# Hue TV vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is price: Hue Essentials at Free against Hue TV's $2.99. Hue Essentials also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months). Hue TV's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and review sentiment (51% vs 38%). On ads there is nothing between them.

Hue Essentials is free to download; Hue TV costs $2.99 up front. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Hue TV asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hue Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 143 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Hue TV's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Hue TV ships an update every 4 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hue TV | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [3.4 (45 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-tv/id1006388597/reviews) | **[4.2 (143 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 45 | **143** |
| Positive reviews | **50.9% of reviews** | 37.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Freemium** |
| Size | 11 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Flaming Pear Software](https://appshunter.io/developer/483693998) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### Hue TV

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-tv/id1006388597)

Sync your smart lights with on-screen colors from your TV or monitor. This app uses your device's camera to capture dominant colors and transmit them to Hue, LIFX, Nanoleaf, and Avea bulbs, immersing you in the on-screen action. Adjust color intensity, speed, and brightness for a personalized ambiance.

**Highlights:** Syncs with Hue, LIFX, Nanoleaf, Avea bulbs, Uses device camera to capture screen colors, Adjustable speed and vividness, Selection tool for specific screen areas, Supports up to 50 bulbs, Combines multiple smart bulb brands

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Immersive viewing experience
- 💡 Good for movie/gaming ambiance
- 👍 Easy setup (sometimes)
- 📱 Works with various devices (iPhone/iPad)
- 💡 Adjustable brightness/intensity

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes on iOS 9/15
- 🐛 Refuses to connect to Nanoleaf
- 🐛 Never worked as advertised
- 🐛 Hue bridge not synchronizing
- 🐛 Camera/focus box too big

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on iOS 9 and iOS 15
- App refuses to connect to Nanoleaf devices
- Hue bridge does not synchronize with the app
- Camera/focus box is too large
- App does not pick up LIFX lights

**Requested features**

- Setup instructions for iPad
- Ability to select where on screen each light selects color from
- Zoom functionality
- Updates for iOS 10
- Ability to tag lights and specify left/right side of TV


### Hue Essentials

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921)

Unlock the full potential of your smart lighting system. Create custom scenes, dynamic effects, and automate your lights with schedules and triggers. Control multiple smart home bridges and devices seamlessly for a personalized ambiance.

**Highlights:** Custom scenes and effects, Music and entertainment sync, Sunrise/sunset automation, Multi-bridge control, Device discovery and setup, Button and sensor automation, Away from home control

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects: Christmas | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Universe | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Wonders of nature | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Romantic | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Floral fantasy | $0.99 | one-time |
| Effects: Spooky | $0.99 | one-time |
| Multiple bridges | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent Hue lighting control
- 👍 Works well with multiple bridges
- 💡 Customizable remote controls
- 🚀 Faster than official Hue app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and crashes frequently
- 🔒 In-app purchases required for key features
- 👎 Poor execution and user experience
- 🔋 Widgets and Apple Watch app not working

**Reported bugs**

- Fade feature not working
- Saving automations not working
- Crashes when checking 'About' section
- Widgets and Apple Watch app issues

**Requested features**

- Repeat/loop function for automations
- Strobing/flashing effects
- Dark mode
- Alexa integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hue TV free?

Hue TV costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hue Essentials free?

Hue Essentials is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Hue TV or Hue Essentials?

Hue Essentials is rated higher. Hue TV averages 3.4 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 143 ratings.

### Do Hue TV or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither Hue TV nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hue TV or Hue Essentials?

Hue TV ships an update every 4 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, Hue TV was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hue Essentials on November 3, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*