Radiance
Radiance is free, open-source video art software designed for live performance and VJ work.
What Radiance is
Radiance is free, open-source video art software designed for live performance and VJ work. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its more than 150 GPU-accelerated WGSL effects can be edited live. Through MPV, the software can open video clips, images, files, webcams, live streams, and YouTube videos; YouTube URLs require yt-dlp installed separately. Radiance detects beats in incoming audio and uses them as a shared timebase for effects. It can output to one or more screens and includes a projection mapping editor. The project is released under the MIT/X11 License. Building from source requires Rust, Cargo, and dynamically linked libmpv. The project README notes that MIDI controller input and TCP output for LED displays are missing from the rewrite compared with version 0.6.1. These limitations may matter to performers whose setups depend on either capability. Its listed performance tools include live-editable effects, audio beat detection, and multi-screen output.
Good
- Free and open-source
- More than 150 live-editable GPU effects
- Beat detection provides a shared effects timebase
- Supports output to multiple screens
Watch out
- MIDI controller input is missing from the rewrite
- TCP output for LED displays is missing
- YouTube URLs require separate yt-dlp installation
Who it suits
Radiance suits VJs and other performers looking for free, open-source video art software with live effects, beat detection, and projection mapping. Performers who rely on MIDI controller input or TCP output for LED displays should note those omissions.
Verdict
Radiance offers live visual effects, audio beat detection, and projection mapping without a listed cost. Check whether the missing MIDI and LED-display features affect your performance setup.
Plans and prices
From Radiance's own pricing page, checked 4 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Radiance | Free | Free and open-source video art software |
The facts
Each one read from Radiance's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Beat detection
- It detects beats in incoming audio and uses them as a global timebase for effects.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Build dependencies
- Building from source requires Rust, Cargo, and dynamically linked libmpv.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Feature limitation
- The project README lists MIDI controller input and TCP output for LED displays as missing from the rewrite compared with version 0.6.1.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- The project describes Radiance as video art software for VJs and says it is designed for live performance.checked 4 Oct 2026
- License
- The project is released under the MIT/X11 License.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Media playback
- It integrates MPV to open video clips, images, files, webcams, live streams, and YouTube videos.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Performance output
- It can output to one or more screens and includes a projection mapping editor.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Radiance is free and open-source video art software designed for live performance.checked 4 Oct 2026
- Shader effects
- It includes over 150 GPU-accelerated effects written in WGSL that can be edited live.checked 4 Oct 2026
- YouTube setup
- Loading YouTube videos by URL requires yt-dlp to be installed separately.checked 4 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Download platforms
- The project README says Radiance can be downloaded for Linux, Mac, or Windows.checked 4 Oct 2026
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