Part 6: Godox Triggers & Control Systems

Posted by Photogear on 18th Aug 2026

Part 6: Godox Triggers & Control Systems

The trigger that sits on your camera and talks to everything else in your kit, from your first flash to a full multi-light studio. Here's the range decoded, and which to actually buy.

Want the newest flagship? The Godox X3 Pro is Godox's current touchscreen flagship, with the same core idea available for less in the Xnano. Prefer physical buttons and dials? The XPro II is the classic tactile trigger most photographers still buy. Tight on budget, or need a simple backup? The X2T gets you real TTL wireless control for the least money.

Shooting with an older or non-Godox flash? An XR receiver adds Godox's 2.4GHz wireless system to a flash that doesn't have it built in. And every trigger here works with three free apps, Godox Light, Knowled and Godox Flash, for control straight from your phone.

A trigger is the one piece of gear that touches every other part of this guide: it sits on your camera's hot shoe and talks 2.4GHz wireless to your on-camera flash (Part 3), your battery strobes and studio monolights (Part 4), and many of the LED lights in Part 2. Buy the wrong camera-mount version and nothing else in your kit will fire, so getting this one right matters more than it might seem. Every trigger below is TTL and high-speed sync capable, so the real decision comes down to interface, budget and which camera brand you shoot.

Who This Part Is ForAnd who should skip ahead.

Godox XPro II wireless flash trigger on a camera hot shoe

This part is for anyone using an off-camera Godox flash, strobe or LED light wirelessly: you need a trigger on your camera to fire and control it. If your flash never leaves the top of your camera and you're not controlling anything else remotely, you may not need a separate trigger at all, some on-camera flashes fire straight off the camera's own hot shoe. If you're not sure which trigger fits your existing kit, start with Triggers below.

Jump to Triggers Third-Party Compatibility Free Control Software

How to ChooseAnswer this first, it'll point you to the right section below.

1. Buying Your First Trigger, or a New One?

The current lineup, from budget to touchscreen flagship.

Triggers

2. Running an Older or Non-Godox Flash?

Add Godox wireless to a flash that doesn't already have it built in.

Third-Party Compatibility

3. Want to Control Your Lights From Your Phone?

Three free apps add remote control on top of any trigger here.

Free Control Software

TriggersTwo generations, three tiers: physical dials or a full touchscreen.

Godox's current trigger range splits into two generations of interface. The X2T, XPro and XPro II use dedicated physical group buttons and dials with an LCD screen, the older and still very capable way to work; XPro adds a bigger backlit LCD and remote power control over the entry-level X2T, and XPro II adds Bluetooth app pairing on top of that, for a bit more again. Despite being the oldest of the three, the original XPro is actually our best seller, plenty of photographers never needed Bluetooth pairing and see no reason to pay extra for it. The Xnano moves to a full touchscreen instead, Godox's newer interface for the same job (globally, Godox now markets this same trigger as the X3, Xnano is simply the name it's listed under on this site). Above the Xnano sits the X3 Pro, Godox's newest touchscreen flagship with extra build and feature refinements. Every trigger here is sold per camera brand (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus/Panasonic and more), so check you're buying the version that matches your camera; the links below all land on the Canon listing as a starting point, select your own mount on the page before buying.

newest flagship

Godox X3 Pro

Best for: photographers who want the latest touchscreen trigger, refinements and all.

Sits above the Xnano with extra build and feature refinements on the same full-touchscreen idea. Godox's flagship trigger, and the one to reach for if you want the newest tech Godox makes.

Shop Godox X3 Pro (select your mount) →

touchscreen pick

Godox Xnano

Best for: photographers who'd rather tap a screen than reach for a dial.

A full touchscreen interface for group and channel control, with the same TTL and wireless fundamentals as the XPro II underneath. Sold here as the Xnano; Godox's own global naming for this current-generation trigger is the X3.

Shop Godox Xnano (select your mount) →

Godox XPro II

Best for: the trigger most photographers should own.

A bigger, backlit LCD panel and dedicated dials for 16 groups across 32 channels, plus remote power control for compatible flashes and Bluetooth pairing. The classic tactile interface, refined: fast to operate by feel, even without looking down.

Shop Godox XPro II (select your mount) →

our best-seller

Godox XPro

Best for: the trigger Photogear actually sells the most of.

The same core dials-and-LCD interface and 16 groups across 32 channels as the XPro II, minus Bluetooth app pairing, for less. If you don't need to control power from your phone, this is the tactile trigger most Photogear customers end up buying.

Shop Godox XPro (select your mount) →

best for budgets

Godox X2T

Best for: a real TTL trigger for the least money, or a reliable backup.

A clear LCD display with five group buttons and three function buttons for fast adjustments. Full TTL and HSS up to 1/8000s, Bluetooth pairing with the GodoxPhoto app, and 5-group wireless control, everything most photographers actually use, in the simplest, cheapest package.

Shop Godox X2T (select your mount) →

Third-Party CompatibilityAdding Godox wireless to a flash that doesn't already have it.

Not every flash on your camera or a client's shelf speaks Godox's 2.4GHz wireless out of the box. A receiver like the Godox XR sits between a trigger on your camera and a flash that doesn't have wireless control built in, letting an older or non-Godox flash join the same system as everything else in this guide. Godox also makes an XRS version for Sony cameras with the same job.

