OperatourCompare
Operatour vs the field.
Audio-reactive out of the box. Your own code, live. A gentle learning curve.
At a glance
| Operatour | Resolume | TouchDesigner | Synesthesia | VDMX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199, perpetual | Avenue €299, Arena €799 | $600, Pro $2,200 | $199, Pro $399 | $199, Plus $349 |
| Free tier | 3×3 grid, no watermark | Watermarked demo | 1280, non-commercial | Watermarked | Demo, no saving |
| Audio-reactive | Zero setup | FFT, per parameter | Manual | Own scenes | Manual |
| Own code | GLSL, p5, Three.js | FFGL, Wire | GLSL, Python | GLSL, ISF | ISF |
| First visual | A minute | Load clips | Build it first | A minute | Build the rig |
Learning curve
- OperatourGentle
- SynesthesiaGentle
- ResolumeModerate
- VDMXModerate
- TouchDesignerSteep
Only in Operatour
| Operatour | Resolume | TouchDesigner | Synesthesia | VDMX | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLSL, p5, Three.js, as written | ✓ | ◐ | ◐ | ◐ | ◐ |
| Audio-reactive, zero setup | ✓ | ◐ | ◐ | ✓ | ◐ |
| DAW stems, host tempo | ✓ | ✗ | ◐ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Shadertoy, unmodified | ✓ | ✗ | ◐ | ◐ | ✗ |
| lil-gui panels as faders | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Web page as a layer, audio-reactive | ✓ | ✗ | ◐ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Audio API on npm, AI-writable | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Phone remote, PIN | ✓ | ◐ | ◐ | ✗ | ✗ |
One to one
✓ yes · ◐ partial or with setup · ✗ no. Prices from each tool’s own site, checked October 2026. Learning curve and the marks are our reading of each tool’s published features.