BeatVisualiser vs projectM

BeatVisualiser makes music visualiser videos for promoting tracks on YouTube, TikTok, Shorts, and Reels. Add WAV, MP3, or FLAC audio, trim it to a chosen moment, then choose from more than 30 visual styles, including Spectrum, Waveform, Vinyl, Scope, and Split. Videos can use image or video backgrounds, custom artwork, and auto-synced lyrics. Exports are downloadable MP4s in vertical 9:16 or landscape 16:9, up to 1080p 60fps. YouTube Mode allows tracks up to 10 minutes per export; short-form exports stop at 60 seconds. The free account includes all styles, 1080p 60fps output, and no watermark, but only one export of up to 15 seconds; later exports cost one credit each. Pro is $16.99 a month, and Lifetime is $149, paid once, limited to the first 150 early supporters. The site says rendering happens locally in the browser, but Safari and Firefox lack the required rendering APIs.

projectM is an open-source music visualizer that turns audio input into visuals in real time. Its libprojectM library is intended for application development and reimplements Winamp MilkDrop, including support for user-contributed visualizations. The library analyzes PCM audio with beat detection and FFT, then renders visuals using OpenGL. Preset files define looks through pixel shaders and MilkDrop-style equations, but libprojectM does not include presets. The projectMSDL desktop frontend listens to audio input and produces visuals; standalone options are listed for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The library documentation lists builds for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, and WebGL/WASM. The core library is licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License 2.1. projectM is free and open source. Its available end-user frontends are development previews that may be incomplete or contain bugs, while Android apps linked by the project are not created or supported by projectM developers. Third-party integrations including Kodi, Silverjuke, and VLC are supported by their respective developers, not the projectM team.