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Visibox
vs QLab

How Visibox and QLab compare for live production: free-form triggering vs scripted cue lists, platform, and price.

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QLab is the backbone of scripted theater. If a show runs the same cues in the same order every night, with tight audio, video, and lighting all fired from a single space bar, QLab is superb at it and deservedly the industry standard. Visibox is built for a different rhythm: triggering any clip at any time, in whatever order the moment calls for, from a MIDI controller or Stream Deck.

The split comes down to one thing. QLab is a cue list. Visibox is an instrument. Here is where each one fits.

What it is
Visibox
Live-visuals app built around free triggering
QLab
Cue-based show playback for theater
Best for
Visibox
Bands, DJs, worship, events, improvised shows
QLab
Scripted theater, timed cue sequences
Who runs it
Visibox
The performer, hands-free from the stage (footswitch / Stream Deck)
QLab
A dedicated operator firing cues on command
Playback model
Visibox
Trigger any clip at any time
QLab
Ordered cue list, fired in sequence
Playing live
Visibox
Follows the players; improvise freely, no click track needed
QLab
Timed cues and timecode assume a set tempo (often a click)
Platforms
Visibox
macOS 12+ and Windows 10+
QLab
macOS only
Interface languages
Visibox
Multiple, built in (Settings > Language)
QLab
English only
Audio-reactive
Visibox
ISF shaders and MilkDrop presets, built in
QLab
Not a focus
MIDI / footswitch / Stream Deck
Visibox
Native, easy mapping
QLab
MIDI and OSC control, deep show integration
Audio routing
Visibox
Multichannel output
QLab
Advanced routing, matrix, timecode
AI assistant / API
Visibox
Native MCP server, HTTP + WebSocket API, CLI
QLab
AppleScript and OSC scripting
Price
Visibox
Free Plan; Pro $11.99/mo, $83.88/yr, or $299 once
QLab
Free version; paid audio/video/lighting licenses (see their shop)

QLab publishes a free version and sells paid licenses per feature (audio, video, lighting), buyable outright or rentable, installable on two computers. Prices are set on their store, so check qlab.app/shop for current figures rather than a number that may have moved. Visibox is cross-platform, includes a Free Plan and a $299 perpetual option with two years of updates, and comes with a 14-day Pro trial and no credit card. A Visibox subscription always runs the latest version at no extra cost.

Pick Visibox when

  • Your show is not a fixed script. You want to trigger clips live, in any order, and respond to the room.
  • Your band plays live, not to a click. Tempos move, solos stretch, and the players react to each other on stage. Visibox triggers on feel, so the visuals follow the music instead of the music chasing a timeline.
  • You are on Windows, or your team is split across Mac and Windows. QLab is macOS only.
  • You want the app in your own language. Visibox has a built-in Language setting with translations for several languages; QLab runs in English only.
  • You want audio-reactive visuals and a stackable effects engine, not just clean cue playback.
  • You want to run the show yourself. Trigger cues hands-free from a footswitch or Stream Deck while you perform, with no dedicated operator firing them for you.
  • You are a band, DJ, worship team, or event producer rather than a theater running the same cues nightly.

Pick QLab when

  • You run scripted theater where every cue happens in a set order, the same way each performance.
  • You need deep audio routing, a matrix mixer, timecode, and lighting cues fired from one operator seat.
  • You are a Mac house and your stage manager already calls the show from QLab. That workflow is battle-tested, and we would not move you off it for a repertory run.

The real difference

QLab is built for repeatability. Program the cues once, then run the same reliable sequence every night. For scripted theater that is exactly the right model, and Visibox does not try to replace it.

Visibox is built for the opposite: performances that breathe. The band takes a verse slower, a solo stretches, the players lock in and ride a section on feel. QLab's timed sequences and timecode assume the music follows the clock, which is why fixed shows so often run to a click track. Visibox flips that. You fire each look the moment it should land, so the visuals follow the performance instead of forcing it onto a timeline. No click required, and with audio-reactive visuals and effects on the same grid, on Mac or Windows, one player can drive the whole show live.

Common questions

Is Visibox a QLab alternative?

For free-form live triggering of video and visuals, especially on Windows, yes. For scripted theater with timed audio, video, and lighting cues, QLab is purpose-built and remains the stronger fit.

Does Visibox run on Windows?

Yes. Visibox runs on macOS 12+ and Windows 10+. QLab is macOS only, which is often the deciding factor.

Can Visibox trigger video from MIDI like QLab?

Yes, and it is a core design goal. Map clips to a MIDI controller, Stream Deck, or keyboard and fire them instantly, in any order.

Is Visibox cheaper than QLab?

It depends on the QLab features you license, since those are priced per feature. Visibox keeps it simple: a Free Plan, Pro from $11.99 a month, or $299 once.

Try it on your next show

The visuals you have seen at the Las Vegas Sphere or a touring arena show are built from clips triggered on cue. Visibox brings that within reach, whatever your budget, whatever your skill. The best test is your own material.

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