# LightShow®SmartLights vs WLED

The clearest difference is rating: WLED at 3.5 against LightShow®SmartLights's 2.0. WLED also leads on review sentiment (51% vs 23%) and ratings volume (12 vs 4). LightShow®SmartLights's advantage is update cadence (every 2 months vs every 4 months) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

WLED holds the better App Store score, 3.5 against 2.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 12 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 23% of LightShow®SmartLights's written reviews are positive against 51% of WLED's.

LightShow®SmartLights ships an update every 2 months, WLED every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | LightShow®SmartLights | WLED |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [2.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightshowsmartlights/id1115496422/reviews) | **[3.5 (12 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wled-official-app/id6446207239/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 4 | **12** |
| Positive reviews | 23.1% of reviews | **50.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 4 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 14 MB | 24 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 18.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Gemmy Industries Corporation](https://appshunter.io/developer/889851671) | [Christophe Gagnier](https://appshunter.io/developer/1676668149) |

## What reviewers say

### LightShow®SmartLights

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lightshowsmartlights/id1115496422)

Control your holiday light displays directly from your smartphone. This app allows you to customize effects, colors, and themes for your lighting products, making holiday decorating easy and personalized.

**Highlights:** Smartphone control, Dozens of effects and colors, Multiple holiday themes, Customizable lighting options, Easy setup and management

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### WLED

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wled-official-app/id6446207239)

Control your smart LED lights directly from your iPhone or iPad. This app automatically discovers your WLED devices on Wi-Fi, allowing you to manage power, brightness, colors, and effects. It also supports voice commands and one-tap software updates for your controllers.

**Highlights:** Automatic Wi-Fi Discovery, Live Status & Controls, Home Screen Widgets, Siri & Shortcuts Integration, One-Tap Device Updates, Customizable Device Organization

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Works flawlessly for some
- 👍 Free and does the job
- 👍 Great for managing multiple devices
- 👍 Responsive and stable (for some)
- 👍 Cleaner and modern UI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues
- 🐛 Randomly turns on/off
- 🐛 Not user friendly
- 🐛 Glitchy and poorly built
- 🐛 Flickering lights after update

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to connect to LEDs
- Lights randomly turn on
- Connectivity issues, needs re-pairing
- App doesn't work, glitchy
- Brightness control issues

**Requested features**

- User-friendly interface
- Simple interface with advanced option
- Widget features for Home Screen
- Sound react option
- Remote control when away from WiFi


## Frequently asked questions

### Is LightShow®SmartLights free?

LightShow®SmartLights is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is WLED free?

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

### Which has better reviews, LightShow®SmartLights or WLED?

WLED is rated higher. LightShow®SmartLights averages 2.0 out of 5 from 4 ratings, while WLED averages 3.5 from 12 ratings.

### Do LightShow®SmartLights or WLED have ads?

Neither LightShow®SmartLights nor WLED shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, LightShow®SmartLights or WLED?

LightShow®SmartLights ships an update every 2 months, and WLED every 4 months. Most recently, LightShow®SmartLights was updated on November 9, 2026 and WLED on November 11, 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.*