Most VJ tools have some way to start for free: a demo, a trial, a non-commercial licence or a free tier. What differs is what the free version leaves out, from a logo on the output to a resolution cap or a recording limit. This table puts ten of them side by side, with what each vendor says about its own free version.
| Runs on | Free version | Free version limits | Paid | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRCTL | Web browser. Windows desktop app on the Pro plan | Free plan: the full studio with every effect and shader, live mode and Shader Lab | No watermark. Exports up to 1080p, 30fps and 2 minutes. Personal and non-commercial use | Creator $12/month. Pro $29/month, first 7 days free |
| Resolume Avenue and Arena | Desktop app | Demo with every feature | The Resolume logo appears on the video output from time to time, and a robotic voice names the software | Avenue €299. Arena €799. Per computer |
| Synesthesia | Desktop app for macOS and Windows | Trial with no sign-up and no time limit | Video output is marked with the Synesthesia logo | Standard $199. Pro $399. One time, with a year of updates |
| TouchDesigner | Desktop app | Non-Commercial licence, for personal and non-commercial use | Image resolution limited to 1280x1280. Not for work you are paid for. Some operators are left out | Commercial and Pro licences |
| NestDrop | Windows 7, 10 and 11 | Classic edition: four video decks, the 1,900-preset library and Spout output | NDI output, direct fullscreen output and audio device selection are in the paid editions | Midnight $50. Midnight Pro $75. One time |
| Auragen | Web browser and desktop | Full studio on web and desktop: 100+ generators, 75+ post effects, MIDI mapping and audio reactivity. Commercial use allowed | Video recording, NDI and Spout output, and exports above 720p are listed on the paid tier | Beta licence $20/month, listed as 50% off $40/month |
| Ghost Arcade | Desktop app for Windows and macOS | Open source under AGPL-3.0, with signed release builds | No limits or watermark described on its release pages | No paid tier listed on its release pages |
| RenderWave | Apple Silicon Macs, macOS 15 or later | Free Edition: 85 shaders, 27 post effects, audio modulation, MIDI and Ableton Link. Needs an account, not a card, and does not expire | Output up to 720p, no watermark. No Syphon output or custom overlays. One Mac | Studio $9.99/month, $99/year or $299 perpetual |
| Vortexia | Web browser | Free plan with manual triggers and Stream Deck links, for one streaming platform | 720p at 30fps, with a watermark | Plus $49.99/year. Pro $119.99/year. Lifetime $149 one time, offered until December 31, 2026 |
| Arkestra | macOS 14 or later, Apple Silicon and Intel | Every effect, ISF shaders, audio reactivity, MIDI, OSC, Ableton Link and the 3D renderer | Recordings up to 60 seconds, no watermark. Syphon output is on Pro | Pro $19/month for 12 months, then owned. The FAQ also lists $199 one time |
Resolume, Synesthesia and Vortexia mark the output of their free versions. FRCTL, RenderWave and Arkestra say their free versions have no watermark. TouchDesigner, NestDrop and Auragen limit the free version by resolution, licence or features instead.
FRCTL, Auragen and Vortexia run in a web browser. Resolume, Synesthesia, TouchDesigner, NestDrop, Ghost Arcade, RenderWave and Arkestra are desktop apps, and NestDrop, RenderWave and Arkestra each run on one operating system.
Free licences differ on paid work. TouchDesigner Non-Commercial excludes work you are paid for. FRCTL Free covers personal and non-commercial projects, and client work needs Creator or Pro. Auragen allows commercial use on its free plan.
Free versions with a stated resolution cap: TouchDesigner at 1280x1280, RenderWave and Vortexia at 720p, and FRCTL at 1080p for exports. Auragen lists exports above 720p on its paid tier.
Resolume’s demo includes every feature, and marks the output with its logo and a periodic robotic voice until you buy Avenue (€299) or Arena (€799). If you are weighing an alternative, the questions that usually decide it are whether you need a free version you can perform with, whether it should run without an install, and what it costs to own or rent.
FRCTL runs in a web browser and its free plan has no watermark. It can also sit inside a Resolume set rather than replace it: Resolume takes NDI and Spout as sources, and the FRCTL Windows desktop app on Pro sends both.