# Light DJ Entertainment Effects vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hue Essentials at freemium against Light DJ Entertainment Effects's subscription. Hue Essentials also leads on rating (4.2 vs 3.8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks). Light DJ Entertainment Effects's advantage is ratings volume (759 vs 138). On price, ads, in-app purchases and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Light DJ Entertainment Effects sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hue Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Light DJ Entertainment Effects has 759 ratings behind it against 138, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Light DJ Entertainment Effects's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's.

Light DJ Entertainment Effects ships an update every 5 weeks, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Light DJ Entertainment Effects | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.8 (759 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-dj-entertainment-effects/id1026353238/reviews) | **[4.2 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **759** | 138 |
| Positive reviews | 26.4% of reviews | **37.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 106 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [NRTHRNLIGHTS, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/921394788) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### Light DJ Entertainment Effects

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/light-dj-entertainment-effects/id1026353238)

Control smart lighting for immersive entertainment experiences. Sync lights with music, create custom effects, and personalize your ambiance for parties, home listening, or professional productions.

**Highlights:** Music visualizer, Beat-synced effects, Hue Entertainment support, Custom effect maker, DJ precision tempo controls, iPad controller design

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly All-Access | $7.99 | per month |
| Yearly All-Access | $39.99 | per year |
| Pro Upgrade (Non-Subscription) | $119.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app
- 👍 Awesome effects
- 👍 Customizable lights
- 👍 Intuitive interface
- 👍 Responsive developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes
- 🐛 Disconnection issues
- 🔋 High subscription cost
- 🔒 Subscription-locked features
- 🔒 Deceptive billing practices

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes and stops working
- Inability to connect to Hue/LIFX lights
- Subscription issues and failed payments

**Requested features**

- Background playback support
- More lighting effects and patterns
- Ability to save and share custom effects
- Integration with more smart home platforms


### 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 Light DJ Entertainment Effects free?

Light DJ Entertainment Effects is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hue Essentials free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Light DJ Entertainment Effects or Hue Essentials?

Hue Essentials is rated higher. Light DJ Entertainment Effects averages 3.8 out of 5 from 759 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 138 ratings.

### Do Light DJ Entertainment Effects or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither Light DJ Entertainment Effects nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Light DJ Entertainment Effects or Hue Essentials?

Light DJ Entertainment Effects ships an update every 5 weeks, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, Light DJ Entertainment Effects was updated on October 17, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 20, 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.*