vs Sidecar
Lightspan vs Sidecar
Apple's Sidecar is great when both your devices share an Apple ID. Most setups don't. Lightspan picks up where Sidecar leaves off — pair any iPad with any Mac, regardless of iCloud account.
Side by side
The honest comparison.
Cyan = clear winner on that row. Plain text = roughly tied.
| Feature | Lightspan | Sidecar |
|---|---|---|
| Price | €9.99 one-time | Free, bundled with macOS |
| Pricing model | Pay once, owned forever | Free macOS feature |
| Connection | Wi-Fi + USB-C cable | Wi-Fi (≤10 m P2P) or USB-C |
| Apple ID required? | No | Yes — same Apple ID on both devices |
| Latency | 40–60 ms (cable / clean Wi-Fi) | ~30 ms LAN, variable Wi-Fi |
| Touch support | Yes — display only | Yes |
| Apple Pencil | Display only | Yes — full Pencil + sidebar |
| Audio forwarding | Yes — AAC, PTS-locked | Limited |
| Multiple iPads | One per Mac | One per Mac |
| Mac-as-display | No | No |
| Direct download | Mac app (.dmg) | N/A — built into macOS |
| Mac App Store | No (uses CGVirtualDisplay SPI) | N/A — system feature |
| iPadOS minimum | iPadOS 16+ | iPadOS 13+ |
| macOS minimum | macOS 14.2 Sonoma+ | macOS Catalina 10.15+ |
| Status | Active, indie support | Active, Apple-maintained |
Where Lightspan wins
What Lightspan does better.
- Works across different Apple IDs (Sidecar's biggest limitation).
- Works on older iPads not on Sidecar's compatibility list.
- Active development with an indie support email — you can talk to a human.
Where Sidecar wins
Where it’s the better pick.
- Free, bundled with macOS — no install needed if you already have compatible devices.
- Native Apple Pencil support and sidebar (Lightspan doesn't have Pencil input yet).
Pick one
Which one's right for you?
If you have a recent Mac and iPad on the same Apple ID and you're happy with Pencil-driven workflows, Sidecar is fine. If your devices don't share an Apple ID, your iPad is older than Sidecar supports, or you want active maintenance from a real human, choose Lightspan.
See also:
Lightspan still right for you?
€9.99 once on the App Store.