The best free projection mapping apps on Android
Free projection mapping apps for Android phones and tablets compared, plus how to output video from an Android device to a projector with and without cables.
By Lazy Lighting · Updated
Android spent years as the neglected platform for projection mapping while the interesting apps shipped on iPad. That has changed: full-featured mapping now runs natively on Android phones and tablets.
Disclosure: we build Lazy Lighting, one of the apps below. Pricing details reflect Google Play listings at the time of writing.
Feature comparison
Competitor columns are based on each app's public store listing and documentation at the time of writing; features and pricing change, so check the current listings before deciding.
| Feature | Lazy Lighting | MadMapper (desktop) | Optoma Projection Mapper | DynaMapper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Available on mobile | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Save and load projects | Pro | Paid app | Paid app | Paid app |
| Visual library | 100+ built-in | Yes | No | No |
| Custom mapping shapes | Yes | Yes | Basic | Basic |
| Smart shape detection | Pro | No | No | No |
| Transparent PNG shapes | Pro | Yes | No | No |
| Outline shapes | Pro | No | No | No |
| Frame-by-frame animations | Yes | No | No | No |
| Live video input | Pro | Yes | No | No |
| Custom images and shapes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Images only |
| Timeline | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Scenes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Audio reactive | Pro | Yes | No | No |
| Editable visual parameters | Yes | Yes | No | No |
Lazy Lighting
Lazy Lighting turns the phone into a live visual instrument. Mapping covers quads, circles, cubes, text, outline shapes, transparent PNG cutouts and custom shapes, with smart shape detection for pulling shapes out of photos. Content comes from a library of over 100 generative visuals, your own images and videos, live video input or frame-by-frame drawn animations, organised into scenes and sequenced on a timeline. Every visual parameter is editable and can run on the beat via BPM, microphone audio, LFOs or MIDI.
The mapping tools and visual engine are free; Pro adds saving and loading projects, audio reactivity, smart shape detection, transparent PNG and outline shapes, and live video input. For output, Android devices with DisplayPort Alt Mode use a USB-C to HDMI cable for zero-latency wired projection; Chromecast and Miracast handle wireless mirroring; and on Android TV or Google TV projectors the Lazy Lighting Link receiver app makes the connection with a QR scan.
Connecting on Android, step by step →Paid options
- Optoma Projection Mapper runs on Android as well as iOS and handles pinned playback of your own videos and photos. A solid one-time purchase for pre-rendered content.
- DynaMapper also lists an Android version of its image-based mapping tool, though development has been quiet for some time.
- MadMapper is the desktop industry standard, included in the table above for reference. It runs on macOS and Windows at a professional licence price; there is no Android version.
A note on Android video output
The one Android-specific caveat in mapping is video output support. Wired HDMI requires the phone to support DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C, which most current Samsung Galaxy and Pixel flagships do but many mid-range models do not. If your phone lacks it, wireless casting or an Android TV projector running a receiver app covers the gap.
Which one to pick
- The deepest feature set — visuals, scenes, timeline, audio reactivity: Lazy Lighting.
- Playing back finished videos onto surfaces: Optoma Projection Mapper.