plus Tempo & BPM, two-way MIDI, and OSC.
Yes. Relackout uses a touch-first, approachable UI built to get you running shows quickly — from clubs and bars to concerts and theatres — and it is actively developed with frequent updates.
