SMODE

SMODE is a Windows platform for real-time compositing, media playback, mapping and show control. It is best suited to production teams, operators and institutions that need visuals to change during events, installations or virtual shoots. The right plan depends on whether use is non-commercial, content-focused or a multi-input live production.

Overview

Smode Tech was founded in Paris in 2019 by Francis Maes and Alexandre Buge. SMODE brings real-time 2D and 3D compositing, video mapping, stage simulation, animation and video export into one environment. That combination is useful when a project must move between prepared media and changes made while a show or installation is running.

Smode Live adds video playback and live editing for online operation. Community users also get a privacy-oriented edition: the maker says Smode Community has no advertising, no user-data tracking and no hidden cloud connections. Support is split between Community Support through Discord and Premium Support with direct communication with technical teams.

Key features

Compositing and production

Real-time 2D/3D compositing, mapping, stage simulation, animation and export cover the central visual tasks of shows and permanent installations. Camera tracking, LED-stage workflows and greenscreen workflows extend the fit to virtual production. SMODE, Unreal Engine and Notch are listed as render engines, which is relevant for teams already building scenes with those systems.

Live control and connectivity

Smode Live combines playback with live editing rather than limiting the software to rendered content. It supports DMX, Art-Net, sACN and LTC/MTC inputs, plus people-tracking systems. The Community edition lists ISF and ShaderToy shaders, Substance, Python scripting, MIDI, OSC, NDI and Spout. Deltacast and Blackmagic capture cards can provide video input or output. These connections make SMODE a practical control layer for event and installation workflows, although the larger live plans are the ones that define substantial I/O and lighting capacity.

Pricing

Smode Community

The free plan costs nothing and is licensed for non-commercial use. It includes Full HD input, output and content/export with no watermarks. It is a sensible way to learn the workflow or develop personal, educational and non-commercial projects, but commercial work requires a paid license.

Smode Compose FHD

Compose FHD costs €300 a year, billed at 300 € per year excluding VAT. It adds commercial use, Full HD input/output, unlimited content resolution and 4K video export, with Community Support. This is the clearest fit for a commercial content creator or operator who does not need the dedicated multi-universe, multi-input live tiers.

Smode Live plans

Live Basic has custom pricing and provides one FullHD input/output and eight DMX, Art-Net or sACN universes. Live 1, also custom priced, provides one 4K input/output and 16 universes; Live 2 provides two 4K inputs/outputs and 32 universes; Live 4 provides four 4K inputs/outputs and 64 universes. All require a Codemeter dongle and include Priority Support. These plans suit professional show-control deployments, with the tier determined by required video paths and lighting universes. Their custom pricing means buyers must contact the maker before budgeting.

Platforms

SMODE runs on Windows only, on Microsoft 64-bit operating systems with at least Windows 10 version 18h3. Licensing is not designed for virtual machines, so teams planning virtualized infrastructure should choose another deployment approach or another product.

Who it's for

SMODE is aimed at content creators, video operators, event organizers, rental companies, scenographers, TV production companies and cultural institutions. It is particularly well matched to shows, installations, LED stages, greenscreen and camera-tracked work where live composition and protocol-driven control matter. It is less suitable for macOS or Linux teams, virtual-machine deployments and commercial users who only need a simple playback tool.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Broad real-time scope: compositing, mapping, simulation, animation and export share one workflow.
• Strong live connectivity: lighting, timecode, tracking, shader, scripting, network and capture-card integrations support complex operations.
• Usable free edition: Community allows Full HD work without watermarks for non-commercial projects.
• Privacy position: Community is described as having no ads, tracking or hidden cloud connections.

Cons

• Windows-only: macOS and Linux users cannot deploy it natively.
• Virtual machines excluded: licensing is not designed for VM use.
• Commercial live costs are opaque: Live tiers require contacting the maker and a Codemeter dongle.
• Free plan is non-commercial: professional users need Compose FHD or a Live license.

Alternatives

Choose Shroozy Stage when a free, open-source tool with Android, Linux, macOS, web and Windows support is more important than SMODE's specialized live-production scope.

Zero Density Reality is worth considering for eligible SOHO, academic or self-learning users through its free Open Studio License Program, with broader platform coverage.

Pick Disguise Designer for free learning, training, testing and project pre-visualization without connecting to Disguise servers.

Grid Studio is a freemium alternative for Android and iOS users, though its free data connections are watermarked.

CineBridge provides a free playback plan on Windows for broadcasting UDP data files to Unity, a narrower use case than SMODE.

Pixotope offers a feature-limited HD discovery tier on Linux and Windows, while PIXERA offers free project building with watermarked outputs. ARFX Infinite Studio is another freemium option.

Verdict

Choose SMODE when your team needs one Windows-based environment for real-time composition, mapping, playback and protocol-driven show control, especially across live events, installations and virtual production. Community is a capable non-commercial starting point, while Compose FHD is the straightforward commercial entry. Look elsewhere if you require macOS or Linux deployment, virtual-machine licensing or clearly published pricing for a multi-input live system.