# Twinkly vs Hape Engine

The clearest difference is rating: Twinkly at 4.6 against Hape Engine's 3.3. Twinkly also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 19 months) and ratings volume (48K vs 7). Hape Engine's advantage is review sentiment (50% vs 38%) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 16.0). 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.

Twinkly holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Twinkly has 48K ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 38% of Twinkly's written reviews are positive against 50% of Hape Engine's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Twinkly ships an update fortnightly, Hape Engine every 19 months. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Twinkly | Hape Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.6 (48K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056/reviews)** | [3.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hape-engine-hd/id1425737166/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **48K** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 38.5% of reviews | **50.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 19 months |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 177 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **8.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Ledworks srl](https://appshunter.io/developer/1132187055) | [Hape](https://appshunter.io/developer/1324043096) |

## What reviewers say

### Twinkly

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/twinkly/id1132187056)

Control and personalize smart light decorations for an enhanced festive experience. Easily connect via Wi-Fi to create custom lighting effects for your tree and home.

**Highlights:** Personalize lighting effects, Smart design, Intuitive use, Wi-Fi connectivity, Customizable Christmas lights

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Amazing lights
- 🎨 Customizable colors and effects
- 🎄 Great for holiday decorations
- 👍 Easy to use app
- 🤩 Wow factor

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app
- 🔌 Connectivity issues
- 🤯 Frustrating user experience
- 🕰️ Unstable firmware updates
- 💸 Expensive for the issues

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes and freezes frequently
- Lights disconnecting from WiFi
- Mapping and setup process unreliable
- Preset effects not working as expected
- Playlist and custom effects not saving

**Requested features**

- Multiple timers for on/off schedules
- Ability to edit and save custom effects
- Sync effects across multiple light sets
- Homekit and Alexa integration
- More preset effects and animations


### Hape Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hape-engine-hd/id1425737166)

Control Hape's toy engines remotely via Bluetooth. Simulate an authentic driving experience with sound and light effects, and operate the engine's headlight and horn.

**Highlights:** Remote engine control, Bluetooth connectivity, Forward and reverse movement, Acceleration control, Sound effects, Light effects, Headlight and horn operation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Twinkly free?

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

### Is Hape Engine free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Twinkly or Hape Engine?

Twinkly is rated higher. Twinkly averages 4.6 out of 5 from 48K ratings, while Hape Engine averages 3.3 from 7 ratings.

### Do Twinkly or Hape Engine have ads?

Neither Twinkly nor Hape Engine shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Twinkly or Hape Engine?

Twinkly ships an update fortnightly, and Hape Engine every 19 months. Most recently, Twinkly was updated on September 28, 2026 and Hape Engine on June 1, 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.*