Affordable projection mapping software: map surfaces without a desktop licence

Affordable projection mapping software usually means a compromise — a free desktop tool with a steep learning curve, or a trial that watermarks the output. EasyMapper Studio takes a different route to cheap: it runs on the iPhone or iPad you already own, so the computer — usually the biggest line in a mapping budget — costs nothing.

A traditional mapping rig is three purchases: the software licence (often several hundred dollars for MadMapper-class desktop suites), a laptop capable of running it, and the projector. Phone-based mapping deletes the first two lines. The projector is the only hardware purchase left, and a capable one starts well under $200 — our projector guide matches models to budgets.

1. Download free and connect to any projector over an HDMI adapter or AirPlay (see exact adapters).
2. Map layers by dragging corners onto real surfaces — walls, windows, booths, even curved objects.
3. Play media or live shaders on each layer, tuned live from the phone.

The download is free and lets you map and play. Premium — $7.99/month or $39.99/year, with a trial — unlocks the full feature set: unlimited layers, the shader library, custom stencils, seasonal loop packs. For a single Halloween season, one month costs less than a pair of foam pumpkins; the annual plan is under half the price of most desktop licences' upgrade fee.

• Corner-pin precision with added and removed corners for irregular shapes.
• Multi-layer shows with masks and independent media per layer.
• Curved-surface warping for columns, pumpkins and inflatables.
• Saved maps so a venue or house is mapped once, ever.

Want proof it holds up for real jobs? See how it handles a small venue gig and a full house at Halloween.