XR receiver (Canon & Nikon)

32 channels, 5 groups, roughly 100m range, with a built-in rechargeable battery and improved LCD screen. Ships with sync and USB-C cables.

Shop Godox XR →

Godox XRS TTL wireless receiver for Sony

XRS receiver (Sony)

The same job as the XR above, built for Sony cameras: 32 channels, 5 groups, a built-in rechargeable battery and roughly 100m range.

Shop Godox XRS →

Free Control SoftwareThree free apps, none of them cost extra on top of your trigger.

All of Godox's control software is free to download, no subscription or in-app purchase needed to use the core features alongside any trigger above:

Godox Light

The main app for Godox's flash and continuous LED range, pairs over Bluetooth for remote power and setting control from your phone.

Get Godox Light →

Knowled

The companion app for Godox's KNOWLED cine and colour-critical LED fixtures, for finer colour and effect control than the physical panel alone.

Get Knowled →

Godox Flash (Android)

An Android-specific app for flash control, an alternative to Godox Light if you're on an Android phone and prefer its interface.

Get Godox Flash →

The One That Ties It Together

Every light and flash across this guide speaks the same 2.4GHz Godox X system: the on-camera flashes in Part 3, the battery strobes and studio monolights in Part 4, and much of the continuous LED range in Part 2. Buy one trigger that matches your camera brand and it controls all of it, so growing from one light to a full multi-light kit never means starting over on triggers.

Quick ComparisonThe decision-relevant specs, side by side. Check each product page for full details.

Model	Interface	Groups / Channels	Best for
Triggers
X3 Pro	Touchscreen	16 groups, 32 channels	Newest touchscreen flagship
Xnano (X3)	Touchscreen	16 groups, 32 channels	Touchscreen preference
XPro II	Backlit LCD + dials	16 groups, 32 channels	Tactile control, plus Bluetooth
XPro	LCD + dials	16 groups, 32 channels	Our best-seller, tactile control, no Bluetooth
X2T	LCD + buttons	5 groups, 32 channels	Budget, backup trigger
Third-Party Compatibility
XR receiver	LCD screen	5 groups, 32 channels	Adding wireless to a non-Godox flash (Canon/Nikon)
XRS receiver	LCD screen	5 groups, 32 channels	Adding wireless to a non-Godox flash (Sony)

Frequently Asked Questions

Which trigger should I buy?▾

For most photographers, the XPro II or the original XPro, our actual best-seller. Both give you the same tactile dials-and-LCD interface and full feature set; XPro II adds Bluetooth app pairing for a bit more, XPro doesn't have it and costs less, which is why it outsells the newer model. The X2T is the better pick if budget matters more than screen size, or you just want a simple backup. The Xnano gets you the same core capability through a touchscreen instead of buttons, worth choosing if you'd rather tap than dial.

What's the real difference between the XPro II and the Xnano?▾

Mostly the interface, not the underlying capability. The XPro II uses physical group buttons and dials with a backlit LCD screen, quick to operate by feel. The Xnano replaces that with a full touchscreen. Both give you TTL, high-speed sync and multi-group wireless control, so it comes down to which interface you'd rather use day to day.

Is the Xnano the same thing as the X3?▾

Yes. Xnano is simply the name this current-generation touchscreen trigger is listed under on our site; Godox's own global naming for the same product is the X3. If you've seen it called the X3 elsewhere online, it's the trigger listed here as the Xnano.

What's the difference between the XPro and the XPro II?▾

Mostly Bluetooth. Both use the same physical group buttons and dials with an LCD screen, and give you 16 groups across 32 channels with full TTL and HSS. The XPro II adds a backlit colour screen and Bluetooth app pairing for remote power control from your phone, for a bit more. If you don't need to control power from your phone, the original XPro does the same core job for less, which is why it's our best seller despite being the older model.

Do I need a trigger if my flash or light already has wireless built in?▾

Yes, still. Every flash, strobe and LED light in this guide can receive a wireless signal, but something has to send it. A trigger on your camera is that sender, letting you fire and adjust power, groups and settings on every light in your kit remotely, without walking over to each one.

Can I use a Godox trigger with a non-Godox flash?▾

Yes, with an XR receiver in between. The receiver attaches to the flash that doesn't have Godox's 2.4GHz wireless built in, and joins it to the same system as everything else in your kit. It's a practical way to bring an older or non-Godox flash along rather than replacing it outright.

Do I have to pay for the control apps?▾

No, Godox Light, Knowled and Godox Flash are all free to download and use alongside any trigger in this guide. They add phone-based remote control on top of what your trigger already does, not a replacement for it.

Where to Next?The rest of the Godox Buying Guide.

Part 2: Godox LED Lighting for Content Creators

Part 3: Godox On-Camera Flash for Weddings & Events

Part 4: Godox Studio & Location Strobes

Part 5: Godox Light Modifiers

Back to the Hub

All five parts of the Godox Buying Guide.

Photogear is NZ's largest Godox stockist, holding the full range in stock and ready to ship, not weeks on backorder. Every trigger and receiver also comes with full local warranty and your Consumer Guarantees Act rights, backed by a team in Mt Eden who actually shoot with this gear. Not sure which trigger matches your camera? Come in or give us a call.