Free Open-Source Projection Mapping Software in 2026 — A Buyer's Guide That Doesn't Try to Sell You Anything
A working VJ's guide to free, open-source projection mapping and VJ software in 2026. Real comparison: Ghost Arcade Community (AGPL), VPT, Splash, Syphoner, Heavy M Free. What each one actually does + when to upgrade to paid.
Free open-source projection mapping software in 2026
If you searched "free open-source projection mapping software" and landed
here, the short answer is: there are five tools worth knowing about, only
two of them are actively maintained, and the gap between "free + open
source" and "free + walled garden" matters more than people give it
credit for. This post walks through the actual options.
We make one of them — **Ghost Arcade Community** — and
we'll tell you when it's the right pick and when something else is.
What "free + open source" actually buys you
People conflate three things:
you to give back (copyleft / AGPL) or might let you do anything (MIT,
BSD, Apache)
forever-with-a-watermark; converts you to paid
For projection mapping, the difference matters because:
source lets you. Freeware doesn't.
lets you. Freeware doesn't.
outlives the vendor. Open source lets you. Freeware doesn't (most
freeware EULAs prohibit redistribution).
source lets you fork. Freeware lets you ask politely.
If none of those matter, freeware is fine. If any do, you want actual
open source.
The actively-maintained options
1. Ghost Arcade Community (AGPL-3.0)
This is the one we make. Honest framing: it's the open-source edition
of Ghost Arcade Pro, with the foundation surfaces shipped
under AGPL-3.0:
splat, SVG, lines, text, light painting, Three.js scene
Cross-platform: Windows, macOS, Linux. Built on Svelte 5 + Three.js +
Electron. ~150k LOC. CI builds reproducible binaries on git tag push.
· Read the full feature parity matrix
Best for: Solo VJs, projection artists, students, festival
collectives who need the foundation surfaces and don't want to pay or
deal with a watermark. Also: anyone who wants to inspect / modify /
fork the source.
Skip if: You need dual-deck VJ + A/B crossfader (10 transitions ×
9 blend modes), 8-knob macro effect-bank with auto-pulse, 16-slot
snapshot scene bank, MIDI clock sync to Ableton, AI shader / video
generation, or Spout/Syphon texture sharing. Those live in Pro.
2. VPT (Video Projection Tool)
Open-source projection mapping software written in Max/MSP, maintained
by HC Gilje since 2008. Mac and Windows. Free + open source.
VPT is the granddaddy. It's solid for live shows, supports up to 32
sources and 32 layers, has good mesh warping, and integrates with
Syphon natively. The UI is dated (Max patcher aesthetic) but it works.
Best for: Mac / Windows users who want a battle-tested mapping tool
with Max/MSP integration. Also good if you already use Max for audio.
Skip if: You want a modern UI, you need Linux, or you want shader
authoring + AI generation built in.
3. Splash (Linux-first projection mapper)
Open-source projection mapping written in C++, maintained by the
Société des arts technologiques in Montreal. Linux-first (Mac builds
exist but are a known second-class citizen). LGPL-3.0.
Splash is built for permanent installations and dome projection. It
has excellent multi-machine sync, NDI support, and the most rigorous
calibration tools in the OSS space.
Best for: Permanent installations, dome projection, multi-machine
clusters, anyone working on Linux.
Skip if: You want a portable VJ tool for a single-laptop touring
setup, or you need MIDI controller integration as a first-class feature.
4. Syphoner (Syphon-only utility, Mac)
Not really a projection mapping tool — it's a Syphon-routing utility
that lets you take any window or screen capture and turn it into a
Syphon source for downstream tools. Open source, Mac-only, free.
Best for: Routing your DAW's plug-in window into MadMapper or
TouchDesigner. Not a standalone mapping tool.
5. Honorable mentions: openFrameworks, custom GLSL
If you're a developer comfortable with C++, openFrameworks
has examples for warp + mapping. You're effectively building your own
tool, which is a valid path for installation work where you control
everything.
The "freeware but not open source" category
These show up in "free projection mapping software" search results.
They're free as in beer, not as in speech. Worth knowing about:
(not OSI-compliant; closed-source codebase)
If you're going to use freeware anyway, **read the EULA before you take
a paid gig**. Most prohibit commercial use of the free tier; some
prohibit recording the output for client deliverables.
A practical buyer's path
Just want to learn projection mapping? Start with **Ghost Arcade
Community**. AGPL means commercial creative use is allowed (paid shows,
client visuals — the visuals you make are yours). No signup, no
watermark, no expiry.
Already a working VJ doing paid shows? Start with Community for
60 days. If you hit a wall on dual-deck, macros, snapshots, or AI
generation, [Pro is $19/mo, $399 lifetime, or $25/mo × 18mo
rent-to-own](/pricing). The watermarked Pro Demo lets you evaluate
the Pro features before committing.
Permanent installation work? Look at Splash if Linux is on
the table. Otherwise Community for the projection-mapping side, paired
with TouchDesigner or vvvv for the orchestration logic.
Pure Max/MSP house? VPT.
Why we bothered open-sourcing the foundation
A common question we got after announcing the Community edition:
"isn't this just a watered-down version meant to upsell people to Pro?"
Reasonable concern. Our framing:
recording, shader playground) are infrastructure. Charging for them
while letting them rot would be insulting; charging for them and
competing with the open-source alternatives above is a losing game
long-term.
macros, snapshots, AI generation, Spout/Syphon) are where the work
is. Pro pays for the development of those.
shows than 500 people running a watermarked demo trial.
The Pro Path rent-to-own tier ($25/mo × 18 → owns the perpetual)
exists for the same reason: lower the cash-flow barrier so working VJs
can actually upgrade when they need to.
Conclusion
For most people reading this:
Visuals Community is the best pick in 2026. We'd say that even if
we didn't make it — there isn't another option in this category that
ships modern shader rendering, mobile companion, and a real layer
pipeline.
snapshots, MIDI clock, AI generation)**: graduate to Pro when you
hit the wall. Until then, Community is enough.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ghost Arcade Community really free, with no catch?
Yes. Free forever, AGPL-3.0 open source, no signup, no watermark, no expiry. Source on GitHub at github.com/riskcapital/ghost-arcade-community. The AGPL applies to the source code itself, not to the visuals you create. Commercial creative use is allowed: paid shows, client visuals, installations, recordings, streams.
What is the AGPL-3.0 and how does it affect commercial use?
AGPL-3.0 is a copyleft open-source license. The visuals you create with the software are yours — the license does not apply to artistic output. The license affects modifications to the source code: if you fork the project and run a modified version on a network server (e.g. a hosted web build), you must make the modified source available to users who interact with that server. For commercial redistribution without AGPL obligations, the Pro edition has a standard commercial license.
Why is Pro a separate codebase if Community is open source?
Pro adds the live-performance + AI surfaces (dual-deck, X-fader matrix, macros, snapshots, MIDI clock, Spout/Syphon, AI generation) that fund development. Keeping them in a separate codebase under a commercial license lets us avoid AGPL's server-side disclosure requirements for paid customers and gives us a clear sustainability path. Both editions share the foundation rendering engine and project file format; the Pro additions are a discrete extension layer.
Can I contribute to Ghost Arcade Community?
Yes. Pull requests welcome — bug fixes, new ISF shaders, layer types, effects, mobile companion improvements. See CONTRIBUTING.md in the repo for the workflow + DCO sign-off requirement. Contributions are accepted under the project's AGPL-3.0 license.