# Philips Hue vs C3 Smart

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Philips Hue at 85% against C3 Smart's 20%. Philips Hue also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). C3 Smart's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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. C3 Smart asks for nothing beyond the download.

Philips Hue holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Philips Hue has 117K ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Philips Hue's written reviews are positive against 20% of C3 Smart's.

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, C3 Smart every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Philips Hue | C3 Smart |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (117K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** | [1.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c3-smart/id1626255847/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **117K** | 3 |
| Positive reviews | **85.2% of reviews** | 20.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#207** | — |
| Size | 247 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) | [Codelocks International Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626255849) |

## What reviewers say

### Philips Hue

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

**Currently charting:** #207 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


### C3 Smart

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/c3-smart/id1626255847)

Easily manage and operate your Codelocks Smart Locks with a user-friendly interface. Program settings, issue access, and generate time-sensitive codes. Stay informed with lock notifications and update firmware seamlessly.

**Highlights:** Program and edit lock settings, Manage locks and clients, Issue access and edit permissions, Generate time-sensitive NetCodes, Sync to locks via Bluetooth, View lock audit data, Remote unlocking (with WiFi Gateway)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Philips Hue free?

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

### Is C3 Smart free?

C3 Smart is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Philips Hue or C3 Smart?

Philips Hue is rated higher. Philips Hue averages 4.7 out of 5 from 117K ratings, while C3 Smart averages 1.0 from 3 ratings.

### Do Philips Hue or C3 Smart have ads?

Neither Philips Hue nor C3 Smart shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Philips Hue or C3 Smart?

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and C3 Smart every 2 months. Most recently, Philips Hue was updated on October 28, 2026 and C3 Smart on October 19, 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.*