Airstudio vs Light Blue
Airstudio
airstudio.info
Light Blue
lightbluesoftware.comSide by side
| Figure | Airstudio | Light Blue |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $200/mo | $32.50/mo |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| macOS | — | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 4 |
| Spec score · Photography Studio Management Software | 8.4 (#7) | 8.3 (#10) |
| Founded | Airstudio co-founder Scott Rodgers’s company blog biography says he co-founded Airstudio in 2020. | 2008 |
| Headquarters | Evanston, Illinois, United States | Cambridge, England, UK |
| Integrations | The integrations page lists Captura, a separate gallery integration, Twilio-powered SMS, work-account email, Stripe, Google Calendar, ChatGPT, and API endpoints. | The integrations page lists Zapier, ShootProof, Pic-Time, Fundy, Zoom, ProSelect, The Image File, GotPhoto, Stripe, Square, PayPal, QuickBooks, Xero, Mailchimp, MailerLite, and Google Calendar. |
| Intended users | The platform is purpose-built for volume photography, including school, sports, and senior photography programs. | The maker says Light Blue is used by photographers and filmmakers across genres worldwide. |
| Product | Airstudio describes itself as an operating system for volume photography studios, with scheduling, CRM, equipment tracking, staff management, online booking, and billing in one platform. | Light Blue is business management software for photographers that brings enquiries, clients, bookings, and invoices together. |
| Support | The support page offers onboarding pathways, one-on-one support booked via Zoom, and a form for support or feature requests. | The company offers free email support, one-to-one training, and migration or setup assistance. |
Plans
Airstudio
- Premium Plan — up to 10 active users, billed monthly$200 a month
- Premium Plan — 11–25 active users, billed monthly$440 a month
- Premium Plan — 26–50 active users, billed monthly$750 a month
- Premium Plan — 51–99 active users, billed monthly$1,240 a month
- Premium Plan — 100–150 active users, billed monthly$1,875 a month
- Premium Plan — up to 10 active users, billed annually$2,400 a year
- Premium Plan — 11–25 active users, billed annually$5,280 a year
- Premium Plan — 26–50 active users, billed annually$9,000 a year
- Premium Plan — 51–99 active users, billed annually$14,880 a year
- Premium Plan — 100–150 active users, billed annually$22,500 a year
Light Blue
- Light Blue (up to 5 devices)$32.50 a month
- Light Blue (up to 10 devices)$47.50 a month
- Light Blue (up to 15 devices)$62.50 a month
- Light Blue (up to 20 devices)$77.50 a month
In their own words
Airstudio
Airstudio is an operating system for volume photography studios, combining scheduling, client management, equipment tracking, staff operations, online booking, and billing. It is aimed at school, sports, and senior photography programs. Its advanced scheduling lets clients self-book sessions for one or multiple groups, with upsells and automated marketing tools. Staff features include roles and permissions, schedules, availability and hours tracking, job notifications, and a geolocated time clock. Teams can assign tasks, log progress, and organize tasks into collections with rules and automated notifications. Equipment records cover barcode inventory, employee assignments, repairs, maintenance, and gear required for jobs. A client portal provides schedules, subject-group progress, image exports, file downloads, and contract storage; eSigning is Premium only. The mobile app covers schedules, assignments, staff information, and timesheets, and chat is available on mobile and desktop. Airstudio lists Captura, Twilio-powered SMS, work-account email, Stripe, Google Calendar, ChatGPT, API endpoints, and a separate gallery integration. It is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Pricing is listed from $180/mo (annual); there is no free plan, but a free trial is offered.
Light Blue
Light Blue is business management software for photographers that brings enquiries, clients, bookings, and invoices into one system. Clients can submit enquiries through website forms, book shoots, sign contracts, and pay invoices online. The installed apps can work without an internet connection and sync data to the company’s cloud servers when online again. Business tools include invoicing, payment schedules, expense and mileage tracking, tasks, workflows, and automation. Reporting includes customisable and advanced reports, financial reports, and accounting exports. Listed integrations include Zapier, ShootProof, Pic-Time, Fundy, Zoom, ProSelect, The Image File, GotPhoto, Stripe, Square, PayPal, QuickBooks, Xero, Mailchimp, MailerLite, and Google Calendar. Light Blue runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Pricing depends on device count, and the maker says every subscriber receives all features. Listed plans range from $32.50 a month for up to five devices to $77.50 a month for up to 20 devices. The pricing note says From £30/mo · 30-day trial; text messaging is available with charges applying.