# SmartThermo2 vs Hue Essentials

The clearest difference is rating: Hue Essentials at 4.2 against SmartThermo2's 2.4. Hue Essentials also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (138 vs 8). SmartThermo2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Hue Essentials sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. SmartThermo2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

Hue Essentials holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hue Essentials has 138 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of SmartThermo2's written reviews are positive against 38% of Hue Essentials's.

SmartThermo2 ships an update every 4 months, Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SmartThermo2 | Hue Essentials |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.4 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermo2/id1098143983/reviews) | **[4.2 (138 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hue-essentials/id1462943921/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 8 | **138** |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | **37.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Freemium |
| Size | 19 MB | 271 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Fuzhou Emax Electronic Co.,Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1128654625) | [Thomas Vos](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462943920) |

## What reviewers say

### SmartThermo2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartthermo2/id1098143983)

This app simplifies grilling by allowing you to remotely monitor the internal temperature of your meat. Set your desired doneness for various meats and receive alerts when your food reaches the perfect temperature, making outdoor cooking easier.

**Highlights:** Remote meat temperature monitoring, Preset temperatures for 8 entrees, Customizable doneness settings, Alerts for perfect temperature, Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, Backlight LCD display, Three operational modes

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


### 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 SmartThermo2 free?

SmartThermo2 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Hue Essentials free?

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

### Which has better reviews, SmartThermo2 or Hue Essentials?

Hue Essentials is rated higher. SmartThermo2 averages 2.4 out of 5 from 8 ratings, while Hue Essentials averages 4.2 from 138 ratings.

### Do SmartThermo2 or Hue Essentials have ads?

Neither SmartThermo2 nor Hue Essentials shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, SmartThermo2 or Hue Essentials?

SmartThermo2 ships an update every 4 months, and Hue Essentials every 2 weeks. Most recently, SmartThermo2 was updated on September 29, 2026 and Hue Essentials on October 14, 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.*