Compare

Projector Show vs MadMapper vs Luma Box.

Honest, feature-by-feature — including where the other two win.

Projector Show
MadMapper
Luma Box

Install & licensing

Open a URL

Installer + licence key

Installer (desktop app)

Platform

Any modern browser

Mac & Windows only

Free tier

Yes — full designer

No — paid, trial only

Yes — LumaMap free plan

Entry price

Free

€389+ one-time

Free / paid upgrades

Time to first pixel

Under a minute

An afternoon (install + licence)

An afternoon (install)

Beginner focus

Home & holiday house mapping

Professional installs & touring

Home & holiday house mapping

Cue timeline

Built in

Native timeline (v6)

Basic (LumaMap)

Community show library

Browse & remix shows in-app

Forum + gallery (no remix)

Blog + #LumaLegends spotlight

Show file portability

Readable, versionable link

Proprietary project file

Laser / DMX output

Not yet

MadLaser extension

Not supported

Third-party plugins

Not yet

Large ecosystem

Limited

Offline operation

Full show cache

Native

Choose Projector Show when…

You want to start mapping your house or a holiday display today, for free
The venue laptop is whatever the venue has — nothing to install
Several people need to open and edit the same show
Budget is a real constraint

Choose MadMapper when…

You need 40+ outputs across many synced machines
The show depends on laser (MadLaser) or DMX/PJLink control
You're driving specialised capture or plugin-based hardware
A professional touring pipeline is already built around it

Choose Luma Box when…

You just want pre-made holiday graphics packs and a simple photo-based outline tool
You want a supplier/installer directory alongside the software
You'd rather buy ready-made content than build a show from scratch

Questions

Is there a free alternative to MadMapper?+

Yes. Projector Show has a free tier that covers the full designer — mesh warping, edge blending and cue playback — with no trial limit or licence key.

Do I need to install software for projection mapping?+

Not with Projector Show — it runs in the browser. MadMapper and Luma Box's LumaMap are both native desktop installs.

What is the easiest projection mapping software for beginners?+

Luma Box's LumaMap is built for quick, beginner-friendly holiday house mapping. Projector Show targets the same beginner-friendly setup time but adds a multi-cue timeline and runs on any machine with a browser, so there is nothing to install first.

MadMapper and Luma Box are trademarks of their respective owners; Projector Show is not affiliated with either. Comparison based on publicly listed pricing and features as of August 2026 — check each vendor's site for current details.

Choose Projector Show when…

Choose MadMapper when…

Choose Luma Box when…

Questions

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