Synesthesia review
A deep live-visual toolkit for custom scenes, routing and performance control.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Synesthesia is desktop VJ software for DJs, VJs, musicians and creative coders who need real-time visuals that respond to music. It runs on macOS and Windows and supports media inputs including video, images, logos and webcams. The software is designed for live output to projectors, LED walls, livestreams and other VJ applications rather than for a narrow, preset-only visualizer workflow.
Its strongest area is creative and technical control. Users can map controls through MIDI, send and receive OSC, create custom shader scenes with live coding, and import Shadertoy and ISF shaders. The scene marketplace and 100+ built-in and free scenes give Standard users a starting library, while Pro adds full Syphon, Spout and NDI support, OSC input and output, custom resolution and two active devices. Pro also supports a 4K option. These capabilities make Synesthesia a strong fit for live performers and visual artists who want to shape scenes and connect them to a broader production setup.
Pricing is license-based. The Trial has unlimited access, requires no sign-up and adds a watermark to output. Standard costs $199 one time and includes one active device plus one year of updates. Pro costs $399 one time and includes two active devices and one year of updates. Additional updates are listed at $60 per year, although the pricing notes say paid updates are currently not being enforced. Synesthesia suits buyers prioritizing custom live visuals, routing and performance control. It is less suitable for projects centered on native video-file export or non-desktop platforms.
Synesthesia pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Live shader coding with Shadertoy and ISF imports
- MIDI, OSC, Syphon, Spout and NDI support
- Projector, LED wall and livestream output workflows
- Where it doesn't
- Standard costs $199 one time
- Trial output includes a watermark
- No native video-file export
Synesthesia fact sheet, pricing and score →
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