# Philips Hue vs Block 17

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Block 17 at none against Philips Hue's 10. Block 17 also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). Philips Hue's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 11 months) and chart position (#169 vs unranked). 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. Block 17 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, Block 17 every 11 months. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Philips Hue | Block 17 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (118K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/philips-hue/id1055281310/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **118K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 85.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Every 11 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Best chart rank | **#169** | — |
| Size | 248 MB | 193 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Signify Netherlands B.V.](https://appshunter.io/developer/979064009) | [Elevated Lifestyles Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1330920793) |

## What reviewers say

### Philips Hue

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

**Currently charting:** #169 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


### Block 17

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/block-17/id6755205581)

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Philips Hue free?

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

### Is Block 17 free?

Block 17 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Philips Hue or Block 17 have ads?

Neither Philips Hue nor Block 17 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Philips Hue or Block 17?

Philips Hue ships an update every 2 weeks, and Block 17 every 11 months. Most recently, Philips Hue was updated on October 31, 2026 and Block 17 on October 28, 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.*