# Philips Hue vs Twinkly

Philips Hue and Twinkly both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 38% of Twinkly's. Philips Hue also leads on chart position (#178 vs unranked). Twinkly's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Twinkly asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Philips Hue against 4.6 for Twinkly. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 117K and 48K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 38% of Twinkly's.

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, Twinkly fortnightly. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Philips Hue | Twinkly |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (117K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** | [4.6 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **117K** | 48K |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 38.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#178** | — |
| Size | 248 MB | 194 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) | [Twinkly srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1132187055) |

## What reviewers say

### Philips Hue

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310)

**Currently charting:** #178 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Control and customize your smart lighting system from anywhere. Organize lights by room, create custom scenes, and automate your lighting to match your daily routine or enhance security. Sync lights with media for immersive experiences.

**Highlights:** Organize lights into rooms and zones, Remote control from anywhere, Explore and create custom lighting scenes, Home security features with sensors, Automate lighting schedules, Sync lights with TV, music, and games, Voice control integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Motion Aware Monthly Plan | $0.99 | per month |
| Sync TV-app for LG (1 Month) | $2.99 | per month |
| Secure Basic for 1 camera | $3.99 | per month |
| Secure Basic for 2 cameras | $7.99 | per month |
| Secure Plus | $9.99 | per month |
| Motion Aware Yearly Plan | $9.99 | per year |
| Secure Basic for 1 camera | $39.99 | per year |
| Secure Basic for 2 cameras | $79.99 | per year |
| Secure Plus | $99.99 | per year |
| Sync TV-app for LG (Lifetime) | $129.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Reliable and stable
- 💡 Flexible lighting control
- 👍 Intuitive and user-friendly
- 🎨 Vibrant and customizable colors
- 🔒 Secure remote access

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues after updates
- 🔀 Confusing navigation and UI changes
- ⏱️ Slow performance and lag
- 🤯 Frustrating loss of key features
- 🤖 Incompatible with older devices

**Reported bugs**

- Lights not responding to app commands
- Scenes and automations not working as expected
- Frequent app crashes and freezes
- Inability to log in or sync with account
- Erratic behavior after software updates

**Requested features**

- Ability to control lights individually in a room
- More dynamic and customizable lighting scenes
- Seamless integration between multiple Hue bridges
- Improved automation and scheduling options
- Restore removed timer and widget functionality


### Twinkly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056)

Control and personalize smart light decorations for an enhanced festive experience. Easily connect via Wi-Fi to create custom lighting effects for your tree and home.

**Highlights:** Personalize lighting effects, Smart design, Intuitive use, Wi-Fi connectivity, Customizable Christmas lights

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Amazing lights
- 🎨 Customizable colors and effects
- 🎄 Great for holiday decorations
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🤩 Wow factor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔌 Connectivity issues
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience
- 🕰️ Unstable firmware updates
- 💸 Expensive for the issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Lights disconnecting from WiFi
- Mapping and setup process unreliable
- Preset effects not working as expected
- Playlist and custom effects not saving

**Requested features**

- Multiple timers for on/off schedules
- Ability to edit and save custom effects
- Sync effects across multiple light sets
- Homekit and Alexa integration
- More preset effects and animations


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Philips Hue free?

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

### Is Twinkly free?

Twinkly is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Philips Hue or Twinkly?

Philips Hue is rated higher. Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 117K ratings, while Twinkly averages 4.6 from 48K ratings.

### Do Philips Hue or Twinkly have ads?

Neither Philips Hue nor Twinkly shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Philips Hue or Twinkly?

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and Twinkly fortnightly. Most recently, Philips Hue was updated on October 29, 2026 and Twinkly on October 29, 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.*