# Philips Hue vs SmartThings

Philips Hue and SmartThings both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartThings's. Philips Hue also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). SmartThings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and chart position (#7 vs #177). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Philips Hue sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. SmartThings 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 SmartThings. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: SmartThings has 849K ratings behind it against 117K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 31% of SmartThings's.

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, SmartThings monthly. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Philips Hue | SmartThings |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (117K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** | [4.6 (849K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 117K | **849K** |
| Positive reviews | **85.1% of reviews** | 30.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #177 | **#7** |
| Size | 247 MB | 887 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) | [Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/359580642) |

## What reviewers say

### Philips Hue

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

**Currently charting:** #177 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


### SmartThings

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthings/id1222822904)

**Currently charting:** #7 Top Free · Lifestyle, #177 Top Free (US App Store)

Unify and manage all your smart home devices from a single application. Connect hundreds of brands, create custom scenes and routines, and control your home remotely. Monitor energy usage and even get meal planning assistance.

**Highlights:** Connect and control devices from multiple brands, Create custom scenes and routines, Remote home monitoring and control, Automated notifications and status updates, Voice control with Google Assistant, Energy tracking and saving features, Smart cooking and meal planning assistance

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Remote control functionality
- 📚 Laundry cycle recommendations
- 🤖 Automation and scheduling capabilities
- 🔧 Customizable settings

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent disconnections and crashes
- ⏱️ Slow and laggy performance
- 🔍 Difficulty connecting and configuring devices
- 🤔 Confusing and unintuitive user interface
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with location tracking

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to add or remove devices
- Inconsistent device status updates
- Notifications not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to control TV without remote
- Improved photo/artwork management for Frame TV
- More advanced automation and scheduling options
- Better integration with other smart home platforms


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Philips Hue free?

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

### Is SmartThings free?

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

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

Philips Hue is rated higher. Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 117K ratings, while SmartThings averages 4.6 from 849K ratings.

### Do Philips Hue or SmartThings have ads?

Neither Philips Hue nor SmartThings shows ads.

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

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and SmartThings monthly. Most recently, Philips Hue was updated on October 22, 2026 and SmartThings on October 22, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Philips Hue or SmartThings?

Philips Hue currently peaks at #177 in the App Store charts, and SmartThings at #7. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

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