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Q Light Controller+ vs Open Lighting Console: catalog facts
Q Light Controller+	Open Lighting Console
Best for: Small venues, bands and theatre groups running stage lighting from a computer	Best for: Linux users programming and operating theater lighting shows
Free Free and open source, supported by sponsorship and a shop.	Free Free software under GPL-3.0-or-later.
Windows, macOS, Linux	Linux
Supports DMX, Art-Net, sACN, OSC and MIDI through plugins Customisable virtual console All 4 strengths for Q Light Controller+ Supports DMX, Art-Net, sACN, OSC and MIDI through plugins Customisable virtual console Audio-triggered cues and scripting Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and Raspberry Pi	Supports Art-Net, sACN, and DMX USB interfaces Includes playback, chasers, groups, and submaster faders All 4 strengths for Open Lighting Console Supports Art-Net, sACN, and DMX USB interfaces Includes playback, chasers, groups, and submaster faders MIDI and OSC control options Can save native and standard ASCII show files
Needs a compatible DMX interface to drive real fixtures Lighting concepts take time to learn for newcomers	Linux package is the only platform evidence provided Uses reverse Polish notation for console commands
Downloadable app	Downloadable app
Open source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0-or-later
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Offline features available	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Q Light Controller+ qlcplus.org Catalog checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Sources for Open Lighting Console flathub.org/apps/com.github.mikacousin.olc Catalog checked October 8, 2026

“Not stated” means we have not confirmed it. Features can vary by device and plan.