Best Palettes for HomeKit alternatives: apps like Palettes for HomeKit

10+ similar apps compared and reviewed

4.1 avg rating
10 free apps
Updated October 2026

Whether you want more options like Palettes for HomeKit or a completely different take on the same concept, our curated list of 10+ similar apps has you covered. Updated for 2026 with the latest ratings and comparisons.

Top Alternatives to Palettes for HomeKit

HomeLights for HomeKit#1

HomeLights for HomeKit by Anthonin Cocagne

Remote & Widgets for Lights
Editor's Choice
🌟 Lifestyle
4.8(74 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
HomeLights for HomeKit screenshot 1
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HomeLights for HomeKit screenshot 4
HomeLights for HomeKit screenshot 5
HomeLights for HomeKit screenshot 6

Effortlessly manage your HomeKit lights with this app. It offers unified control for rooms and individual bulbs, plus unique smart room detection that automatically opens controls for your current location. Enjoy quick access via widgets, Live Activities, and an Apple Watch app.

Signals for HomeKit#2

Signals for HomeKit by CoreBits LLC

Smart Home Ready Communication
Strong Contender
🌟 Lifestyle
4.0😞(138 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
Signals for HomeKit screenshot 1
Signals for HomeKit screenshot 2
Signals for HomeKit screenshot 3
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Signals for HomeKit screenshot 5

Utilize your HomeKit lights for silent communication within your home. Create custom light signals to announce events, get attention, or convey messages without shouting. Ideal for families or those with hearing impairments.

What We Love

  • 💡 Great concept for notifications
  • 👍 Useful for reminders (e.g., insulin)
  • 💡 Can trigger shortcuts
  • 💡 Good for getting attention
  • 👍 Intuitive UI
  • 👍 Responsive developer support
  • 💡 Can pulse lights and return to prior state

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unreliable
  • 🐛 Freezes and becomes unresponsive
  • 🐛 Settings revert unexpectedly
  • 🐛 Does not do what it advertises
  • 🐛 Limited free version
  • 🐛 Inconsistent execution of changes
  • 🐛 Tedious to set brightness/color
  • 🐛 Startling strobe effects
  • 🐛 Does not create scenes in Home app
  • 🐛 Does not automate via iPhone
  • 🐛 Mac version requires extra purchase
  • 🐛 No support for HomeKit automations
  • 🐛 Free version is too limited
  • 🐛 Paid app with no support
  • 🐛 Lifx lights not viewable
  • 🐛 Not clear about Mac compatibility
  • 🐛 Does not work with MacBook Pro
  • 🐛 Random color changes during signals
  • 🐛 Lights don't always turn off as intended
  • 🐛 Unable to restore original light state
  • 🐛 Clunky UI
  • 🐛 No documentation or help
  • 🐛 Tries to upsell immediately
  • 🐛 Free version can't be tested
  • 🐛 No family sharing for in-app purchase
  • 🐛 Shortcuts integration can get bogged down
  • 🐛 Sound recognition features requested
  • 🐛 Does not work consistently
  • 🐛 App launch stalls
  • 🐛 Long delay times
  • 🐛 No response from bulbs
  • 🐛 Flashing between colors/groups requested
  • 🐛 Pulse setting too fast
  • 🐛 Flash duration doesn't update
  • 🐛 Basic functionality missing (light groups)
  • 🐛 No extensible features
  • 🐛 Can't recommend purchasing at this time
  • 🐛 Does not work with HomeKit automations, only shortcuts
  • 🐛 App garbage
  • 🐛 Not ready for prime time
  • 🐛 Occasionally pulls off its only trick
  • 🐛 Asked to review with every change
  • 🐛 Not intuitive
  • 🐛 Does not work
  • 🐛 Ineligible for refund
  • 🐛 No use case worth the panic/stress
  • 🐛 Cannot link signal into home or personal automation
  • 🐛 Does not recognize all HomeKit lights
  • 🐛 Only Siri commands
  • 🐛 Cannot create signal based on text message
  • 🐛 Paid for full version, cannot link to HomeKit
  • 🐛 Gimmicky
  • 🐛 No refund
  • 🐛 Gave developer free money
  • 🐛 No point of free version
  • 🐛 Needs lots of improvements
  • 🐛 Shortcut list won't refresh
  • 🐛 Not cheap for what it offers
  • 🐛 Can't get a refund
  • 🐛 No idea how it's supposed to work
  • 🐛 Blank screen on launch
  • 🐛 Remains on when it should turn off
  • 🐛 Doesn't work well
  • 🐛 Very long delay time
  • 🐛 Would love ability to use signal as part of automation
  • 🐛 Poor execution
  • 🐛 Sometimes works, most times no
  • 🐛 Super limited
  • 🐛 Can't trigger from HomePod or via automations
  • 🐛 If there is a way to integrate with automations, please let me know
  • 🐛 Can we get support for shortcut home automations?
  • 🐛 Lights may or may not return to current state
  • 🐛 Sometimes they stay bright
  • 🐛 Sometimes they don't come on at all
  • 🐛 Gets a no response every time
  • 🐛 Flashes lights as expected, no complaints
  • 🐛 Simple way to perform actions
  • 🐛 Flashes lights for dinner and lunch
  • 🐛 Flashes lights to let SO know when on break
  • 🐛 Excited to incorporate into other shortcuts
  • 🐛 Wonder if planning sound recognition for HomeKit
  • 🐛 Great concept, implemented well
  • 🐛 Creating new signal and selecting lights is easy
  • 🐛 Not terribly intuitive when it comes to signal commands
  • 🐛 Selecting color doesn't work consistently
  • 🐛 Other little issues
  • 🐛 Hope they continue to refine
  • 🐛 Latest update is superb
  • 🐛 Enjoying using it
  • 🐛 App support is excellent
  • 🐛 Please add ability to add to HomeKit scene
  • 🐛 Gives message of 'Looking for lights'
  • 🐛 Have to close out app completely
  • 🐛 Latest update for Leviton switches improves effectiveness
  • 🐛 Lights flash to remind children it's time for bed
  • 🐛 Great for getting attention of anyone in the house
  • 🐛 Flash lights when dinner's ready
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit#3

HomeRun 2 for HomeKit by Pearce Media Limited

Quick Home Actions Anywhere
Worth Considering
🌟 Lifestyle
3.7😞(44 ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit screenshot 1
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit screenshot 2
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit screenshot 3
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit screenshot 4
HomeRun 2 for HomeKit screenshot 5

Quickly control your smart home devices and scenes directly from your wrist or home screen. This app offers customizable widgets and complications for seamless access to your HomeKit actions.

What We Love

  • 💡 Brilliant concept and execution
  • 👍 Easy to set up and use
  • 🔥 Extremely useful
  • 🚀 Powerful features
  • 🌟 Great value
  • ✨ Well designed and executed
  • 💯 Contributes to HomeKit ecosystem
  • ✅ Try for free option available

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Buggy and unusable
  • 📉 Functionality limited to scenes only
  • 🤷‍♀️ No clear instructions
  • 💸 Subscription-based, functionality crippled
  • 😵 Overengineered junk
  • 🤔 App is too complicated
  • 🧱 Widgets look strange on iPhone mini
  • ⏳ Small delay on Apple Watch app
  • ⚠️ V2 needed more time in beta
  • ❌ App used to be great, now crippled

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