Laser Design Academy / Guides
By Anthony Garcia · October 2026
I build every CuePack in both QuickShow and Beyond, so I use the two side by side every week. They come from the same company and share the same cue-grid idea. The difference is how far each one lets you go.
Quick answer
Start with QuickShow if you run one to a few lasers from a cue grid and want to play shows fast. It comes with the Pangolin FB3 and with FB4 lasers. Move to Beyond when you need a full timeline, timecode, Art-Net or OSC, custom MIDI maps, or more than 9 projectors. Both need Pangolin hardware and a Windows PC.
QuickShow or Beyond: which one should I use?
QuickShow is for playing shows. Beyond is for programming them. If you trigger cues live to music, QuickShow covers it. If you write shows to a timeline, sync to timecode or run lasers from a lighting desk, you want Beyond.
| QuickShow | Beyond Essentials | Beyond Advanced | Beyond Ultimate | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Included with FB3 or FB4 | $1,024 | $2,104 | $4,407 |
| Projectors | 9 | 10 | 25 | 40 |
| Projection zones | 30 | 60 | 200 | 250 |
| Workspace pages | 80 | 128 | 256 | 256 |
| Cue grid | Fixed 8 × 8 | Up to 255 cues a page | Up to 255 cues a page | Up to 255 cues a page |
| Timeline | Basic, 1 media track | 40 tracks | 200 tracks | 200 tracks |
| Art-Net, sACN, OSC | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Timecode in | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MIDI | Akai APC Mini | Custom maps | Custom maps | Custom maps |
| PangoScript | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| 3D preview | No | No | No | Yes |
Feature rows from Pangolin's comparison page. Prices are ours, October 2026.
Both need Pangolin hardware
Neither program outputs to a laser on its own. They run through a Pangolin interface: the FB3 with QuickShow ($590), which plugs into any laser with an ILDA input, or an FB4 built into the laser. Unity Raw FB4 and Elite PRO lasers have the FB4 inside and ship with QuickShow, and Kvant Clubmax lasers have the FB4 inside too. Both programs output to both interfaces, so the hardware you buy for QuickShow also runs Beyond.
Who each one fits
- QuickShow: DJs, mobile rigs, churches, a first laser, live busking from a grid. You can play a full night from the cue grid without opening the timeline.
- Beyond Essentials: designers who write shows to music, sync to timecode, or take Art-Net from a lighting console.
- Beyond Advanced and Ultimate: larger rigs, scripting with PangoScript, and touring productions. Ultimate adds the 3D preview.
Is it worth upgrading from QuickShow to Beyond, and how do I upgrade?
Upgrade when QuickShow stops you from doing something specific, not because Beyond is the bigger program. The usual triggers are timecode, a lighting desk on Art-Net, custom MIDI control, or running out of pages.
Here is where QuickShow stops. It has no Art-Net, sACN or OSC, so a lighting console can't drive it over the network. It has no timecode input. MIDI is mapped for the Akai APC Mini only. And you can't load or save individual workspace pages, so moving looks between shows means moving whole workspaces. If none of that is in your way, stay on QuickShow and spend the money on content or a second laser.
Beyond is not a way to get better-looking cues. The look comes from the cues you load, not the program you load them into.
How the upgrade works
- Pick a level. Essentials covers most single-designer rigs. Advanced and Ultimate are for bigger systems and scripting.
- Buy the license. We sell Pangolin Beyond as a lifetime account license. Pangolin issues it and emails it to you, usually within 1 to 2 business days.
- Install Beyond on the same Windows PC and keep your FB3 or FB4. Nothing about the hardware changes.
- Move up later if you need to. Pangolin lets you upgrade between Beyond levels by paying the difference.
An account license belongs to your Pangolin account, not one computer, so you can move it to a new laptop. Your cues come with you too: every CuePack is built for both programs, 6 cues for QuickShow ($10) and 8 for Beyond ($15).
Can I run QuickShow or Beyond on a Mac?
Not in a way I would run a show on. QuickShow and Beyond are Windows programs. The FB3 does not work on Apple silicon Macs, and Pangolin advises against running a show in a virtual machine and does not support it.
Older Intel Macs could run Windows through Boot Camp, and that worked. Macs with Apple M-series chips cannot run Boot Camp. Parallels and similar apps run Windows in a virtual machine, but Windows there does not have full control of the hardware, which is what laser output needs. Pangolin's own advice is to use a computer that runs Windows natively.
For QuickShow, Pangolin asks for Windows 10 64-bit or newer, a quad-core i5 or better, 8 GB of RAM and a free USB port for the FB3. A mid-range Windows laptop covers it. Keep it for the show and nothing else.
Frequently asked questions
Pangolin Beyond vs QuickShow: which laser show software should I use?
QuickShow if you play shows live from a cue grid with one to a few lasers. It comes with the FB3 and with FB4 lasers. Beyond if you need a full timeline, timecode, Art-Net, sACN or OSC, custom MIDI maps, or more than 9 projectors. Both need Pangolin hardware and Windows.
Is it worth upgrading from QuickShow to Pangolin Beyond, and how do I upgrade?
It is worth it when QuickShow blocks something you need: timecode, network control from a lighting desk, custom MIDI or more pages. To upgrade, buy a Beyond license (Essentials $1,024, Advanced $2,104, Ultimate $4,407), install it on the same Windows PC and keep your FB3 or FB4. You can move up between Beyond levels later by paying the difference.
Can I run Pangolin QuickShow or Beyond on a Mac?
Not reliably. Both are Windows programs. The FB3 does not work on Apple silicon Macs, Boot Camp is not available on them, and Pangolin advises against running shows in a virtual machine. Use a Windows PC.
Which Pangolin Beyond license do I need: Essentials, Advanced or Ultimate?
Essentials for most single-designer rigs: up to 10 projectors, 40 timeline tracks, timecode and Art-Net. Advanced for up to 25 projectors, 200 tracks and PangoScript. Ultimate for up to 40 projectors and the 3D preview.
What MIDI controller works for running Beyond live?
QuickShow maps the Akai APC Mini. Beyond accepts custom MIDI maps. Our Beyond MIDI map is built for the Native Instruments Kontrol F1 and the Nice Lasers Beyond Workspace.
Getting started on either one
On QuickShow: the Nice Lasers QuickShow Page is 32 cues for $60. On Beyond: the Nice Lasers Beyond Workspace is 472 cues for $450. Not sure which laser to pair them with? Read how to choose a laser show projector, or book a 1-on-1 lesson and we'll go through it on your own rig.
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