LightBurn alternative for Android
LightBurn and LaserGRBL are desktop programs: LightBurn runs on Windows and macOS, LaserGRBL on Windows. Neither has an Android app. CNC Laser Pro - Engrave & Cut is an Android app that does the main laser jobs on the phone: photo engraving, vector cutting from SVG/DXF, text and a one-sheet designer, and it works as a G-code sender for GRBL lasers over USB, Bluetooth or WiFi.
Side-by-side comparison
| CNC Laser Pro | LightBurn | LaserGRBL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runs on | Android phones and tablets | Windows, macOS (Linux only up to version 1.7) | Windows |
| Needs a PC | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price model | 12-day free trial, then a one-time purchase | One-time license with one year of updates, renewal optional | Free, open source |
| Controllers | GRBL, FluidNC, Smoothieware; CNC post-processors for Mach3, Fanuc, Haas, Siemens, Mitsubishi, Okuma | G-code controllers (GRBL and others), DSP (Ruida and others), galvo | GRBL 0.9 and 1.1 |
| Connection to the laser | USB OTG, Bluetooth, WiFi TCP, FTP | From the computer | From the computer (USB serial) |
Sources: LightBurn installation docs, LightBurn licensing, LaserGRBL. Checked October 2026.
What CNC Laser Pro does on the phone
- Designer: text, photos, SVG/DXF drawings and shapes on one sheet, burned as one job.
- Photo engraving: 12 modes, including Floyd-Steinberg, Stucki, Jarvis and Bayer dithering, grayscale and halftone.
- Vector cutting: SVG/DXF with passes, kerf compensation, lead-in and lead-out, power and speed per layer.
- Vectorize: photo or logo to a cuttable outline or centerline vector.
- Material test grid to find power and speed, saved as presets.
- G-code sender: streams the job to the laser, with jog, work zero, frame and live GRBL state.
Which one to choose
- Choose CNC Laser Pro if you want to run a GRBL diode laser from your phone or tablet, without a PC in the workshop.
- Choose LightBurn if you have a Ruida/DSP CO2 laser or a galvo machine, or you need advanced desktop features such as camera alignment.
- Choose LaserGRBL if you have a Windows PC next to a GRBL laser and want a free tool.
Many people use both: a desktop program for big design work, and the phone for quick jobs, test grids and sending G-code at the machine.
Whatever software you use, test new settings at low power first, wear laser safety glasses and never leave a running laser alone.
Related: supported machines, send G-code from Android, FAQ.